Google Image search problem

A search fails, then images won't display on any web page

[DVDBurning]

I just encountered a strange problem. I can't imagine the cause... maybe someone here can help.

I was using Google's image search to find images (duh). The results displayed only 11 out of the 24 images found in the first page of results... then hung up. After this, whatever web page I look at will not display any images, only text.... even in other browser windows that were already open. I use MSIE. I did not have Google's Safesearch on (no filters).

Any ideas?

Was there a "bad" image trying to be displayed in the first search, that somehow messed up my system?

If I close all browser windows and re-open IE, I can display images again... but I can repeat the problem any time.

Sticky me if you are interested in the term, so you can replicate the problem.

[heini]

Sounds like a browser problem to me, very likely nothing to do with the image search.

[DVDBurning]

Thanks... but I never encountered it, and I can't repeat it in any other way.

Would it be OK to post the search word, so others could try it? It is the name of a city in Japan... it begins with a K ... nothing to do with anything competitive, or any of my main sites.

I can repeat the problem on 2 different computers.

I can't understand why Google would index the image if it were bad.

[jdMorgan]

DVDBurning,

Well, I tried the same image search, using IE6.0.2800.11061S (with all updates installed), and could not reproduce the problem. I visited several pages deep, and then went back to page one, but with no problems.

About the only thing I can think of is to suggest that you try flushing your Temporary Internet Files, and see if that helps. Having the temp files maxed out causes many weird problems.

Jim

[DVDBurning]

Thanks for trying. I am using the same version of IE 6 with all the patches applied, running on Win2K, on 2 separate machines I see the problem. Flushing temp files doesn't fix it. The first 9 images load, then the page stops loading. All browsers are unable to display images, until I close them and open a new browser session.

This is probably more of an Internet Explorer issue. I found that I don't have the problem when I use Netscape to view the same page.

Thanks for your help.

[takagi]

Same here. IE 6.02 (Japanese version). Search images for Kyoto shows some images, but then stops. Opening other pages give few/no images until I restart IE.

[jdMorgan]

takagi,

Interesting... Different city, but same result for you.

We were looking at a beach resort town southwest of Tokyo, seat of the first shogunate... Famous for temple, also starts with "K"

I had no problems, but I was using U.S. English version.

Jim

[takagi]

Hi DVDBurning, heini & jdMorgan,

I just did a search for images for the other city (starts with a K, southwest of Tokyo, kind of Gizmo ;-) before the weekend starts). And yes, I also this SERP gives a similar problem. Both images that were giving the problem were from the same site. Using Netscape 4.75 or 7.0 (both Japanese versions) encountered no problem when loading the pictures. Using IE the problem also occures when opening this site without going to Google, so it is not related to Google Image search. Still don't know if the image files are corrupt or if it's a bug in IE.

[Receptional Andy]

The image works fine if you save a copy locally.

Very strange problem. I'd be curious if anyone knows the reason for this.

[DVDBurning]

Thanks Takagi and Receptional_Andy for your help also. I'm glad you were able to confirm the problem.

I believe that the Google Image SERPs are served up entirely from Google, so although the image originates from another site, the page that causes the problem is now a Google page. I am not an expert in image formats, but it isn't the first time that I have seen image files that are readable by some software but not by others. I would expect that Google has some sort of validation algorithm, however. They also resize each image to a standard size for the image results page... so Google actually made the image that is causing the problem.