Apple has no record of my ID, but when I try to sign up using it, Apple says it already exists?

Unless I'm mistaken # 7 is identical to # 2, and you're being led in circles.

What's going on is that the Apple ID you are attempting to create is either already in use, which may include you, or it was used at one time in the past, which again may have been you. Doesn't matter which. Once it's used, it can no longer be used by anyone, ever again.

By "already in use" it means that email address might be an Apple ID, or an "alternate email address" associated with any Apple ID that has not been deleted from that Apple ID, or a "rescue email address" for an Apple ID that also has not yet been deleted. Therefore if you have another Apple ID go to https://appleid.apple.com/ and using the "Manage your Apple ID" button, check your account for alternate email addresses. If that email address is present, deleting it will make it available to use for an Apple ID.

Your Apple ID password is completely unrelated to the Gmail account password, notwithstanding the fact your Apple ID is also an email address. You probably already know that so apologies for pointing out the obvious.

# 6 is a clue. The email address you wish to use is probably an "alternate email address" that you may have specified for an Apple ID you may have used. If that's not the case it may be an "alternate email address" someone else is using, whose Apple ID may have become dormant.

# 5 may be helpful. Apple's email is very likely going to be considered spam, sent to your junk or spam folder, so check both in your usual Mail client's junk mail folder, as well as Google's webmail site.

This can be very frustrating. If none of the above helps one alternative is to use the Apple ID support website:

http://www.apple.com/support/appleid/contact/

Be prepared for several days of back-and-forth emails with no shortage of intrusive questions so that Apple can verify you are really you.

jman995 wrote:

I think you nailed it with your comment about my Gmail address being an "Alternate" for my main Apple ID Email Address.

Thanks - by finding that, you got away easy.

Delete that "alternate email address" from your "main" Apple ID, and you may then change that Apple ID to it. Changing an Apple ID maintains your iTunes and App Store purchase history, so don't create a new one, which won't.

After deleting that "alternate email address" it will be available for a new Apple ID, if you so choose, but creating a proliferation of Apple IDs for yourself is not beneficial.

Remember - once an email address is used as an Apple ID, it can no longer be used again, for anything Apple ID - related, ever.