Index - Windows Search Service

How to Fix the Start Error for Windows Search Service to Enable the Index in Vista​

   Information

The Indexing Options are grayed out and you cannot get the Windows Search service to start. Follow the steps one by one, and at the end the index should be running again.

   Note

If the steps below do not help you, then you will need to do either a System Restore to a restore point date before this problem, a Repair install, or Clean install to fix this problem. See the related links below for how to do these.

EXAMPLE: Error Message

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EXAMPLE: Index Options grayed out

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STEP ONE

Set Windows Search Service

1. Leave Windows Search service set to only Automatic. (See screenshot below step 3)​

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2. Close Services.​

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3. Proceed to STEP TWO below.​

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STEP TWO

Reset the Index in the Registry

Option One

Using a REG File Download

1. Click on the download button below to download the file below.​

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Reset_Index.reg​

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2. Click on Save, and save the .reg file to the Desktop.​

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3. Right click on the downloaded .reg file and click on Merge.​

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4. Click on the Run, Continue (UAC), Yes, and OK when prompted.​

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5. When done, you can delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.​

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7. Proceed to STEP THREE below.​

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Option Two

Manually in Registry Editor

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1. Open the Start Menu, type regedit in the search box and press Enter.​

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2. If prompted by UAC, then click on Continue.​

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3. In regedit, go to: (See screenshot below step 5)​

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Search

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4. In the right pane, right click on SetupCompletedSuccessfully and click on Modify.​

NOTE: If SetupCompletedSuccessfully is not there, then in the right pane, right click on a empty area and click on New and DWORD (32 bit) Value. Type SetupCompletedSuccessfully and press Enter.​

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5. Type 0 and click on OK. (See screenshot below)​

NOTE: This is the number zero.​

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6. Close Regedit​

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7. Proceed to STEP THREE below.​

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STEP THREE

Repair the Config Folder

1. Open Folder Options.​

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A) Click on the View tab.​

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B) Check Show hidden files and folders.​

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C) Click on OK to apply and close folder options.​

2. Go to C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Search\Data (See screenshots below)​

NOTE: You may notice that one or more of these folders (Applications, Config, Temp) may be missing from your window.​

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3. If the C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Search\Data\Applications folder is missing, then right click on a empty area and click New and click Folder. (See screenshot above)​

NOTE: If the Applications folder is not missing, then continue to step 3F after deleting only it's contents except for the Windows folder in it. ​

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A) Click Continue for Access Denied prompt.​

B) Click Continue for UAC prompt.​

C) Type Applications and press Enter.​

D) Click Continue for Access Denied prompt.​

E) Click Continue for UAC prompt.​

F) Open the Applications folder. If the Windows folder is missing, then click on New and Folder.​

NOTE: If the Windows folder is not missing, then continue to step 4 after deleting only it's contents.​

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G) Click Continue for Access Denied prompt.​

H) Click Continue for UAC prompt.​

I) Type Windows and press Enter.​

J) Click Continue for Access Denied prompt.​

K) Click Continue for UAC prompt.​

4. If the C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Search\Data\Config folder is missing, then right click on a empty area and click New and click Folder. (See screenshot below step 2)​

NOTE: If the Config folder is not missing, then continue to step 5 after deleting only it's contents.​

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A) Click Continue for Access Denied prompt.​

B) Click Continue for UAC prompt.​

C) Type Config and press Enter.​

D) Click Continue for Access Denied prompt.​

E) Click Continue for UAC prompt.​

5. If the C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Search\Data\Temp folder is missing, then right click on a empty area and click New and click Folder. (See screenshot below step 2)​

NOTE: If the Temp folder is not missing, then continue to step 6 after deleting only it's contents. ​

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A) Click Continue for Access Denied prompt.​

B) Click Continue for UAC prompt.​

C) Type Temp and press Enter.​

D) Click Continue for Access Denied prompt.​

E) Click Continue for UAC prompt.​

6. Close all windows.​

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7. Restart the computer.​

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8. If this still will not work for you afterwards, then you can try a repair install instead.​

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That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

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• How to Use the Indexing Options in Vista
• How to Open and Change Search Options in Vista
• How to Enable or Disable Search Index in Vista
• How to Do a Clean Install of Vista with a Upgrade Version
• How to Do a Clean Install with a Full Version of Vista
• How to Perform a Repair Installation for Vista
• How to Do a System Restore in Vista

 

[Brink]

Hello JDmej, and welcome to Vista Forums.

