Vista Search/Index not running

[Mike]

Hi, my vista Home Premium has yet again got the index/search not working.
Start/Control panel/ Index Options, gives me a dialogue box that says the
index is not running and all the other functions are greyed out. I have had
this before and found that I had to reinstall Vista (a fix was expected early
08) I believe it is being caused by my external hard drive being removed and
the drive no longer is available to the Index?.
I have tried the "0 in SetupCompletedSuccessfully" fix, and copying the
gathrprm.txt and schema.txt files to the configure Folder.
I have a Sony VGN-FZ11z fully updated with Vista Home Premium.
I really don’t want to reinstall again, can anyone PLEASE help.
Thank

 

[HappyAndyK]

Ensure that these are the services are running and set on Automatic: Windows
Search, Remote Procedure Call (RPC), DCOM Server Process Launcher.

Rebuild Index.

 

[Mike]

Hi,
RPC, DCOM & Windows Search all on auto, but the Windows search service will
not start. A dialogue box come up:
"Windows could not start the Windows search service on Local Computer"
Error 3: The system could not find the path specified,
when I select start.


Help!!!!
& thanks.

 

[Mike]

Hi Shawn, sorry this is the first chance Ive had to try the links
suggestions! Ive followed the instructions to the letter, but still no joy!
The only diffrence my system had to the instructions were, I didnt have an
Applications folder. I have added one to the Data folder now.

Thanks
Mike

 

[Mike]

Hi, I ended up reinstalling Vista. What a hassel. So, my final question is,
should I not have enable the indexing on my external hard drive?. Is it
possible that by doing so, it had messed up the indexing?
Thanks
Mike

 

[Mike]

Thanks for that, yes i will remember that for the future. thanks for your
time and help
Mike