Kinda OT But You Guys Are SOOO Smart :))

Ok, did that get me any brownie points? g
I don't know where to go and I've always found help here.
I belong to a Google Group and read it on line (instead of downloading to
OE)
On and off for the last few months, I get a Google "sorry" message saying,
"...your computer or network may be sending automated queries. To protect
our users,
we can't process your request right now". Sometimes it gives me an option
of a CAPTCHA (squiggly word)
to type and I can get into the group's messages. It's becoming more and
more of a problem. Try as I may, I can't
find a direct link to send an email to a live, breathing Google rep. I've
contacted my ISP (HugheNet). They say it's
not them. I've disabled AdBlock Plus. I don't have a firewall on the
computer. HughesNet provides that service.
Avast AV finds no malware or any other problem. Adaware doesn't run in
"real" time.
Some days I have no problems, somedays, like today, it's a BIG problem. I
have very little in my Startup (msconfig)
8 items, most belonging to my AIO printer, external drive or AV. If you
know a secret link to reach a live Google help
person (via email) THAT would be great. Any help would be much appreciated.
Thanks,
Monica

Hi!

On and off for the last few months, I get a Google "sorry" message saying,
"...your computer or network may be sending automated queries. To
protect our users, we can't process your request right now".

This "feature" can be an indication that you have a problem with a virus or
spyware. A very few legitimate "privacy booster" applications or software
extensions (such as TrackMeNot for Firefox) can trip it.

If you have an open wireless network (no encryption), someone may be using
it with an infested computer.

Tor (The Onion Router) will also trip it easily, as my experiments
(http://greyghost.mooo.com/tor/) have shown. Google doesn't like to see too
many queries coming from one place, and it has little to do with protection
of their users. Automated query would likely pollute their "search habits"
database and we CANNOT have that! g

You can try complaining to them, telling them how they are wrong. (And in my
case, they are definitely incorrect.) It hasn't done any good.

It finally bothered me enough to change the default search engine in Firefox
to Yahoo or Bing.

William

Thank you William. I do have a filter subscription with AdBlock Plus
(extension for FF) called Easy Privacy. It blocks tracking. Could this be
an issue? Also, I disabled ABP and still had the problem. The ONLY time I
get this "sorry" message is when I'm trying to access my photography Google
group, not while I'm searching/browsing so I don't think (maybe I'm wrong)
that changing search engines would help. I'm not connected wirelessly.
I've tried contacting Google. Not sure if anyone sees it or not. I've
never got a response.
Monica
"William R. Walsh" m
wrote in message news:Ox8fm.221032$DP1.38500@attbi_s22...
Hi!

On and off for the last few months, I get a Google "sorry" message
saying,
"...your computer or network may be sending automated queries. To
protect our users, we can't process your request right now".

This "feature" can be an indication that you have a problem with a virus
or spyware. A very few legitimate "privacy booster" applications or
software extensions (such as TrackMeNot for Firefox) can trip it.

If you have an open wireless network (no encryption), someone may be using
it with an infested computer.

Tor (The Onion Router) will also trip it easily, as my experiments
(http://greyghost.mooo.com/tor/) have shown. Google doesn't like to see
too many queries coming from one place, and it has little to do with
protection of their users. Automated query would likely pollute their
"search habits" database and we CANNOT have that! g

You can try complaining to them, telling them how they are wrong. (And in
my case, they are definitely incorrect.) It hasn't done any good.

It finally bothered me enough to change the default search engine in
Firefox to Yahoo or Bing.

William

Hi!

Thank you William. I do have a filter subscription with AdBlock Plus
(extension for FF) called Easy Privacy.
It blocks tracking. Could this be an issue?

It depends upon how they block the tracking. A common method is to make
random searches that are mixed in with the ones you are making.

Google considers that a violation of their terms of service and puts up the
"sorry" page if they noticed.

I have anecdotal evidence that some malware may trigger this behavior from
Google.

Also, I disabled ABP and still had the problem.

It may take two days or more for them to notice. I am not sure how the Easy
Privacy system you are using works. It doesn't seem to be discussed in any
great detail--at least not anything that a (very) quick search turned up.

I never got a response from Google when I told them that I was running a Tor
exit node. I'm not sure they care. I don't think Google is an "evil entity"
per se, but I strongly believe that they like their user/search tracking.
They don't say much about it though.

With regard to the wireless issue, I was talking about someone else using a
wireless connection that you might have. If that connection were unsecured*,
other people could get on it and use it. If you do not have anything such as
a wireless router with its wireless radio enabled, you won't be affected by
this.

