Solved Windows 7-Start Menu Search missing

[sfwul]

I know, there are many many 'solutions' on the Internet, but during the last, say 6-7 hours, I have tried out quite a number of them.

I tried:
- run services.msc - the tagging windows search
- need to reboot then
- with the Windows CD in the drive - windows, at reboot - there is something
like error at setup of Windows components -
windows is then undoing the install


I tried the registry soluton
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Search
SetupCompletedSuccessfully at '0'

Index - Windows Search Service - Vista Forums

I tried to repair 'startup'
Windows 7 Startup Repair - How To Perform a Startup Repair in Windows 7

Nothing works.

Any other solutions.

THE big issue is that windows search cannot be restored, apparently.
Even not by repair startup.

thanks!
=

 

[bmcdevitt]

has it always been missing? or has there been a recent change?

 

[sfwul]

After I freshly installed W7 yesterday.

At one point in time I did (accidentally) disabled Windows Search.

I am using X1 as search engine and thought these two would conflict. Donot need any Windows Search in Outlook, whatever.
But they aren't conflicting I guess.

Anyway getting back the search box in Start is a different story it appears...

 

[bmcdevitt]

since its fresh, just re-install windows, should take 30 min... it will be back i can promise you that : )

 

[Brink]

Hello Sfwul, and welcome to Seven Forums.

If you mean the Search button on the dark right side of the Start Menu, then this has been removed since Vista SP2 due to the antitrust lawsuit that Microsoft lost with Google.

However, the tutorial below can show you how to add it back.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/89800-start-menu-add-remove-search-button.html


You could also create a Serach shortcut to use instead if you like.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[sfwul]

Hello again,

I mean the search box at start, that's what I was missing.

I discovered this after I installed all my applications.
Assume... but only assume... that this was caused by deselecting Windows Search (Programs).
If it was, then selecting this back and reboot-reinstalling does not work. Once W7 wants to install it (at the very first startup screen, i.e. before the desktop) W7 encounters and error and cannot install this.

After spending hours on trying to figure out how to solve this, I decided it might be better to again install everything from scratch, all apps etc. (took me almost whole day yesterday).

It is back. But if it was not 'windows search' that got me this issue, then what..?

Thanks to you all for yr help sofar.
=

 

[Brink]

Sfwul,

I'm happy to hear that you got it sorted, but sorry you did a reinstall to get it there.

If you unchecked Windows Search in Windows and Features, then that would have caused this.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/25343-windows-search-turn-off.html

 

[sfwul]

Likely so.

However, pls note that ENabling this feature (as outline in the separate post) and at reboot Windows is telling that it starts to reconfigure, rightfully so, but then after a while it says that it is unsuccessful and the reconfigurations 'rolls back', and Windows 7 continues the way it was.

This happened repeatedly. I wonder why - cud not find an answer on thát issue...

The only solution is then to freshly install W7 from scratch.

=

 

[Brink]

A sfc /scannow command is usually tried first to see if it may just be corrupted system files that may be able to be fixed with the scan. However, a fresh install almost always works though.