My name is used, but Google says it doesn't exist, Help!

[ioris....@googlemail.com]

I think I partially set up an account sometime ago, but now can't
access it, and Google thinks it doesn't exist, yet I can't set it up as
a username, because Google says it exists already! I'm in catch-22
hell. Can anyone help me please? In desperation I created a new account
which reverses my firstname lastname. Google doesn't recognise any of
my other (hotmail and yahoo) email accounts, nor rosanaioris as a
username, yet when I try to choose rosanaioris, it says it already
exists. None of my commonly used passwords work. Help!

[Fanis Hatzidakis]

This may be a long shot, but if you indeed registered an account some
time ago, you may have added a dot in it. Try "rosana.ioris". Maybe
the "Forgotten username or password" link under the login form can
help.

Fanis

[Chuck Tomasi]

I would suggest using the "lost password" feature in Gmail. When you
login tell it you lost your password and it will mail you a new one,
that assumes you remember the email address you used to setup the
original account. I had the same problem about four months ago. I
reserved a name in February 2004, but forgot the password. Six
months later when I tried to access it, I couldn't get in so I just
reset my password and I'm back in business.

Good luck.

--Chuck Tomasi
--Gmail Podcast
--http://www.chuckchat.com

--Chuck Tomasi

[ioris....@googlemail.com]

Thanks, I tried that, but no go. The username really does appear to
exist and not exist.
If I try to create a new account using rosan...@gmail.com, Gmail
says a username already exists, try logging in.
If I try to reset password, Gmail says Mail sent to it doesn't bounce
back, gmail says there are no accounts in our system with the Email
address "rosan...@gmail.com" ... you may not have finished
registering...
When I click the link to complete the process, it says "that username
already exists"... catch-22

[ioris....@googlemail.com]

Thanks Chuck
When I click the forgotten password link, it asks for my email address,
then says there are no accounts in our system with the Email address
rosan...@gmail.com, and that I should complete a possibly incomplete
registration process, but that link later tells me I can't use that
usename because it already exists. It never offers to mail me a new
password.
I'm trying to get someone at Google to take this up for me, but I'm not
sure where to look. I'm hoping a helpful moderator here can help.
Thanks Rosana

[Fuzzy Logic]

There are no moderators here with the power to help you. This is not a
shot at the great moderators on this list, but that this is not an
official Gmail support mailing list. I would recommend that you write
to gmail-...@google.com and explain what happened. They will
probably be able to help you.

Fuzzy

[D Knight]

This is mainly speculation... but I don't believe Google immediately
recycles account usernames. So, if the account previously exists but
is now closed it doesn't necessary allow it to be used for new
accounts. They may keep the username reserved for a period of time.

[Bryon Sommers]

Wait, did you actually try the "dot" mentioned above?  For example, you may have logged in using your...@gmail.com, but registered as your...@gmail.com.  Its a long shot, but in Google's world yourname = your.name. 

[Bill Holmes]

Hi,

 

Bryon and Fanis are correct, when you create an account with a dot in it, you have to log in with the dot, omitting the dot doesn't work, at least that is my experience.  :)  This is true even tho mail is delivered to both the dotted and undotted addies.

 

Peace,

Bill

 

--
GMail FAQ:
http://4or.us/gmailfaq.html

[Andy]

This is a reply to a series of messages from more than a week ago. I
am not sure if this was addressed because I do not see the entire
thread.

Jon (on behalf of Rosana) wrote:

> But just tried reporting the issue to support, but there is
> no option for: "My username account no longer exists but
> I can't create a new one using that username, because you
> say it exists". ...

Clarification: You can't create a new one because it exists OR
EXISTED. If at any time in Gmail's history, account "yourname"
existed, even for only 1 minute, you cannot create a new account by
that name (with or without dots). Google doesn't recycle old
usernames, ever, as far as we know.

So there is no "problem" for you to report to Google, other than the
fact that their policy prevents you from doing what you wanted to do.
If you can prove without any doubt that you created the earlier
account, MAYBE they can help you get it back. Or maybe not, if it has
been a long time.

The situation with the dots has changed since 2006. It is no longer
necessary to use them when you login to your account.

Regards,
Andy