Windows Indexing

[Antares 531]

How may I remove all traces of Windows Indexing? I've tried everything
I can think of but it still interferes and causes my computer to
stumble along. I get a repeating message in Outlook saying that an
error has occurred and I need to send a report to MS...Send...Don't
Send.

When I start Outlook it hangs for about 45 seconds while Indexing
tries to it's thing, but can't get it done. It continues to show that
I have unread e-mail messages, but there are no unread messages.

Even when I put Indexing in Snooze mode it continues to mess things
up.

I want to remove Windows Indexing completely, and deport it to some
foreign planet where it will never, ever find its way back to my
computer. How can I do this?

Gordon

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

How may I remove all traces of Windows Indexing? I've tried everything
I can think of but it still interferes and causes my computer to
stumble along. I get a repeating message in Outlook saying that an
error has occurred and I need to send a report to MS...Send...Don't
Send.

When I start Outlook it hangs for about 45 seconds while Indexing
tries to it's thing, but can't get it done. It continues to show that
I have unread e-mail messages, but there are no unread messages.

Even when I put Indexing in Snooze mode it continues to mess things
up.

I want to remove Windows Indexing completely, and deport it to some
foreign planet where it will never, ever find its way back to my
computer. How can I do this?

Gordon

I'm not sure what Windows Indexing is. Are you talking about Windows Desktop
Search? If so, remove it in add/remove programs. If this is Google Desktop,
same thing. Etc.

 

[PD43]

How may I remove all traces of Windows Indexing?

If you're talking about XP's built-in Indexing, go to My Computer,
right click on each of your drives, at the bottom of the box that pops
up, un-tick "enable indexing".

If you're talking about one of the Desktop Search programs, uninstall
it via Control Panel/Add or Remove Programs.

 

[Gerry]

Lanwench

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms689718.aspx

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_indexing_service


--



Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Gerry]

The Indexing Service should work without causing problems providing you
leave it alone.

Look in Event Viewer and post copies of the Warnings / Error Reports
relating the problems you are seing with regard to Outlook.

You can access Event Viewer by selecting Start, Control Panel,
Administrative Tools, and Event Viewer.

A tip for posting copies of Error Reports! Run Event Viewer and double
click on the error you want to copy. In the window, which appears is a
button resembling two pages. Click the button and close Event
Viewer.Now start your message (email) and do a paste into the body of
the message. Make sure this is the first paste after exiting from
Event Viewer.

--



Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Antares 531]

I may have stated the problem a bit obscurely. I am talking about
Windows Desktop Search, Indexing function. I'm wondering now if
perhaps it is not installed properly, or if it has some corrupted
files. How could I go about reinstalling this and giving it a fresh
start to see if this would cure the problems. Gordon

 

[beamish]

How may I remove all traces of Windows Indexing? I've tried everything
I can think of but it still interferes and causes my computer to
stumble along. I get a repeating message in Outlook saying that an
error has occurred and I need to send a report to MS...Send...Don't
Send.

When I start Outlook it hangs for about 45 seconds while Indexing
tries to it's thing, but can't get it done. It continues to show that
I have unread e-mail messages, but there are no unread messages.

Even when I put Indexing in Snooze mode it continues to mess things
up.

I want to remove Windows Indexing completely, and deport it to some
foreign planet where it will never, ever find its way back to my
computer. How can I do this?

Gordon

Hello; The following sites may be of some use.
www.theeldergeek.com/indexing_service.htm
www.blackviper.com/WinXP/Services/Indexing_Service.htm
The "eldergeek" includes the full removal technique.

take care.
beamish.

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

Lanwench

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms689718.aspx

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_indexing_service

Thanks, but I know about the native indexing service. That doesn't pop up
messages like this - he wouldn't see much evidence it was there. He's
talking about Windows Desktop Search - he's just written back to clarify

 

[Antares 531]

Thanks, but I know about the native indexing service. That doesn't pop up
messages like this - he wouldn't see much evidence it was there. He's
talking about Windows Desktop Search - he's just written back to clarify

The truth is I'm still not sure just what is causing the problems. I
get an error popup when I open Outlook, and then continue to get
several more of these same error popups after I close Outlook.

