Changed from .html to .php website

Hi all, I would like some advice on what to do. I recently changed my .html website to .php to take advantage of using a common header and footer and menu.

I was told to use this in my .htaccess

RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^mysite.com
RewriteRule (.*) mysite.com/$1 [R=301,L]

RedirectMatch 301 (.*)\.html$ mysite.com$1.php

All my page names are exactly the same, except for the extension, obviously.

My problem is that now my domain name mysite.com/ returns a 301 as it gets redirect to index.php. I thought that if there was no index.html a browser by default would use the index.php?

Also, google webmaster tools is giving me some warnings about pages being redirected , I thought my above .htaccess was SE 301 friendly??

Any suggestions?

thanks

I think you have messed up everything, You should never mess with the htaccess file, COntact your web hosts and they will help you.

I am not an expert in this but try to add this line:

RewriteRule index.html$ index.php

If its not working take it out again

Try this:

RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^mysite.com
RewriteRule (.*) http://www.mysite.com/$1 [R=301,L]

RedirectMatch 301 (.*)\.html http://www.mysite.com/$1.php

(Don't change anything except the domain name).

Thanks for the help, but ClickyB, your suggestion ends up directing to
for example
mysite.com//index.php

Try:

You may try out this as well....

I am currently using Jagnet's suggestion, and it seems to be working just fine.
Thanks
any idea how long it takes google to change the indexed pages to the .php version?