What's your solution for the pesky SearchFilterHost and the rest?

sunsetlover · 14 May 2014

I know there are many questions around on the indexing processes, searchfilterhost, searchindexer, searchprotocolhost. I had disabled xml files from indexing, the processes seemed to be dormant for a while.

How often are they supposed to run? What actually triggers them?

Right now I'm watching SearchFilterHost take 10-35% of CPU for about 45 minutes(!). I fail to see the usefulness of indexing, which is meant to speed up searches, when they bog down my computer for so long.

Setting Windows Search to Manual (in services.msc) makes any difference? Should I disable Windows Search altogether in start up?

Thanks!

Callender · 15 May 2014

Since you asked my preference is to disable windows search indexing and use third party software for searching files and file contents.

It's not as straightforward as simply disabling the Windows Search Service though.

Briefly - the Windows Search Service has been deleted from my machine. Drive indexing has also been disabled on all drives. (Right click drive > General Tab > Uncheck - Allow files on this drive to have contents indexed...

Most users seem to like Windows Search. I'd suggest trying alternatives before messing about with disabling or removing it! (make a system image backup too).

sunsetlover · 17 May 2014

Thanks Callender.
I disabled Search in start up services, I set Search to manual in services.msc and I no longer see the 3 search processes in task manager eating 5-30% of CPU and my searches take same time as they did before.

Layback Bear · 18 May 2014

I leave Windows Search as it was install.
I just added this program for searching. It works great.

Everything Desktop Search Download