* or secured with weak/easily broken encryption such as WEP.

William

lately i am finding that avg seems to be missing lots of malware and adaware
hasn't worked well for a while now.
i would suggest downloading/installing/updating/running the free version of
www.malwarebytes.org
like asaware, the free malwarebytes is scan on demand type product, not a
continuous scanner as you noted.
also, if that doesn't find or repair anything then i suggest you get the
free www.avast.com antivirus product which is better at detection and repair
than avg but has a clumsy interface than avg. avast can be schedualed to
run a scan before windows starts which allows it to repair things that other
products can not.

"Monica" wrote in message
...
Ok, did that get me any brownie points? g
I don't know where to go and I've always found help here.
I belong to a Google Group and read it on line (instead of downloading to
OE)
On and off for the last few months, I get a Google "sorry" message saying,
"...your computer or network may be sending automated queries. To protect
our users,
we can't process your request right now". Sometimes it gives me an
option of a CAPTCHA (squiggly word)
to type and I can get into the group's messages. It's becoming more and
more of a problem. Try as I may, I can't
find a direct link to send an email to a live, breathing Google rep. I've
contacted my ISP (HugheNet). They say it's
not them. I've disabled AdBlock Plus. I don't have a firewall on the
computer. HughesNet provides that service.
Avast AV finds no malware or any other problem. Adaware doesn't run in
"real" time.
Some days I have no problems, somedays, like today, it's a BIG problem.
I have very little in my Startup (msconfig)
8 items, most belonging to my AIO printer, external drive or AV. If you
know a secret link to reach a live Google help
person (via email) THAT would be great. Any help would be much
appreciated.
Thanks,
Monica

"Christopher Muto" wrote in message
...
lately i am finding that avg seems to be missing lots of malware and
adaware hasn't worked well for a while now.
i would suggest downloading/installing/updating/running the free version
of www.malwarebytes.org
like asaware, the free malwarebytes is scan on demand type product, not a
continuous scanner as you noted.
also, if that doesn't find or repair anything then i suggest you get the
free www.avast.com antivirus product which is better at detection and
repair than avg but has a clumsy interface than avg. avast can be
schedualed to run a scan before windows starts which allows it to repair
things that other products can not.




Damned fine assessment (imo) of AVG and Avast! in the current environment
worthy of it's own thread.

Avast! is doing a better job with some of the newer, nastier malware bugs
out there.

I've been contemplating abandoning AVG for about a month now as it seems to
have become much more ineffective.

I've been using Avast for the past ten months and find it works well
although I tend to be very careful anyway.

"S.Lewis" wrote in message
...

"Christopher Muto" wrote in message
...
lately i am finding that avg seems to be missing lots of malware and
adaware hasn't worked well for a while now.
i would suggest downloading/installing/updating/running the free version
of www.malwarebytes.org
like asaware, the free malwarebytes is scan on demand type product, not a
continuous scanner as you noted.
also, if that doesn't find or repair anything then i suggest you get the
free www.avast.com antivirus product which is better at detection and
repair than avg but has a clumsy interface than avg. avast can be
schedualed to run a scan before windows starts which allows it to repair
things that other products can not.




Damned fine assessment (imo) of AVG and Avast! in the current environment
worthy of it's own thread.

Avast! is doing a better job with some of the newer, nastier malware bugs
out there.

I've been contemplating abandoning AVG for about a month now as it seems
to have become much more ineffective.

"WSZsr" wrote in message
...
I've been using Avast for the past ten months and find it works well
although I tend to be very careful anyway.



One of the main reasons I haven't is - as Chris stated - the damned 'radio'
GUI.

If you have found a way/settings for a more practical interface with it I'd
love to hear it.

One of the main reasons I haven't is - as Chris stated - the damned 'radio'
GUI.
If you have found a way/settings for a more practical interface with it I'd
love to hear it.

Use the MacLoverOSX skin - simple and usable (and makes it look like a
finished product, rather than crap)

"S.Lewis" wrote in
:

One of the main reasons I haven't is - as Chris stated - the damned
'radio' GUI.

If you have found a way/settings for a more practical interface with
it I'd love to hear it.



Click the Menu button (upper left on the 'radio' console), click
'Settings', highlight 'Common' in left pane, and uncheck 'Enable skins for
Simple User interface'. Close and reopen the console. That provides a
plainer user interface. Still pretty spartan, but I find it easier to use.

I got frustrated with AVG and switched to Avast several years ago. I've
been very pleased with it, and on a couple occasions I have personally
witnessed it detect a new virus sooner than Norton or McAfee were aware of
it.