• Only registered members can see all the forums - if you've received an invitation to join (it'll be on your My Summary page) please register NOW!

  • If you're looking for the LostCousins site please click the logo in the top left corner - these forums are for existing LostCousins members only.
  • This is the LostCousins Forum. If you were looking for the LostCousins website simply click the logo at the top left.
  • It's easier than ever before to check your entries from the 1881 Census - more details here

What has happened to Family Search ?

Heather

Heather

LostCousins Member
Have I missed something? I can login to the family search site familysearch.org but I cannot search, I just get the message
Oops…
We can't seem to find this page
404: [object Object]
The page you requested is no longer available, or cannot be found. We have been notified of the error.

What am I doing wrong?
 
I doubt it is you that is doing something wrong Heather. Maybe try typing the address into your search bar? Could be a link gone wrong?
 
I have encountered that very message (known as 404 in Geek circles) on more than one occasion. It is just the browser has lost or misinterpreted the URL address and the message is by way of an apology. It needs to re-find the address and as Tim says typing 'Familysearch' in the search bar will allow you to find the site and then the search page (or follow Tim's link).
 
Last edited:
Thanks, emjay, Tim, Bob and Gillian, tried Tim's link and typing familysearch in the search bar but still got the same result. I can login, but when I enter details into the search boxes and hit the search button I still get the same message. I do not get a map of the world at the right hand side of the screen on the search page, maybe that has something to do with it. I am on my husband's computer and it has been doing some strange things lately, so I will try again tomorrow on my laptop and see what happens then. In the words of Arnie" I'll be back". Thanks again .
 
Tim said:
You could try clearing your cache.
Click to expand...

Is that like clearing your throat Tim?;) Sorry I'm not very computer savvy, can you give me more details please? By the way I tried on my computer and everything is fine, got into the site and searched, no problem, must be a screw lose on my hubby's computer :eek:, thanks for everyone's interest in my problem.
 
By far the best and easiest way to clear junk files (which is basically anything used by your Browser and internet dependent programs clogging up your computer - and stored as 'cache' ) is to install the wonderful FREE Clean Master application for Windows which shows as a small brush icon on your desktop:

upload_2015-7-27_15-54-17.png and you can download it here: Clean Master *


Originally developed for Android devices, including phones, it became so popular that a version for Windows was inevitable (and it is also available for Mac). It is an alternative to the better known CCleaner (which also has a paid Pro version) but is far less fussy and much easier to use.

It has an auto start default which I keep as you need to use it after booting up and before you open a Browser window. Up it pops second later with a message saying you have accumulated xxx MB of junk files and asking if you want to clean the cache? You click Clean and it takes literally a few seconds; on average about 5-10. (As a tip you can leave it open and get on with other things and do another clean later, although I usually close it down and let it pop up next time I restart).

I have it on all my PC's and laptops including my wife's who tells me she has grown quite used to it. Plus before I installed Clean Master I used to remind her to clean the cache which she invariably forgot to do so it is win-win for me.

*PS Note awaiting a version for Windows 10
 
Last edited:
Thanks a lot, Bob. I've now downloaded the little brush and enjoyed watching it sweep all the cobwebs away. But, please, what should I do when it reaches the point in the attached pic?
Should I click Return or should I just close it using the little x in the top right hand corner?
upload_2015-7-27_18-59-9.png
 
I shouldn't have used the word 'close', should I, because that's there already 'close and clean'. What I meant was, should I shut it down via the little x as one normally does any program?
 
Bob Spiers said:
By far the best and easiest way to clear junk files (which is basically anything used by your Browser and internet dependent programs clogging up your computer - and stored as 'cache' ) is to install the wonderful FREE Clean Master application for Windows which shows as a small brush icon on your desktop:

View attachment 904 and you can download it here: Clean Master *
Click to expand...

Thanks Bob, I will wait until my husband comees home and then try that, after all it is his computer:rolleyes:
 
Gillian said:
Thanks a lot, Bob. I've now downloaded the little brush and enjoyed watching it sweep all the cobwebs away. But, please, what should I do when it reaches the point in the attached pic?
Should I click Return or should I just close it using the little x in the top right hand corner?
View attachment 906
Click to expand...
Yes that got to me at first and if you click return (and you can no harm) it will assume you wish to scan again! (You can of course miniaturise to the Toolbar and resurrect later then click Return and scan again). I just X it off and next time you log on it will turn up after a minute or so and tell you have more junk cluttering your cache.:) It will grow on you quite soon and my wife who used to call me every time she received a message, now knows to just click on clean, wait a moment, and x it off.

PS I suddenly realised viewing your attachment that I should remind everyone if you have a Browser open -including Skype which likely starts up with your PC - it will display Close & Clean. You must close the open item(s) first (as it wants to interrogate their cache content) otherwise it will skip cleaning for that session. I used to get the Skype message on one PC that I use for Skype, so I delayed Skype opening to allow Clean Master to do its job.
 
Last edited:
Many thanks, Bob. Actually I had worked out that that was I should probably do, but it's good to get confirmation from the 'horse's mouth'. ;) It's a very addictive little brush (unlike the ones I should use for cleaning my house) and has already grown on me!
 
It'd best not to download free software from the Internet unless it has been recommended by a trusted source (which doesn't mean a friend or relative, but ideally a respected computer magazine or online equivalent). Always download the program from the official site, either the publisher's own site or a site recommended by the publisher. A recent survey by Computer Shopper found that unofficial download sites often install additional software, most of which is simply a nuisance, but some may be malicious. They warned particularly about using the Bing search engine, as this often puts unofficial sites ahead of the official site - Google was much safer in their tests.

I avoid installing any utilities that aren't absolutely essential - very few are. Problems with the browser cache are rare. and most can be resolved by pressing Ctrl-F5, which forces the browser to download the page from the Internet, bypassing it's cache.
 
Peter as so often is perfectly correct in cautioning against downloading anything from the internet and particularly about sites that try to install timewasting add-ons. I invariably use sites recommended by my favourite Computer magazine 'Computeractive' (to which I have subscribed for goodness knows how long). Written in plain English and great for novice and experienced user alike.

On the subject of utilities I do not personally agree with Peter. If you choose the right ones (by Magazine recommendation, personal experience or trusted advice ) they can be great time savers. I must admit one needs a deal of experience to sort the wheat from the chaff but that's the same with everything. In the case of Clean Master it has scored top of the poll on so many occasions and even earned a 'best utility ever' label. I have some half dozen utilities of equal ilk and would not be without any of them, but admittedly have tried and discarded three or four times that many.
 
We can all get caught out. I wanted a brochure for a garden hose sprinkler this week, I thought I had found it but realized my error when it started to unzip a stack of unwanted programs and add-ins. It took me a day to make sure I had thoroughly cleaned the computer of all the dross.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top