The popup reads;

Microsoft Windows Search Indexer has encountered a problem and needs
to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience.

If you were in the middle of something the information you were
working on might be lost.

Please tell Microsoft about this problem

Send Error Report Don't send


I've clicked on the little magnifying glass icon in the systray and
put Windows Desktop Indexer in Snooze but this doesn't change the
situation.

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

The truth is I'm still not sure just what is causing the problems.

Do you have Windows Desktop Search installed in add/remove programs?

If not, are you sure you're not on Vista?

I
get an error popup when I open Outlook, and then continue to get
several more of these same error popups after I close Outlook.

The popup reads;

Microsoft Windows Search Indexer has encountered a problem and needs
to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience.

If you were in the middle of something the information you were
working on might be lost.

Please tell Microsoft about this problem

Send Error Report Don't send


I've clicked on the little magnifying glass icon in the systray and
put Windows Desktop Indexer in Snooze but this doesn't change the
situation.

Lanwench [MVP - Exchange] wrote:
How may I remove all traces of Windows Indexing? I've tried
everything I can think of but it still interferes and causes my
computer to stumble along. I get a repeating message in Outlook
saying that an error has occurred and I need to send a report to
MS...Send...Don't Send.

When I start Outlook it hangs for about 45 seconds while Indexing
tries to it's thing, but can't get it done. It continues to show
that I have unread e-mail messages, but there are no unread
messages. Even when I put Indexing in Snooze mode it continues to
mess things
up.

I want to remove Windows Indexing completely, and deport it to
some foreign planet where it will never, ever find its way back
to my computer. How can I do this?

Gordon

I'm not sure what Windows Indexing is. Are you talking about
Windows Desktop Search? If so, remove it in add/remove programs.
If this is Google Desktop, same thing. Etc.

 

[Antares 531]

Do you have Windows Desktop Search installed in add/remove programs?

If not, are you sure you're not on Vista?

Yes, I just checked the Add or Remove Programs function and it shows
Windows Desktop Search 3.01 Size 4.99MB

No, I'm not on Vista. I am running Windows XP Pro with SP 2 installed.
In all other respects this computer works very well.

Are Windows Search Indexer and Desktop Search Indexer two separate,
totally independent programs, or are they a different manifestation of
the same program?

I
get an error popup when I open Outlook, and then continue to get
several more of these same error popups after I close Outlook.

The popup reads;

Microsoft Windows Search Indexer has encountered a problem and needs
to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience.

If you were in the middle of something the information you were
working on might be lost.

Please tell Microsoft about this problem

Send Error Report Don't send


I've clicked on the little magnifying glass icon in the systray and
put Windows Desktop Indexer in Snooze but this doesn't change the
situation.

Lanwench [MVP - Exchange] wrote:
How may I remove all traces of Windows Indexing? I've tried
everything I can think of but it still interferes and causes my
computer to stumble along. I get a repeating message in Outlook
saying that an error has occurred and I need to send a report to
MS...Send...Don't Send.

When I start Outlook it hangs for about 45 seconds while Indexing
tries to it's thing, but can't get it done. It continues to show
that I have unread e-mail messages, but there are no unread
messages. Even when I put Indexing in Snooze mode it continues to
mess things
up.

I want to remove Windows Indexing completely, and deport it to
some foreign planet where it will never, ever find its way back
to my computer. How can I do this?

Gordon

I'm not sure what Windows Indexing is. Are you talking about
Windows Desktop Search? If so, remove it in add/remove programs.
If this is Google Desktop, same thing. Etc.

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

Yes, I just checked the Add or Remove Programs function and it shows
Windows Desktop Search 3.01 Size 4.99MB

Uninstall it if you don't want it or if it's causing problems. I personally
don't use it as I had little success with it.

