Troubleshooting Search Problems  <     ^     >  


Searching the Internet is usually a step and repeat process. You enter search terms, review your results, and modify your request to increase the number of relevant responses. Some find their first attempts at a search disappointing, due to the two most common problems:

No Matches Found.
When your search comes back with two or three hits or, even worse, with the dreaded "No Matches Found" message, it's time to open up your search request. Re-evaluate the request to determine the best method to broaden the scope of the search to allow more matches.

Too Many Matches.
When your search comes back with more hits than you could open, it's time to give some away. Tighten your search request to cut down on the number of matches; most of them are irrelevant anyway.

METHODS TO RESOLVE PROBLEMS
No Matches Found
  1. Check the spelling of your search terms.
  2. Carry out the pre-searching analysis.
  3. Use simpler or more general phrases or keywords (car or automobile instead of 1995 Buick Riviera).
    • Think precisely about your information requirements before you enter search terms.
    • Note likely sources such as related publications, knowledgeable people, interested educational or governmental institutions, associated business, trade, or professional associations, and companies in the field. For example: If you're looking for basic information about a specific type of cancer, the National Cancer Institute is a likely source, and you might want to use National Cancer Institute or NCI as a search or filter phrase.
  4. Modify your use of logical operators. Eliminate some criteria. Use fewer ANDs and more ORs.
  5. Add synonyms for your search terms.
  6. Add sound-alike words to your query.

Too Many Matches
  1. Modify your use of logical operators. Cut down on ORs; add more ANDs and more AND NOTs.
  2. Use more specific, less ambiguous search terms. For example: use Rottweiler, not dog; emerald brooch, not jewelry.
  3. Stay away from words and/or terms that have more than one meaning. For example, PCB can be printed circuit board or polychlorinated biphenyl compounds; spell it out.


Other Trouble Shooting Errors

Occasionally an error message may appear. Please use the following guide to assist you in solving your situation.
Message:"The requested URL could not be retrieved..."
Please check the URL (Web address) or the hyperlink for correct spelling. Retype if necessary and then try the site again. If this message continues to appear, then there is a high probability that the URL does not exist. If access to the URL is through a hyperlink and does not work, the link followed is probably broken. Type in the URL address and access directly.

Message: "There was no response. The server could be down or is not responding. Try again later."
This message may appear when trying to connect to the Internet. Wait a few minutes and try again.

Message: "Authorization Required - The server could not verify that you are authorized to access the document requested."
This message generally appears following a request for a login and/or password. It may be one of three things: (1) that the registration process needs to be completed prior to accessing this site or page, (2) that either the wrong login or password was provided, or (3) that browser used does not understand how to supply the required information. To resolve the situation, ensure that you are registered with the site, and check that the login and passwords are typed correctly. If the problem should persist, contact the particular site directly.

Message: "Bad Request 400"
Your browser has made an incorrect request to retrieve a page or cannot interpret the request. Check the URL and try again. If this message reappears there may be a problem with the document itself.

Message: "Unauthorized 401"
This usually means that the server is expecting some sort of encryption ID from the browser or that the password typed in is incorrect. If given the opportunity, try typing in your password again.

Message: "Forbidden 403"
The document being requested is forbidden, and requires permission / privilege to be viewed. Some sites on the Internet are restricted to users of certain companies or their clients only.

Message: "Not Found 404"
This means that the document requested no longer exists in its original location. Either the document has been moved to another location on the server, or it has been removed entirely from the system. This is the most common error message as the Internet is continuously growing and expanding. Ensure that the URL is typed correctly and try again.

Message: "Internal Error 500"
The server was unable to send the HTML document due to an internal error, caused by an improperly configured server. The only solution is to contact the site's administrators and request that they fix the problem.

Message: "Not Implemented 501"
A web server replies with this error message if it does not support the feature that has been requested.

Message: "Service Temporarily Overloaded 502"
The server can't process the request due to a high load from either HTTP servicing or other requests from users. Wait a few minutes and try again.

Message: "Gateway Time-out 503"
This error is caused by the connection timing out, either due to server, network or client (browser) problems. Wait a few minutes and try again.

Message: "Unable to Locate the Server"
The server name is incorrect and the requested computer on the Internet cannot be located. Recheck the server's name in the uniform resource locator (URL) and try again.

Message: "Network Connection Was Refused by the Server"
The server may not be accepting connections or may be busy. This error frequently occurs when the FTP software site is busy and cannot generate its own error messages. Wait a few minutes and try again.

Message: "Too many Connections-Try Again Later"
This message is also common to heavily used FTP sites and is due to the site being too busy. Wait a few minutes and try again later.


If after trying the suggested solution the error is not corrected, please contact FirstStop WebSearch™