Index - Enable or Disable

INFO: The Index keeps track of the files on your computer and stores information about the files, including the file name, date modified, and properties like author, tags, and rating. The index is used to make searching for files much faster. Instead of looking through your entire hard disk for a file name or file property, Vista scans the index, which allows most results to appear in a small fraction of the time that a search without the index would take.

NOTE: To add or remove items to be indexed, see: How to Use the Indexing Options in Vista

WHY DISABLE: The Index runs slowly in the background constantly trying to keeping itself updated and current from the changes you make to the files you have listed in the index. If you do a lot of changes, your search results will not always be accurate until the index has caught up. This can cause the hard drive to run a lot, especially the first week or so after installing Vista. If you do not do a lot of searches or need very accurate search results, then disable the index to allow Vista to default to using the full non-index search. The searches will take a bit longer, but no more constant hard drive running and accurate searches.

RELATED LINKS:
1. How to Open and Change Search Options in Vista

2. How to Use the Indexing Options in Vista

3. How to Fix the Start Error For Windows Search Service to Enable the Index in Vista

4. How to Add or Remove the Internet Explorer 7 Search Box in Vista

5. How to Use Advanced Search Options in Vista

6. How to Create a Search Desktop Shortcut on Vista

7. How to Use the Find Window to Find Text on a Page

8. How to Restore the Search Context Menu Item after Installing the Vista SP1

9. How to Restore the Start Menu Search Button after Installing the Vista SP1

10. How to Use the Advanced Query Language to Improve Windows Search Results


EXAMPLE: Index Enabled and Disabled
Options_Enabled.jpgIndex_Greyed_Out.jpg


OPTION ONE:
How to Disable or Enable the Service for the Index :
NOTE: This will enable or disable the index for Vista completely. It will not affect the regular non-indexed search feature in Vista.
1. Open the Start Menu.
2. In the white line (Start Search) area, type services and press Enter.
3. Click Continue button for UAC prompt.
4. Scroll down and right click on Windows Search. (See screenshot below)

Services.jpg

5. Click Properties. (See screenshot below)

6. To Disable the Index :
A) Click the Stop button.
B) Next to Startup type:, click the drop down menu arrow and click Disable.
C) Click Apply.

7. To Enable the Index :
A) Next to Startup type:, click the drop down menu arrow and click Automatic.
B) Click Apply.
C) Click Start button.
NOTE: If the Windows Search service will not start, then leave it set to Automatic and see:
How to Fix the Start Error For Windows Search Service to Enable the Index in Vista

8. Click OK.

Service Properties.jpg

9. Close regedit.


OPTION TWO:
How to Enable or Disable Index for a Drive :
NOTE: This will only enable or disable the Index for the drive you selected.
1. Open the Start Menu.
2. Click on Computer.
3. Right click the indexed hard drive and click Properties. (See screenshot below)

4. To Disable the Index - Uncheck Index this drive for faster searching.

5. To Enable the Index -Check Index this drive for faster searching.
NOTE: Step 7 in the OPTION ONE section above will need to be set to enabled for this to work to.

Drive Properties.jpg

6. Click Apply.
7. Click Apply changes to drive, subfolders, and files. (See screenshot below)

Confirm.jpg

8. Click OK.
9. Click Continue for Access Denied window. (See screenshot below)

Access Denied.jpg

10. Click the Ignore All button for the Error Applying Attributes window. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: Vista does not like any attempt to mess with the boot files. This is why you get this error and should select ignore all to skip changing these files.

Ignore all.jpg

11. This may take a while to finish depending on the size of your hard drive, so sit back, kick the feet up and relax a bit.
12. When finished, click OK to close drive properties window. (See screenshot below step 5)


That's it,
Shawn