No, I'm not on Vista. I am running Windows XP Pro with SP 2 installed.
In all other respects this computer works very well.

Cool beans....

Are Windows Search Indexer and Desktop Search Indexer two separate,
totally independent programs, or are they a different manifestation of
the same program?

Yes, if I understand your question correctly. Windows indexing is not
related to the app / error here.

<snipped for length>

 

[Antares 531]

I've still not gotten this set of problems resolved. The Microsoft
Windows Search Indexer problem pop-up window keeps opening, mostly
when I'm trying to use Outlook, but it happens in other situations
occasionally.

I checked Add or Remove Programs in Control Panel and find no entry
for Microsoft Windows Search Indexer. There is an entry for Windows
Desktop Search, but as I understand, this is a totally separate
program.

Device Manager shows no ? or ! marks on any of the entries. Apparently
everything is working right as far as Device Manager can tell.

To re-state my computer specifics; Home built using a Gigabyte
GA-P35-DS3L motherboard with an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2 GB RAM,
two 1GB memory sticks. Running MS Windows XP Pro with SP2 installed.
The hard drive is a Western Digital 500 GB with only about 100GB in
use...400GB free.

Running MS Office 2007, AutoCAD Light, Adobe Photo Shop, Pizzicato
Music software, and a few mundane other programs. These all seem to
work well, once I get clear of the Outlook/Windows Search Indexer
popup problems.

All programs run very well and in general this computer is running as
it should...except for that annoying popup telling me that Microsoft
Windows Search Indexer has encountered a problem and needs to close.
Then, when I close it I may get a repeat several times before it will
give up and go mind its own business.

Can anyone tell me how to check the installation of Microsoft Windows
Search Indexer, and perhaps reinstall it just to see if this would
rectify the problem.

Thanks, Gordon

 

[Antares 531]

Uninstall it if you don't want it or if it's causing problems. I personally
don't use it as I had little success with it.

Windows Desktop Search seems to be working okay. Is it a sub-program
of Windows Search Indexer, or is it totally separate?

Cool beans....

Yes, if I understand your question correctly. Windows indexing is not
related to the app / error here.

I think this is right but I'm not absolutely sure the two programs are
separate. I think these are another confusing naming situation like
Outlook/Outlook Express & Windows Explorer/Internet Explorer. The
names are confusingly similar but the programs are totally separate.

 

[Philip]

Assuming its been established that your problem is with winda's desktop
search (forever) and that you stll have a problem here is what I would do to
expunge WDS form your system - I am assuming to a comfortable with registry
changes etc, if not then find someone who is so to help you.

2. Get hold of Revo Uninstaller, gargle will find it for you. its s free
alternative to the standard control panel uninstaller, IMO it's a very good
product, and the quality of support matches the quality of product, and its
free too.

1. Install WDS again, yes that's right install it preferably the version
you had installed, probably WDS 3. Latest version is WDS 4, try to get 3,
unless you installed the WDS4 beta.

2. Run Revo Uninstall, find WDS and hit the uninstall button in the middle
of the button bar. You'll get four options select the most aggressive one -
Advanced.

First of all Revo will create a restore point for you, something we should
all do when before installing or uninstalling anything, but of course we
never do. That's takes a while so be patient.

Revo will then invoke the standard product uninstall "script". When that's
done and dusted Revo will search the registry and file system for traces of
WDS. This takes a while because it does multipass scans.

Revo will firstly present the registry changes it thinks should be removed
in a registry hierarchy fashion, select the WDS entries - those shown in bold
text, click the Delete button -- you may have to go through 2 or even 3
cycles of registry changes

Revo will then list the files it thinks should be removed, select those that
you think should be removed. Revo may not be able to remove some files,
it'll tell you if that is so, they will be removed next time you restart - if
there are any such files then I suggest you reboot now.

That's it will a pick of luck WDS will have been banished to the software
gulag in the sky.

I have no pecuniary or other interest in Revo, it just happens to be a great
product - and its free to boot!