# Weird internet file problem

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-internet-file-problem/622724>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 22, 2012, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-internet-file-problem/622724 "2012-05-22T15:41:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\
**Post date:** [May 22, 2012, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-internet-file-problem/622724/1 "2012-05-22T15:41:19Z")

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Ok, so I’m researching the fix for a car problem, and find a forum where someone created a .pdf detailing the repair on his own car. Here’s a link to the [.pdf](http://www.tundrasolutions.com/forums/attachments/highlander/37265d1228683602-heater-quit-sort-of-highlander-heat-controller-fix.pdf)

Sounds easy enough, but when I click the link, I get a blank screen. I figure, the .pdf is simply no more, it was put up 5 years ago, the link exists but the file is gone… however, put that URL into Google, and the Preview pane shows the .pdf! Picture of the guy’s car, tools required, it’s definitely the .pdf I’m looking for. Clicking that preview gives me the same old blank page.

Here’s the question… Is there any clever way I’ve missed to get that .pdf data Google is previewing? Is Google just showing a low quality top sheet of this .pdf that they’ve stored somewhere on their own servers 5 years ago?

I’ve emailed the forum administrator, no luck from him so far. The fellow who created the .pdf only had 1 post to the forum, and his profile included no email address.

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**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\
**Post date:** [May 22, 2012, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-internet-file-problem/622724/2 "2012-05-22T16:04:35Z")

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The link seems to be resolving to a one-pixel GIF image, not a PDF file as the file name says. I’m not sure how that is happening, maybe some kind of redirect. I tried clicking it and I tried downloading it, got the same thing both ways. I’m guessing Google is showing you something from cache.

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**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\
**Post date:** [May 22, 2012, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-internet-file-problem/622724/3 "2012-05-22T18:47:59Z")

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Could it be because you need to be a registered member of the forum to view attachments? I assume [this is the thread](http://www.tundrasolutions.com/forums/highlander/32217-heater-quit-sort-of/)?