Windows Search has stopped working

Topic

New Reply

Hello,

One of my recent Windows updates got cancelled in the middle of the updating and now the basic search function in File Explorer is not working any more. This isn’t the latest windows update I’ve done but I haven’t had the chance to really sit down and deal with the issue until now. I’m running Windows 10 Home on a 64-bit operating system.

I have read probably 30+ threads about similar issues so I don’t really know what to do except for reinstalling my Windows by this point (which I’d rather not).
What I’ve tried to fix the issue so far:

[*]Control Panel > Indexing Options tells me that Indexing is not running.

[*]On troubleshooting Search and indexing it tells me “Incorrect permissions on Windows Search directories – Not fixed” and “Windows Search service not running – Not fixed”.
[*]I’ve tried to Rebuild the index under Index Settings/Advanced as well without any result.

[*] I’ve run services.msc, located Windows Search and set the Startup type to Automatic.

[*]When I try to Start the service there it gives me the error message “Windows could not start the Windows Search service on Local Computer. Error 2: The system cannot find the file specified.”
[*]SearchIndexer.exe exists under C:WINDOWSsystem32

[*]HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows Search didn’t have the SetupCompletedSuccessfully value so I created the value and set it to 0.

[*]The other values there besides the CurrentVersion are (Default) (value not set) and RebuildIndex which is set to 2.

[*]I’ve run sfc /scannow and it didn’t detect any issues.
[*]I’ve run a full scan with Avira Free Antivirus and it didn’t find anything.
[*]I read somewhere that under %LocalAppData%Packageswindows.immersivecontrolpanel_cw5n1h2txyewyLocalState Properties for all the subfolders the Indexing should be checked which I did it first for this folder and then for all of C:.
[*]I tried creating a new user to see if there would be any difference but the problem exists for the new user as well.
[*]I tried to do a recovery (or what it’s called) before the last update but it only allowed me to go back to how it was before the latest update – which wasn’t the update where the problem started but on the list it only shows the latest update.
[/LIST]

If anyone knows how to fix this problem I’d be eternally grateful – this is beyond me.

Thank you,
kapu

Reply | Quote

Replies

See: Tweaking.com Windows Repair (All In One)

“Tweaking.com – Windows Repair is an all-in-one repair tool to help fix a large majority of known Windows problems including registry errors and file permissions as well as issues with Internet Explorer, Windows Update, Windows Firewall and more. Malware and installed programs can modify your default settings. With Tweaking.com – Windows Repair you can restore Windows original settings.”

Reply | Quote

See: http://www.tweaking.com/content/page/windows_repair_all_in_one.html

“Tweaking.com – Windows Repair is an all-in-one repair tool to help fix a large majority of known Windows problems including registry errors and file permissions as well as issues with Internet Explorer, Windows Update, Windows Firewall and more. Malware and installed programs can modify your default settings. With Tweaking.com – Windows Repair you can restore Windows original settings.”

Hey,

Thanks for your reply.
I did download the program and run the various tests in there, the service is still stopped and gives me the same error message as before when I try to start the service.

Reply | Quote

Hey,

Thanks for your reply.
I did download the program and run the various tests in there, the service is still stopped and gives me the same error message as before when I try to start the service.

You said you ran the “tests”? Did you let Windows Repair fix/reset all the recommended settings?

If Tweaking’s Windows Repair didn’t fix you up, then I suggest you perform an in-place reinstall like Sudo15 suggested in post #4.

Image or Clone often! Backup, backup, backup, backup......
- - - - -
Home Built: Windows 10 Home 64-bit, AMD Athlon II X3 435 CPU, 16GB RAM, ASUSTeK M4A89GTD-PRO/USB3 (AM3) motherboard, 512GB SanDisk SSD, 3 TB WD HDD, 1024MB ATI AMD RADEON HD 6450 video, ASUS VE278 (1920x1080) display, ATAPI iHAS224 Optical Drive, integrated Realtek HD Audio

Reply | Quote

You can do a repair install which won’t affect your programs and personal stuff – it’s what I do if I feel Win 10 isn’t running as it should.

Prior to running it I fully disable my Norton Security and opt not to search for updates and that way when it has completed, if it was the updates that was the cause, you should see your problem resolved as the Win 10 ISO without the updates takes you to 1607 14393.0

The updates will then auto download and install.

The repair install is done from within Windows.

Reply | Quote

Yes, by tests I meant having it do the repairs.

I ended up doing a repair install on my Windows, problem fixed. I didn’t know at first this option existed – that I could keep my installed programs while reinstalling Windows. Thanks for the help!

Reply | Quote

Glad to see that the repair install worked out for you.

Reply | Quote