Magento multi store - fix 404 error

General information for the website: ecommerce website
Description of requirements/features: hi, thanks for loking at my ad

I tried to setup multi store but having followed online tutorials i get a 404 error.

BACKGROUND
Magento 1.9.2
shared servers, free virtual servers
mysql 5.5.4

No ssh access so had to create symlinks using cron jobs in cpanel but it worked fine

I have followed these instructions to create the store;

https://www.properhost.com/support/kb/30/How-To-Setup-Magento-With-Multiple-Stores-And-Domains

However my setup is a magento root installation with addon domains, the add on domains to be pointed to the root of the magento install where the stores are located

So for the server setup (for the add on domains) i followed instructions here;

https://docs.nexcess.net/article/how-to-configure-multiple-magento-storefronts.html

so basically after adding stores from the first link, i followed directions on second link and carried out;

1. copied .htacess and index.php from the magento root and pasted into add on domain doc root via ftp
2. changed some code in index.php to tell it to run appropriate store in magento
3. changed .htaccess and added endif and runengine commands, so it knows which store to load for which domain (think i did this to the .htacess file on the magento root)
4. used the ln s command to create symlinks on add on domain, to point to the root of the magento install, had to do this using cron job in cpanel

However it returns a 404 error on the add on domain, my feeling is that its some setting in magento for the cms.

hoping someone (magento expert) could follow what i did and find the problem fairly quickly.

will give the domains in private message.

thanks again for looking and good luck with your bid.
Extra notes: Sorry, should add I would require the chosen contactor to document their fix so that in future I could follow their method for future add on domains. thanks