Redirect 301

[Ildebrando]

Hi guys
I must insert in a html site a htaccess file that create a redirect 301 to
the site home page for every page that gives error 404 (Page not found), but
without affecting the single redirect 301 already present in the file
htaccess regarding other subpage moved and renamed in the past.

The purpose of all of this is not losing the google page rank that can be
passed trough every bad written back link .

What do I write in the htaccess file to do this? Do I have to write it
before or after the existing rules?

Usually I have only one or two error 404 for months to redirect: I wouldn't have to have a penalty for duplicate pages, isn't it?

Thank you

 

[louie]

add this to you .htaccess file

ErrorDocument 404 /page_name.html
ErrorDocument 401 /page_name.html
ErrorDocument 400 /page_name.html
ErrorDocument 403 /page_name.html
ErrorDocument 500 /page_name.html

 

[Ildebrando]

but you lose the google pagerank?
thanks

 

[louie]

If you have the old pages that will give you 404 now, you can easily 301 redirect to the new content...