Did you leave the Windows Search service set to just Automatic and restart the computer after doing Step Two and Step Three?

Check to make sure that the Remote Procedure Call (RPC) service is set to Automatic and Started as well. If you cannot get it started, then leave it on Automatic and restart to.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[jdmej1]

yes everything is set to automatic. here's the strange thing though. I just had it with this problem so I removed Windows Search 4.0 from the installed updates list in Control Panel and somehow that fixed the problem.


THE BUTTONS WERE NOT GRAY ANYMORE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! but......................

i am not sure what exactly windows search 4.0 does for my system but I think that I need it because the reason that I started to notice this evolving problem was in MICROSOFT OUTLOOK 2007 SP1. I used to search for emails using the indexed emails search box and suddenly it didn't work. I looked for similar probelms online and stumbled accross the GREY BUTTON ISSUE with the index options.

So now my question would be, how to Install Windows Search 4.0 without it having conflicts with the INDEX OPTIONS in the control panel.

Because really my solution to the GREY BUTTONS is to remove the WINDOWS SEARCH 4.0 UPDATE from add/remove programs restart my PC and everything in the CONTROL PANEL>INDEX OPTIONS worked.

Now of course this is after I made sure that all the steps in your guide were followed carefully.


Otherwise just replacing those files and making sure the SERVICES were set to automatic didn't do much IN MY CASE.

I had to remove windows search 4.0 and now I see and am able to click the buttons that were once GREY.


At this point I am testing out Microsoft Outlook 2007 sp1 to see if it works without having to install WINDOWS SEARCH 4.0.

I would like to hear what you guys think about my case. thank you for the time

 

[Brink]

JDmej,

Thank you for sharing your results so far. The other installation of Windows Search 4.0 may have been corrupted ,so you might try installing it again now that you have the Index back to see if it will install without problems. If not, you can just uninstall it again.

Looking forward to reading your results.

Shawn

 

[jdmej1]

I just did and the same thing. Grey buttons and outlook shows no results when I try to search for a file that is clearly visible.

What now ?

This is really frustrating.

thank you for the help

 

[Brink]

I would uninstall Windows Search 4.0 again, and do the tutorial again if needed. You might alos post this question in the subforum Microsoft Office in the Software forum to see if anyone else with Office has experienced this problem to. They may know of a solution for you.

 

[jdmej1]

WOW, now here is something really strange. When I reinstalled the Windows Search 4.0 update, it deleted the CONFIG folder along with the WINDOWS folder inside Applications. Strange right ? It was there and after applying the update it deleted those two folders.


WOOOOOW. It gets worse, I just created the folder WINDOWS inside APPLICATIONS and WINDOWS suddenly dissappears.

WHAT COULD POSSIBLY BE DELETING THIS FOLDER ? NORMAL SERVICES ARE RUNNING IN THE BACKGROUND, AND ITS A VIRUS FREE ENVIRONMENT.

 

[Brink]

I noticed that when Windows Search 4.0 is installed the Config folder is now in the Windows folder inside of the Applications folder instead. The relocated Config folder should still have the gathrprm.txt and schema.txt files in it.

 

[jdmej1]

actually the folders that disappear are "WINDOWS" and "CONFIG" along with its contents

 

[Brink]

I have discovered that the Index location is no longer stored at C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Search\Data by default. Instead it is now located at C:\Users\User_Name\AppData\Local\Search\Data. The Config folder is now in the Windows folder inside of the Applications folder instead. The relocated Config folder is empty now to.

 

[jdmej1]

ok I see what your'e saying now here's whats strange. The directory SEARCH does not exist in LOCAL. What I did was to copy and past THAT directory from the old location BUT I left the CONFIG folder empty.

