Cannot access beyond page 1 of SERPs

Penalized for not installing the Google Desktop?

[paladin]

Strange phenomenon that just started. When I go to the bottom of the SERPS to click on page 2, the links are not clickable. On the right is an image of the Google Desktop program with a link and some text trying to get me to download and install it?

[JayC]

>> I am not seeing this at all. It's working just like any other time....

Looks like they just cleared it up moments ago by removing the Google Desktop ad.

[SuddenlySara]

4crests...so has it been happening on and off?

[JayC]

>> 4crests...so has it been happening on and off?

Could be that as with much of what they do, that SERP layout was not implemented at all data centers at once. So some people wouldn't see it, and as someone mentioned above, refreshing the page might have cleared it if the refreshed query happened to be a served by a dc that wasn't yet using it.

It'll be interesting now to see if they get it cleaned up and put that Google Desktop stuff back on (working correctly).

I saved one of the result pages, so if I get some free time I can try to go through the html and figure out what was wrong with it.

[NoLimits]

I say it's not a mistake.

In Internet Explorer "Google" shows up as if it is a background image (non right-clickable) when the hideous ad is showing, but when the ad isn't showing - "Google" is an image like normal.

If it were unintentional - it would be the same in Mozilla. But in Mozilla, it is a normal clickable image all the time.

It happens at random on most all searches. There are some things that don't bring it up (FDA, DNR, etc)

[eddie111]

when search from google toolbar only then its not working, in IE its working fine.

[JayC]

>> If it were unintentional - it would be the same in Mozilla. But in Mozilla, it is a normal clickable image all the time.

Or, if it were intentional wouldn't they intentionally make sure it happened on all browsers?

I don't really see what they'd gain by doing it intentionally. Sure, they probably got more traffic to the Google Desktop pages... but a lot people probably just went to MSN or Yahoo to do their searches.

[walkman]

buy adwords! There's no need to be on the second page :)

Just kidding. I tried and didn't get any errors...

[theBear]

Sounds like YABA, Yet Another Browser Artifact.

[eddie111]

reminding me of good old saying..."dont put all your eggs in one basket"

[skippy]

LOL well that explains why my normally very stable PCC stats got all screwy starting yesterday. I´ve been banging my head on the desk trying to figure it out.

[4crests]

It's been happening solid since last night for me. I switched to the 100 results in my preferences. It solved the problem for me for now. I just hate 100 results, but at least I can get to page 2 now.

[LostOne]

Boy I wish they would keep it to first page results:) Maybe that's why business was good today!

[RobinK]

It happens to me and I have mine set on 100 results. I can't get past page one except by using the next button.

[g1smd]

So you can get beyond page one....

[texasville]

I can.

[thegreatpretender]

So how may computers do you think have been infected with the deskbar so far? :)

[SuddenlySara]

glsmd.....;)

[Wlauzon]

You realize that you numb nuts....

Yeah, that's always a good way to start feedback, with insults and name calling. Gets great results also.

[ogletree]

I was on the big daddy index earlier and I got a result that gave me 4 pages but when I click on page 2 there were only a few more results and page 3 and 4 were gone. When I went back to page one they were back I clicked on page 3 and page 4 and I could see what was on them. It is not doing it now.

[truezeta]

Well I noticed it today at home and at work. It pops in and out. At first I thought my computer was just freezing up, but when I got at work, I realized it was {{gasp}} intentional!

[followgreg]

That's a little nasty against MS and their desktop search (which is better IMO) ...they can not keep it up with that much traffic.

On the other hand: did you guys notice that no being able to go to page 2 happens especially on searches repeated with the same keyword >>>
My idea>> they are monitoring our behavior (that we already know), especially tracking SEO's or the like :)

[NoLimits]

I haven't seen it yet today...

Is this still occuring for anyone?

[FromRocky]

My SERPs are normal. Don't see anything wrong or what your guys are talking about. Sorry.

[bether2]

Is this still occuring for anyone?

Not happening for me since they removed the Google Desktop ad.

[paladin]

Back to normal (for now). I wonder how many heads rolled on that one

[minnapple]

Weird, I get a ©2005 at the bottom of the search page when using internet explorer and there is also a column top left with links to "Images" "Groups" etc . . .

[bears5122]

Back to normal (for now). I wonder how many heads rolled on that one

Well for me it was down most of the day. If everyone was having that problem, you'd have to say that it cost hundreds of thousands in revenue from Adwords ads being clicked. That is being conservative.

[NoLimits]

What's a few hundred thousand dollars now in comparison to Google's reliance on people viewing their ads via IE.

Google needs to either release their own browser, or push Mozilla like noones business. I wouldn't put anything past MSFT - and having such a huge share of the browser market, they are a major threat.

[jtoddv]

Not the first time I have seen this sort of occurance, but this one was much bigger than the catch I had.

A while back the pages with calculator results on them, for example a search for "acre [google.com]", would render the first adword ad on the right unclickable. I told the Google guy at SES and has since been fixed.

[MatthewHSE]

Matt Cutts indicates that this [mattcutts.com] was unintentional: [mattcutts.com]

the problem was noticed early and a fix was getting ready before I even heard about it..

Now the question is whether or not to believe that statement! ;)