Vista - Index - Windows Search Service

**Brink** · **STEP ONE:**

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.

RELATED LINKS:

EXAMPLE: Error Message

EXAMPLE: Index Options grayed out

STEP ONE:
Windows Search Service

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

2. Close Services.

3. Proceed to STEP TWO below.

STEP TWO:
Reset the Index in the Registry

Through a Download:
1. Click on the download button below to download the
Reset_Index.reg file.

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

3. Right click on the .reg file (on Desktop) and click on Merge.

4. Click on the Run button in the Security Warning pop-up.

5. Click on Continue (UAC), Yes, and then OK when prompted.

6. When done, you can delete the .reg file (on Desktop).

7. Proceed to STEP THREE below.

The Manual Way:

1. Open the Start Menu.

2. In the white line (Start Search) area, type regedit and press Enter.

3. If prompted, click on Continue in the UAC prompt.

4. In regedit, go to: (See screenshot below step 5)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Search

5. 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.

6. Type 0 and click on OK. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: This is the number zero.

7. Close Regedit

8. Proceed to STEP THREE below.

STEP THREE:
Repair the Config Folder

1. Open Folder Options.
A) Click on the View tab.

B) Check Show hidden files and folders.

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

2. Go to C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Search\Data (See screenshot below)
NOTE: You may notice that one or more of these folders (Applications, Config, Temp) may be missing from your window.

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.
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.

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.
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.
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.

7. Restart the computer.

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

That's it,
Shawn

.

millsman27 · 01-06-2008

Thank you for the precise directions. In following them I discovered that I do not have the "gathrptm.txt" file anywhere on my laptop. Is there anywhere I can find this file, web searches have only shown this repair site?

millsman27

**Brink** · 01-06-2008

Hi Millsman27,

My apologies. There was a typo. It should be the gathrprm.txt file to search for. Make sure that you have Show hidden files and folders checked in Folder Options, and have system files included in the Search Options.

Sorry,

Shawn

millsman27 · 01-07-2008

That did it! Everything is back to normal and we are on our way to 'computational bliss". Thanks again for you assistance, I was lost!

Steve

**Brink** · 01-08-2008

Your welcome Steve,

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

Shawn

amanda · 01-31-2008

well awesome thanx so much i am so happy my computer is alive again no more errors fantastic trust me everyone if you had the problems i had this works a treat

thank you so much to the person who posted the answer to my problems well magic

i was a little worried at first but this works i have been putting up with the message your search index has stopped working for 5 months pulling my hair out but now my pc running real smooth and lots faster cheers to you............

**Brink** · 01-31-2008

Your welcome Amanda, and welcome to Vista Forums.

I'm glad to hear that it fixed your problem for you. Thank you for the feedback.

Shawn

tai · 02-12-2008

I've gone through all the steps but still to no avail. Originally i have 2 hard drives my C drive with Vista on, and a 300gb 2nd drive that i partitioned. Since i partitioned it indexing no longer works. In the indexing options everything is greyed like in your tutorial, but when i try to start windows search in the services i get this error:

Windows could not start the windows search service on local computer. Error 3: The system cannot find the path specified.

I have copied the files you have said and tried to do it manually, done system restore and Vista repair and even spoke to microsoft but still nothing. Do you know of anyway to fix without doing a fresh install?

**Brink** · 02-12-2008

Hi Tai,

Welcome to Vista Forums.

If you did everything exactly in the tutorial, then I cannot think of anything else to do but a clean reinstall.

Sorry,

Shawn

joaneee · 03-09-2008

My problem was a little different - search service was working, but flailing - generating 100s of Error 3090 when I looked at the event viewer. I tried starting and restarting the indexer to no avail. So I tried this (link found in Microsoft communities) - and it worked!!! Oh thanks so much, Brink. Especially since I did not have a restore point from before the problem started.

01-06-2008
millsman27 Vista home basic 32 bit 3 posts	Re: Index - Windows Search Service Thank you for the precise directions. In following them I discovered that I do not have the "gathrptm.txt" file anywhere on my laptop. Is there anywhere I can find this file, web searches have only shown this repair site? millsman27
My System Specs

01-06-2008
Brink Vista x64 Ultimate SP2, Windows 7 Ultimate x64 26,554 posts	Re: Index - Windows Search Service Hi Millsman27, My apologies. There was a typo. It should be the gathrprm.txt file to search for. Make sure that you have Show hidden files and folders checked in Folder Options, and have system files included in the Search Options. Sorry, Shawn
My System Specs

01-07-2008
millsman27 Vista home basic 32 bit 3 posts	Re: Index - Windows Search Service That did it! Everything is back to normal and we are on our way to 'computational bliss". Thanks again for you assistance, I was lost! Steve
My System Specs

01-08-2008
Brink Vista x64 Ultimate SP2, Windows 7 Ultimate x64 26,554 posts	Re: Index - Windows Search Service Your welcome Steve, Glad to hear your problem is now resolved. Thank you for the feedback. Shawn
My System Specs

01-31-2008
amanda vista 32bit 1 posts	Re: Index - Windows Search Service well awesome thanx so much i am so happy my computer is alive again no more errors fantastic trust me everyone if you had the problems i had this works a treat thank you so much to the person who posted the answer to my problems well magic i was a little worried at first but this works i have been putting up with the message your search index has stopped working for 5 months pulling my hair out but now my pc running real smooth and lots faster cheers to you............
My System Specs

02-12-2008
tai 32 bit home premium 1 posts	Re: Index - Windows Search Service I've gone through all the steps but still to no avail. Originally i have 2 hard drives my C drive with Vista on, and a 300gb 2nd drive that i partitioned. Since i partitioned it indexing no longer works. In the indexing options everything is greyed like in your tutorial, but when i try to start windows search in the services i get this error: Windows could not start the windows search service on local computer. Error 3: The system cannot find the path specified. I have copied the files you have said and tried to do it manually, done system restore and Vista repair and even spoke to microsoft but still nothing. Do you know of anyway to fix without doing a fresh install?
My System Specs

03-09-2008
joaneee Vista Home Premium 64 bit 4 posts	Re: Index - Windows Search Service My problem was a little different - search service was working, but flailing - generating 100s of Error 3090 when I looked at the event viewer. I tried starting and restarting the indexer to no avail. So I tried this (link found in Microsoft communities) - and it worked!!! Oh thanks so much, Brink. Especially since I did not have a restore point from before the problem started.
My System Specs

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