Redirect Issues

The image you linked is not redirected, and is indeed existing on your server, I can see it when I load it in a browser.

This means it is still existing and likely not redirected, since otherwise calling that URL would redirect somewhere else.

You can find the media in Dashboard > Media by searching all media for something like Caching (the name of your PNG file)
It will show up, and then also show where it is “attached to” in the specific column in the media screen.

You can then decide wether to delete it, or leave it, or edit the post where it is attached to, if any.

@bedas Thank you for your reply. I probably didn’t explain it the best. I know the attached image is in my media file. I placed it there in order to read the text content within the image. It is the URL’s and image links that is part of the URL’s I am having the issues with. I figured this was the best way to show the redirect text I am getting when doing a SEO scan.

??
Ok got it, sorry!

Let me check this again tmrw as it’s late here – I hope I’ll have some better answer this time ??

The not found links are www requests. If the files physically exist on the server, there could be an issue with your DNS records.

It’s not uncommon for there to be .htaccess redirects from all non-www to www or vice versa.

If you need to correct the initial source of the request and are having trouble finding it, find the request in your access logs, the referring page is typically logged. If the not found error shows up in Google Search Console, it’ll also normally tell you what the referring page is.

@bcworkz Thank you for replying. The files are not on my server. Maybe at one time, I don’t remember, but every sort of search for them turns up not found. I am figuring there is something within my code that is saying redirect because they are not found but after many hours of searching I can find nothing that relates to the URL’s. Thought I would ask on here for someone with a little more knowledge that might be able to narrow my search. I know all the code cannot be viewed by everyone but didn’t know if maybe URL’s dealing with images may be more of a certain area. Nothing in my media file and nothing in wp-content/uploads. They create 404’s.

Hi there, its me again

So, I looked at your screenshot and as I understand it, the first line shows the file that is permanently moved with a redirect 301:
This Url would be https://your-site/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/quet-bg.png

However – just as you say as well – that file returns a 404, and not a 301.
This is also evident in the very second line of the screenshot where the same file registered a 404.

Thus, that report is “wrong”.
If it were a 301 permanent redirect if would indeed redirect somewhere else, and it does not. It is indeed a 404, as the file does not exist. Something else is pointing to that file, a post body perhaps (see later instructions how to remove it)

I know this because I use 301s a lot. For example, when you have a post that is already indexed by Google and then you make a change to its URL, you will have to 301 the old URL to the new URL.
That makes sure that Google doesn’t assume a 404 and hence continues visit that post.

And hell, those 301s can be “sticky”!
Not for nothing they are called “Permanent redirect”.
Sometimes, I have to remove a 301 and it takes like forever to be recognised by google that the post is indeed gone for good now. I am still waiting on some to be recognised as fully removed by Google.

So the only thing I can imagine here is that the tool you use for SEO Scan is not updated with the latest data from you site and perhaps you have had a 301 on that file some time ago but not anymore.

You can decide here to either ignore that, or re-instantiate the 301 in your .htaccess or via plugin to redirect the URL somewhere else (to an existing place), which won’t slowdown your site at all, it will rather ensure that no 404s exist in your site.

If you still include that URL in some posts you can find out quickly with a Database search or using a search and replace plugin like “Better Search Replace” – if there is any post that has that URL in its content or else, the plugin or database search will return it in the results and you may then adjust that.

Note, if you want to ensure (if the file is truly not used anymore) that Google does not index it anymore either you can use the tool here https://search.google.com/search-console/remove-outdated-content to request full removal of that URL from the engine. However I would suggest to ensure the file really is not needed anymore elsewhere first (which may be the case) using the above described search and replace or database search methods.

@bedas A lot of great information and help. I really appreciate looking into this and as I work with the info I will post results.

Regards,
Julian