PROBLEM: "your query looks similar to automated requests from a computer virus"

[pcullinan]

When I launch a search in Google Books (not elsewhere), the attempt fails with "your query looks similar to automated requests from a computer virus," etc.

I am not automating my requests. I am simply keying them in manually as I have always successfully done many times in the past. Today, though, this problem has popped up and I have no idea why.

I noticed that the request uses url-encoding for the characters, to wit, %3F for "?", %3D for "=", %26 for "&".

For example, here's a request that is being sent to Google and rejected:

"http://books.google.com/books%3Fas_q%3D%26num%3D100%26btnG%3DGoogle%2BSear ch%26as_epq%3D%26as_oq%3D%26as_eq%3D%26as_libcat%3 D0%26as_brr%3D0%26as_vt%3Dopera%2Bomnia%26as_auth% 3D%26as_pub%3D%26as_drrb%3Dc%26as_miny%3D%26as_max y%3D%26as_isbn%3D"

It should normally be:

"http://books.google.com/books?as_q=&num=10&btnG=Google+Search&as_epq=&as_o q=&as_eq=&as_libcat=0&as_brr=0&as_vt=opera+omnia&a s_auth=&as_pub=&as_drrb=c&as_miny=&as_maxy=&as_isb n="


Anyone have any ideas about this?

Kindest regards,

Pat Cullinan, Jr.

[leftybogs]

i really don't get it... but as far as i know google give warning for some site or query that might hurt you computer, have a virus or some..

Google: Web Search Help Center

[pcullinan]

I forgot to say that I ran a virus scan and a spyware scan, so I know that my computer is clean. Therefore, we can rule out viruses and spyware.

Patrick

[pcullinan]

I found the solution to the problem.

I had customarily specified that I wanted 100 hits per page to be displayed. This never caused a problem until two days ago, when I started to receive the message described above. I caused the problem to vanish by specifying 50 hits per page.