Indexing and Searching broken

Slartybart said:

Aha!

Do the modify one more time and remove the check next to Program Files.

You really don't want the entire contents of C:\ or Program Files indexed.
The idea behind indexing is make it easy to search on attributes or contents of a file.
You want to easily search your data files and some other locations. Indexing Windows and the Programs folders really slow down search (when it's working) and doesn't add much value.

After unticking Progam Files (you might have to expand C:\ to untick Program Files), you should rebuild the index again
and have only the following index locations
Internet Explorer History
Start Menu
Users (whatever is in the exluded column is fine)

try a search and let me know.

edit: posted a picture that might be needed in the next step - removed it to avoid confusion.

Does this provide any useful info?

Slartybart said:

Aha!

Do the modify one more time and remove the check next to Program Files.

You really don't want the entire contents of C:\ or Program Files indexed.
The idea behind indexing is make it easy to search on attributes or contents of a file.
You want to easily search your data files and some other locations. Indexing Windows and the Programs folders really slow down search (when it's working) and doesn't add much value.

After unticking Progam Files (you might have to expand C:\ to untick Program Files), you should rebuild the index again
and have only the following index locations
Internet Explorer History
Start Menu
Users (whatever is in the exluded column is fine)

try a search and let me know.

edit: posted a picture that might be needed in the next step - removed it to avoid confusion.

Tried again -- same result -- searches still not working

When I do the reindexing the process appears to be happening. If look at the performance monitor, something is going on.

I'm a bit embarrased to say that I didn't see the Index complete msg at the top and the pause button not greyed out. That's not right!

This is going a little deeper, how well do you know you're way around the comptuter?

If I said "open services and scroll down to Windows search and tell me the status" is that enough or do you need help getting to services and a descrip[tion of services. You seem fairly sharp, I just never know the experience of people on the other side.

Let's keep trying

If you need something explained, just ask and I'll go into greater detail.

In a Windows Explorer, are the standard Libraries shown in the left hand navigation pane?
do you use Libraries?


After each step, report back on what you see
test search in on the Start menu and the Explorer search bar
- stop when search works

1) Restart your machine, then
Look at Indexing Options
Is it still 0 - indexing complete?
Is the pause button still active?

2) Try setting "Search other files and libraries" in Customize Start menu to "Search without public libraries"
If it already was, please tell me that too.



3) See this tutorial to reset search to defaults - use Option One
Search Options - Change or Restore

I'm searching the forum to hopefully find a post that exists and that already describes the steps to stop and start search related services.

Slartybart said:

I'm a bit embarrased to say that I didn't see the Index complete msg at the top and the pause button not greyed out. That's not right!

This is going a little deeper, how well do you know you're way around the comptuter?

If I said "open services and scroll down to Windows search and tell me the status" is that enough or do you need help getting to services and a descrip[tion of services. You seem fairly sharp, I just never know the experience of people on the other side.

Windows Search is started and the startup is set to automatic

Slartybart said:

Let's keep trying

If you need something explained, just ask and I'll go into greater detail.

In a Windows Explorer, are the standard Libraries shown in the left hand navigation pane?
do you use Libraries?

Yes and Yes

After each step, report back on what you see
test search in on the Start menu and the Explorer search bar
- stop when search works

1) Restart your machine, then
Look at Indexing Options
Is it still 0 - indexing complete?
Is the pause button still active?

Still 0 - Indexing complete
The Pause button is greyed out

2) Try setting "Search other files and libraries" in Customize Start menu to "Search without public libraries"
If it already was, please tell me that too.

It already was -- I changed it to this in the last day or so

3) See this tutorial to reset search to defaults - use Option One
Search Options - Change or Restore

I've tried the first part of this tutorial -- Folders -> Search and restored the defaults

When I become more brave, I will do the registry part of the tutorial


I'm searching the forum to hopefully find a post that exists and that already describes the steps to stop and start search related services.

You did all you have to do in the tutorial, I think.

Many of the tutorials contain alternate ways of accomplishing the same thing (delineated by Option or Method), they also might contain a reverse set of instructions.

As long as you followed Option One "(A) Click/tap on the Restore Defaults button, and click/tap on OK" (if you changed search options, let me know - you can post a screen shot any time) then we're still looking for the answer.

Let's try something I should have offered earlier - the troubleshooter.

Open Control Panel -> Indexing Options
at the bottom of the window, click trouble shooter
You might have to run this once or twice
tick "Files don't appear in results"
then OK or next
Let the troubleshooter run through
if it reports any fixes, hit the more information link (if it gives you that option)
post screen shot

close out the troubleshooter and try a search

there's one more area I think might cause this or contribute to this
Libraries

Have you added many folders to the libraies?
Are any unused?
I'm think about deleting or restoring default libriaries (which might delete what you have already built-I'm not sure)

If you're OK with deleting and restoring default libraries, then great.
Delete and restore is the cleanest way to get a fresh set. Restore defaults only might not get you all the way there.

Think about it.

If not, I'll have to do more research on restore default libraries.
-

Let's try something I should have offered earlier - the troubleshooter.

Open Control Panel -> Indexing Options
at the bottom of the window, click trouble shooter
You might have to run this once or twice
tick "Files don't appear in results"
then OK or next
Let the troubleshooter run through
if it reports any fixes, hit the more information link (if it gives you that option)
post screen shot

The troubleshooter didn't find any problems. However, I found the following interesting:

The processor is an Intel Core Duo T6400 and Not and amd64
What does Windows 6.1 mean?

Slartybart said:

You did all you have to do in the tutorial, I think.

there's one more area I think might cause this or contribute to this
Libraries

Have you added many folders to the libraies?
Are any unused?
I'm think about deleting or restoring default libriaries (which might delete what you have already built-I'm not sure)

If you're OK with deleting and restoring default libraries, then great.
Delete and restore is the cleanest way to get a fresh set. Restore defaults only might not get you all the way there.

Think about it.

If not, I'll have to do more research on restore default libraries.
-

I have a lot of folders in My Documents. I don't want to play around with those.

However, I think that the problem is fundamental. If I create a new user account, I have all of the same problems with indexing and searching.

Understood about documents, but just so I'm clear

Please post a screen shot of the Documents Library properties
Right click Documents under Libraries (not the My Documents folder)
and select properties