How to Fix XP Indexes

The Windows XP search indexing feature is designed to accelerate the process of searching your computer for an individual file by creating an index of what is there. When you search, rather than checking the entire hard drive, Windows XP can simply query the index. If you are unable to find a file on your computer that you know is there, or the search is consistently unable to find files in the index and must resort to querying non-indexed locations, you may need to rebuild the Windows XP search index. Check and repair Windows XP search indexing to take full advantage of this feature.

Instructions

Basic Windows XP Search Indexing Troubleshooting

1. Confirm that you are logged in to Windows with an account that has administrative privileges. The account does not have to be named \"Administrator\" but cannot be a regular user account.

2. Click the \"Start\" button, then click \"Control Panel\". Double-click \"Administrative Tools\". If you do not see this icon, click the \"Switch to Classic View\" link on the left side of the window.

3. Double-click \"Services\". Double-click \"Indexing Service\" in the window that opens. If the value shown next to \"Startup Type\" is \"Manual\" or \"Disabled\", click the drop-down menu and select \"Automatic\", and then click the \"Start\" button. Click \"OK\". This should resolve the problem with the index; do not continue through the steps below unless the problem persists. If the Indexing Service is already enabled, close the \"Services\" window and minimize the \"Administrative Tools\" window.

4. Click the \"Start\" button, and then click \"My Computer\". Right-click on your hard drive and click \"Properties\".

5. Confirm that a check is present in the box labeled \"Allow Indexing Service to index this disk for fast file searching\". If the box is not checked, place a check in it and click \"OK\". Note that some time may be required to apply this change to all folders on the drive. If the box was not checked, checking it should resolve the issue. If you continue to experience a problem with the search index, continue to Section 2.

Rebuilding the Windows XP Search Index

1. Return to the \"Administrative Tools\" window, which should still be minimized. Double-click \"Services\".

2. Double-click \"Indexing Service\" and click the \"Stop\" button in the window that opens. Click \"OK\", and then minimize the \"Services\" window. You should now be looking at the \"Administrative Tools\" window again. Double-click \"Computer Management\".

3. Double-click the entry for \"Services and Applications\" on the left side of the window to expand the category, then double-click \"Indexing Service\".

4. Right-click \"System\" under \"Indexing Service\" and select \"All Tasks\" and \"Empty Catalog\". This forces Windows XP to empty the search index. When you restart the service, the index will be rebuilt.

5. Return to the \"Services\" window. Double-click \"Indexing Service\" and click the \"Start\" button. Click \"OK\", and then close all open windows. Allow your computer time to rebuild the search index before testing it to confirm that it works. If the issue is resolved, stop here. If you continue to experience a problem, it may be because search indexing is working properly, but certain folders on the drive are excluded. Close all open windows and continue to Section 3.

Configuring Windows XP to Index All Folders

1. Click the \"Start\" button, then click \"My Computer\".

2. Right-click your hard drive and click \"Properties\".

3. Remove the check from the box labeled \"Allow Indexing Service to index this disk for fast file searching\". Click \"OK\".

4. Select the radio button labeled \"Apply changes to C:\\, subfolders and files\" and click \"OK\". Windows will exclude every file and folder on the drive from being indexed. Be patient, as this process generally takes a long time to complete. If you receive an error, it is because search indexing cannot be enabled or disabled for certain protected system files. Click \"Ignore All\" when prompted.

5. Repeat Steps 2-4 while replacing the check in the box labeled \"Allow Indexing Service to index this disk\". Once again, be patient while waiting for this process to complete. If you or another user accidentally excluded any files or folders on the hard drive from being indexed, they will be indexed once again when this process is finished.

Tips & Warnings

• If the indexing service still does not work properly, confirm that you have allowed Windows XP enough time to index your hard drive. The first time a drive is indexed, or when the index is rebuilt, several hours may be required to complete the operation.

References

• Troubleshooting Failed Queries