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Cannot search in Google Maps -- error message states "Server error. Please try again later."

  • 5 replies
  • 3 have this problem
  • 35 views
  • Last reply by Tom

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Entering a place name in the Google Maps search box, like "Detroit" or "Uruguay" (for example) always results in the stated error message. Fairly recent laptop using Windows 10.

Entering a place name in the Google Maps search box, like "Detroit" or "Uruguay" (for example) always results in the stated error message. Fairly recent laptop using Windows 10.

Chosen solution

This was happening to someone else as well, who had several complaints.

The short of it is: A server error is happening on the server end (in this case, Google Maps servers), so there is not much one can do about that but wait.

It seems like Maps has been introducing new "features", so it may just be some things break a bit while they are working on it, randomly, for different people, depending on what part of Google's network one hits.

I have not gotten a server error yet, but boy are the text boxes laggy, as well as random other bits of the page, on random occasions, like dragging the map or changing view.

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Chosen Solution

This was happening to someone else as well, who had several complaints.

The short of it is: A server error is happening on the server end (in this case, Google Maps servers), so there is not much one can do about that but wait.

It seems like Maps has been introducing new "features", so it may just be some things break a bit while they are working on it, randomly, for different people, depending on what part of Google's network one hits.

I have not gotten a server error yet, but boy are the text boxes laggy, as well as random other bits of the page, on random occasions, like dragging the map or changing view.

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It doesn't happen in Edge, so I guess Microsoft is trying to bully me into using their product. Thanks anyway.

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Best wishes, i hope things improve in the future.

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You can try these steps in case of issues with web pages:

You can reload web page(s) and bypass the cache to refresh possibly outdated or corrupted files.

  • hold down the Shift key and left-click the Reload button
  • press "Ctrl + F5" or press "Ctrl + Shift + R" (Windows,Linux)
  • press "Command + Shift + R" (Mac)

Clear the Cache and remove the Cookies for websites that cause problems via the "3-bar" Firefox menu button (Options/Preferences).

"Remove the Cookies" for websites that cause problems:

  • Options/Preferences -> Privacy & Security
    Cookies and Site Data: "Manage Data"

"Clear the Cache":

  • Options/Preferences -> Privacy & Security
    Cookies and Site Data -> Clear Data -> Cached Web Content: Clear

Start Firefox in Safe Mode to check if one of the extensions ("3-bar" menu button or Tools -> Add-ons -> Extensions) or if hardware acceleration is causing the problem.

  • switch to the DEFAULT theme: "3-bar" menu button or Tools -> Add-ons -> Themes
  • do NOT click the "Refresh Firefox" button on the Safe Mode start window
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Thanks, cor-el. I tried these to the best of my limited computer abilities, but the problem persists. I really don't want to waste more time on it. BTW, the problem doesn't occur on my old Windows 7 desktop machine.