I did create a WINDOWS folder and it stayed their without magicly dissappearing. I am going to restart my PC to see what happens. oh yeah and thanks again

 

[jdmej1]

well nothing, the same problem. I first tested the serivce and it returned error code 2147218141. I went to the control panel>indexing options> GREY BUTTONS.

Now the files or folder still remain in this new location. They remain empty until now and the original location continues to delete the WINDOWS directory when I try to create one.

 

[Brink]

i just fiished the sfc scan and it said that everything is fine. No integrity violations

I would just uninstall Windows Search 4.0 and did what you did before since it worked before that.

Another alternative is to just leave the Windows Search service disabled and use the non-indexed search.

The only other option I know to try and fix this, other than a clean reinstall of Vista, is to try a Repair (upgrade install).

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/88236-repair-install-vista.html

 

[jdmej1]

I guess there is no other alternative but to do that. Ill let you know what happens thank

 

[jdmej1]

well i followed the Repair Install For Vista guide and it fixed the problem. i must say though it is very strange that occured when everything seemed to be going fine. i guess the only bad part is it took almost 2 hours for windows to restore itself back to normal.

thank you very much for the support

have a great day

 

[Brink]

You're welcome jdmej1. I'm happy to hear that it is working normally again for you.

Shawn

 

[tej]

Your welcome Steve,

Glad to hear your problem is now resolved. Thank you for the feedback.

Shawn

Hi Shawn,

I am having the same problem as Steve, but I cannot create windows folder in the applications folder. It just keeps disappearing and the service would not start.

Regards,
Tej

 

[Brink]

Hello Tej, and welcome to Vista Forums.

You may have the Windows Search 4.0 Windows Update installed. Did you follow the separate tutorial instructions for this instead?


Shawn

 

[Hefti]

Hello Brink,

I just registered to this forum to say you the following (because you do a lot of work here ):
I tried a lot to get the Search-Index-Error fixed. At last, I wanted to do a "repair Install". But I chose to uninstall SP1 and go this way.

To uninstall the SP1 I needed to go to the "installed updates menu" - an what did I found there?! I never thought it - Search 4.o was installed!

I didn´t know it was an update (although its written in your comments) and since I tried to install it seperate (with an error "not for your system") I thought that I do not have the search 4 installed...

After just uninstalling the search using the "installed updates menu" everything was fixed. No repair install or uninstalling sp 1 needed! Now I re-install it using the windows update functon, let´s see.

So for some people (who think they know everything about their computer ) it should be good to force them at the beginning of your tutorial to check the "Installed Updates-Menue" if the "Windows Search 4 (update)" is installed or not.

Thank you very much
Volker
Greetings from northern Germany

(I saw you live in Texas - so I think chances that you vote for Obama are low? )


Hi,
like I wrote before, everything works fine now. So that I ask myself "why using ms search 4.o?". Whats the difference between search 4.o and no search 4? It is not the use of the Index what makes the difference.... or?
Thanks
Hefti

 

[Brink]

Hi Hefti, and welcome to Vista Forums.

Search 4.0 is really just an update that adds more to the default search. Installing the update helped fix search only because it reinstalled the files needed, thus repairing it. It's a nice workaround.

You can read all about what Search 4.0 add at this link.

Windows Search

Hope this helps,
Shawn

P.S.
I would not mind seeing Obama win the election.

 

[sunnysideandy]

Howdy folks. First of all, a million thanks for posting this solution.

I also wanted to add that I had almost the same problem with Windows Server 2008. I was getting "Windows Search Service has failed to remove the old catalog" after installing and rebooting, and uninstalling, and rebotting, etc. Now, there is no Search Update #4 for Windows Server 2008, as far as I can tell, but I tried the manual steps for moving folders around anyway, and the service started up just fine.

I don't know yet if it is functional, but at least I don't have the awful 20 second delay when creating new files and folders.

Update after letting Windows Search fully index all of my locations....success, and it's FAST!