Add Index – What Happens?

jmdraft · 20 Sep 2015

When doing a search, I always get click to add index. If it speeds up the search, good. But I have to wonder if it’s going to put everything in some kind of order that I don’t understand. What happens?

Layback Bear · 20 Sep 2015

Here is a tutorial by Brink that should answer your questions.

Index - Rebuild

If more information is desired; at the bottom of the page you will find this.

I use indexing. In plain language Windows 7 Indexing put thing where Windows 7 wants them so Windows 7 can find them quicker.

jmdraft · 21 Sep 2015

• Thanks Bear but no banana. I tried adding index and now it can’t fine anything in my search. I opened Control Panel (Option 3 “How to Add or Remove Index Locations in Windows 7 and Windows 8
”
I don’t see “ Indexing Options icon.”

Any ideas on how to undo this mess?

Alejandro85 · 21 Sep 2015

Look here:
What does Windows indexing do? - Super User

jmdraft · 21 Sep 2015

I tried adding index and now my searches don’t work e.g. I know there were some Word docs, pics, websites etc., in a file I have called “Europe Itinerary 2015” in an external drive. Now, when I do a search, it can’t even find the file.

How do I undo the add index mess? I'm trying to add a screen shot but the dingus says add URL. The SS is on my desktop..........no URL. Now what?

UsernameIssues · 21 Sep 2015

For posting screenshots:
Screenshots and Files - Upload and Post in Seven Forums

Layback Bear · 21 Sep 2015

Now we have went from indexing not helping to indexing not helping on a external drive.

Did you or did you not look here?

Index Location - Change

Please complete this tutorial by Golden so we can see a little more information. Have your external drive hooked up also.

Disk Management - Post a Screen Capture Image

Barman58 · 21 Sep 2015

An index is a list of keywords & phrases linked to the files they appear in, rather than have to check every word in every file to populate a user search if the system uses the index the search can be both more relevant and quicker

Indexing itself, however, takes time ...

When you decide to create or make major changes to windows search index the system will need to re-generate the actual Index, the time taken for this is dependent on several things, the amount of idle time the system has available (the system only indexes when the system is on and not in use), and the amount of data - for example on my system with several terabytes of data a complete index re-build can take several hours of system Idle time

Layback Bear · 21 Sep 2015

I'm just the opposite of Nigel.

I have little data and my indexing just takes a few minutes.
When I redo a indexing I do nothing else on the computer until it is done.

I asked for a picture of Disk Management for a reason. Indexing requires free space or it will not work properly; like many other things in Windows 7.