Can't add A record after removing custom domain

Hello,

My website is running on Netlify. I want to move it to a subdomain (still on Netlify) and point the main domain to an IP address outside of Netlify. To my surprise, after deleting the Netlify domain for my site, I got the error A: 400 - link exists, all config must be empty when trying to add the A record. After reading this thread I found that the NETLIFY records can not be deleted by normal users, even if are not visible anymore in the DNS section after removing the domain from the site.

In order to avoid downtime for my app, I need to make some adjustments before pointing to the new IP. What can be done?

Thanks

We can swap the record out for you, but not on any specific timetable, so your need to “make some adjustments” will take some doing to accommodate (if you can’t make the adjustments well in advance so they are ready when we swap the record out).

What’s the hostname? We may be able to swap the record now for one that you can edit (with no other config changes - still pointing to your netlify site now until you change it) - unlike the NETLIFY record in place already…

Thanks for your quick reply. The name of the site is laughing-colden-5eaf6b. Does this mean that after your change I will be able to update the record by myself?

The NETLIFY/NETLIFYv6 records block records of type A, AAAA, and CNAME for the same domain name as used in the NETLIFY/NETLIFYv6 record.

If we delete the NETLIFY/NETLIFYv6 record they will no longer point to sites at Netlify. If that is okay, we can delete the records and you can add the new record whenever you want to.

What are the domain names which need to have the NETLIFY/NETLIFYv6 type records deleted? Are they the two custom domains here (link below)?

If not, which record or records should be deleted?

Yes, those are the domain names.

I’ll need to remove the two custom domains from that site and then delete the NETLIFY/NETLIFYv6 records for those two names as well. Once this is done, no Netlify site will appear for either domain name and you’ll be able to create other DNS records (A, AAAA, CNAME) for those same names.

I have several questions before proceeding (because I don’t want to take the site offline unless that is what you intend):

  • Would you like for us to apply a different custom domain to that site? If so, what name(s) should be added? (Please feel free to add the custom domain now if you prefer.)
  • What other records should be created for those names when I removed them from the existing site and delete the NETLIFY/NETLIFYv6 records?

DNS records themselves are quite public information and I don’t see any harm from posting them here. However, if this isn’t information you want to post publicly, you can private message (PM) that to one of our support staff and I’ve confirmed that PMs are enabled for your community login.

Note, that only one person can see the PM and this will likely mean a slower reply than posting the information publicly. Please feel free to reply to however you prefer though.