MG Home page Search results are blank

Lately I've had a little trouble with the main Google powered Search at the top of the MG home page.

After the search, the rest of the page is OK but the main content center section, which should contain the search results, is blank.

At first I thought it might be a problem with the Opera browser, but I got similar results with K-Meleon and Pale Moon.

Sometimes entering the search again produces expected results, but sometimes not.

Has anyone else had the same problem?

 

I just now did a search on Comodo at the MG Home page. No problems, it worked perfectly for me.

Bazza

 

Same problem here mjnc, i thought it was just me. I tried Palemoon and I.E. with the same results. The last time this happened, I think it was an update to AdBlock Plus that caused the problem. Doesn't seem to be the case this time.

For the time being, here is a Google work around: Search MajorGeeks.com.

It's a very slightly modified version of a Google search that bigbazza posted quite some time ago.

Many thanks bigbazza.

 

Your search/link/simplification is a major improvement on my "original" submission. :cool :major

I have changed my Speed Dial custom search to the new, simplified version.
Thanks, plastidust.

Bazza

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Tinyurl link is http://tinyurl.com/3ghqv8e
instead of the huge google link.
It's safe. I just amended my Speed Dial shortcut to it, and tried it out.:cool

Bazza

PS: I don't use either Palemoon and I.E., so that is probably why my search in #2 worked.

Baz

 

Thanks TimW. That's probably the preferred method, but with my clumsy fingers sometimes I end up some place I'd rather not be. I'm practicing though.:-o

Thanks for the tinyurl link Bazza.:cool wish I'd a thought of that. It was a bit of a large link wasn't it?

For me the problem showed up initially with Opera as that's what I use all the time. And like mjnc, I thought the problem was with Opera. After some fiddling around in Opera without success, I tried PaleMoon with many add-ons and I.E. with no add-ons and still the same thing.

humm:confused I just tried a search and now it works fine. I'd take a stick of dynamite to this computer but I'd probably ignite the wrong end of the stick.:tas

 

For those who don't know about (or have never used) tinyurl, plastidust's Google link was 242 characters long. TinyUrl converted it to 26 characters.
See quote below. A hell of a lot easier to copy and paste.

Also, rarely known, is that the conversion from long link to short link remains forever active. :cool

Bazza

NB: There are other programs that convert long URL's to much shorter URL's, but tinyurl is the one I've always used.
Check out http://www.tinyurl.com/

Baz

 

Thanks to all for your input and workarounds. :major

I've also added plastidust's solution to my Speed Dial page and changed the address to the tinyurl version.
I also added tinyurl.com to the speed dial.

Actually, when using the forums, going to the custom search isn't a problem since to get to the MG home page,
you either have to leave the forums or open a new tab.
By having easy access to the custom search through speed dial, which opens a new tab anyway, you don't have to
leave your current location to enter the search.
Also, the google search results clearly indicates which are Downloads, preceded by [MG], and which are in the forums.

It's obvious now that this is not a browser problem.
It's probably due to a glitch in the generated content, but I know nothing about that stuff. :confused

 

On the Homepage there is *search* box on the left side below the *Way Off Base*. Has never let me down so far. Never used the top one. Just tried the discussed google search box on the top of the page and it doesn't work for me either. I'll just keep on using the same search method. :-D

 

Same here oma, blank search on top one using Chrome, first time I've used that search box too! The other one has never let me down either. I think Phillip(webmaster) has to look at it. Anyways, why would I even use the top search as I'm on MG's already?:confused

 

Yup, that's why I never bothered with the search box on top.

 

Me too. In fact I usually forget that it's there. :-o

I use the MG search box on the left hand side of the MG Home page if I am at the home page, and the Custom Search if I think that what I am searching for may not be on MG.

Search boxes (engines) are a lot like Browsers.
Everyone has their own preferences.

Bazza

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Wow rolleyes, I couldn't figure out what you guys were talking about :confused until I thought about Bazza's comment.

The MG home page top Google search is NOT the typical Google global internet search.
It is a site specific search that only searches Major Geeks.
As TimW already mentioned, it is the same as doing a site specific search from http://www.google.com/

For example, if you wanted to use Google to search for all references to CCleaner at Major Geeks, you would enter the
following into the search fileld:
CCleaner [noparse]site:majorgeeks.com[/noparse]

The reason that I've always used that search is that it is generally recognized as good web site design to put a Site Search at
the top of the home page, and maybe also on every page.

Putting a second search option at the bottom of the Files Menu was an excellent idea.
Since Major Geeks is primarily a software download portal, it's a more obvious resource to help visitors find some specific
software, But that search also includes the forums.

I just discovered something interesting.
After using the Files menu search, that search option does Not Appear on the results page.
Only the page top search is available, and it Works just Fine.

 

I've never tried this before.

Must give it a try.

Bazza