Help! I don't Think My Windows Search Function Is Working.

[Nourjan]

I recently was forced to upgrade to a new PC due to my old one catastrophically died . With my new PC I noticed something odd : Whenever I tried to to search for any particular files in any folders/location on my PC the search could either literally take hours or keep on "searching" forever and yielding no result at all. This is particularly problematic due to the fact that I have over 3 TB of files or varying format and size sometimes littered in duplicate or unintuitive folder location, this is compounded by the fact my old hardisk "died" ( part of my old PC dying) and I had to format it and used a data recovery toll to recover every bit of data on that hard disk. This problem only happens when I tried to search in folders and do not seems to affect the toolbar search function.

Is this problem arise because of my refusal validate my Windows OS ( I used my old installation on my old master disk instead of opting for a fresh installation) ? I also noticed that some Windows program such as Photo also behaving off ( I can longer scroll for images using arrow keys eg) .

Is there a way to fix this or another program or app that I can alternatively use instead ?

[snowblizz]

Windows search actually needs to index all your files to search them reasonably quick. (Imagine a library where you have to start looking from "A" every time you are looking for a book).

Sometimes you can see a process called Search or Indexer (I forget) running when computer is "idle".

Without that every search isa bruteforce appraoch and that will take ages if you lots of files. I know, Google finds anything on the internet fast don't they? That's because they are searching a pre-indexed database of sites.

Previous Windows install had the files indexed most likely.

[Nourjan]

Windows search actually needs to index all your files to search them reasonably quick. (Imagine a library where you have to start looking from "A" every time you are looking for a book).

Sometimes you can see a process called Search or Indexer (I forget) running when computer is "idle".

Without that every search isa bruteforce appraoch and that will take ages if you lots of files. I know, Google finds anything on the internet fast don't they? That's because they are searching a pre-indexed database of sites.

Previous Windows install had the files indexed most likely.

How do I remedy that?

[snowblizz]

Make sure Windows does run the indexer.

If you search for index should get an option "change how windows searches" or "indexing options" both lead to same place. Check that and see what it says about whether indexing is complete and that it actually has the places you store the stuff listed as indexed.

There's also a trouble shooter there and stuff.


I will say this, I'm not sure what all this "I did not want to validate" is all about but I do think there's any and all kinds of trouble you can get by not properly installing the OS. I don't exactly think it'd shut of parts, either it's valid and runs with Windows Update or it shouldn't at all.

But any not-clean slate installation might leave gremlins in there.

[Nourjan]

Make sure Windows does run the indexer.

If you search for index should get an option "change how windows searches" or "indexing options" both lead to same place. Check that and see what it says about whether indexing is complete and that it actually has the places you store the stuff listed as indexed.


There's also a trouble shooter there and stuff.



I'm not sure if the process is actually running. It is currently permanently posting " waiting to receive index status.." for quite some time. Doing what you said seems to change nothing.



I will say this, I'm not sure what all this "I did not want to validate" is all about but I do think there's any and all kinds of trouble you can get by not properly installing the OS. I don't exactly think it'd shut of parts, either it's valid and runs with Windows Update or it shouldn't at all.

But any not-clean slate installation might leave gremlins in there.

Validating basically mean I need to pay an additional 600$ just for a key despite me having a valid Windows 10 ( I upgraded from Windows 7 which I already paid for) already running on my master hard disk. Apparently this might be a mistake on my part if the current sluggish nature of my PC is to go by.

[snowblizz]

I'm not sure if the process is actually running. It is currently permanently posting " waiting to receive index status.." for quite some time. Doing what you said seems to change nothing.



Validating basically mean I need to pay an additional 600$ just for a key despite me having a valid Windows 10 ( I upgraded from Windows 7 which I already paid for) already running on my master hard disk. Apparently this might be a mistake on my part if the current sluggish nature of my PC is to go by.
It doesn't cost 600$ to get a new key. I think you could get one for $60.

Also it should be possible to migrate the license. I've upgraded and reinstalled several win7 to win10 machines. An unlicensed win10 should actually stop running in like a month.

It's possible to do the win7 to win10 again still even last I checked. I've taken several win7 machines to win10 after the one year grace period. You just need to get the offline installer. It may be you can sort that part as easily as running the Win licensing validation check.

(I'm not a super expert on these matters, so am not giving any warranties on my suggestions)

[Nourjan]

Perhaps I should have clarified. When I wrote 600$ I meant 600 bucks of the local currency (equivalent to 146 something USD ) not US dollars per se. That's the price (626$) for Windows 10 Home Edition listed on Windows (online) Store.