Vol4Ever

My Vista indexer service has gone wonky. The database somehow got corrupted, and the service won't start. Without the service running, the Modify & Advanced buttons shown on Control Panel's Indexing Options are both grayed out.

How can I manually reset the database to get the indexer service running again I've tried everything I can think of.



Re: Windows Desktop Search Help Vista Indexer

Ari Polsky - MSFT

Set the registry value HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Search\SetupCompletedSuccessfully to 0 and try restarting the Windows Search service.



Re: Windows Desktop Search Help Vista Indexer

Vol4Ever

I saw that solution in another thread.  When I went into the registry, that particular key was already set to 0.

Any other ideas of things to try

 

2:09 pm EDIT:  As a side note, I launched the services application.  The "Windows Search" option shows startup as automatic, but it's not running.  I clicked on the "Start this service" and this message popped up:

"Windows could not start the Windows Search on Local Computer.  For more information, review the System Event Log.  If this is a non-Microsoft service, contact the service vendor, and refer to service-specific error code -2147218141."

This also raises another question.  In the services list, what is the difference between "Indexing Service" and "Windows Search"   They look to be pretty much the same thing.





Re: Windows Desktop Search Help Vista Indexer

Ari Polsky - MSFT

Indexing Service is the legacy content indexer that has been superseded by Windows Search, which is what is integrated in Vista. Indexing Service should NOT be running. Check your event log (Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> View Event Log) under Windows Logs -> Application for events with "Search" as a source. If you find any recent error events for search, please copy/paste the full details for those events into this thread. You can do this by right-clicking on an event and select Copy->Copy details as text from the context menu.



Re: Windows Desktop Search Help Vista Indexer

Vol4Ever

I have a similar Q&A thread going on another website, and this same question was asked. Here's my response:

In the "last hour" column:

21 errors
14 warnings
44 information

By the time you get over to the "totals" column:

978 errors
1,007 warnings
7,698 information

Here is a more detailed breakdown after expanding some of the categories:

ERROR CATEGORY
Event ID 1006 - Search - 7 in last hour
Event ID 7024 - Service Control Manager Eventlog Provider - 7 in last hour
Event ID 7034 - Service Control Manager Eventlog Provider - 7 in last hour

WARNING CATEGORY
Event ID 1008 - Search - 14 in last hour

INFORMATION CATEGORY
Event ID 1010 - Search - 14 in last hour
Event ID 1013 - Search - 7 in last hour
Event ID 7036 - Service Control Manager Eventlog Provider - 15 in last hour

Is that enough info to work from, or do I need to post even more detail on one of the events. If more detail is needed, do you see one in particular that may help you troubleshoot





Re: Windows Desktop Search Help Vista Indexer

Vol4Ever

P.S. "Indexing Service" was set to manual. I went ahead & changed it to disabled, just in case.



Re: Windows Desktop Search Help Vista Indexer

Ari Polsky - MSFT

Instead of looking at the summary view of the event log, make sure the console tree view is enabled (there's a button on the toolbar "Show/Hide Console Tree") and navigate to Windows Logs ->Application. In that view you can click on the column headers to easily sort by any field and find events quickly. Can you do that and copy/paste the details (as I described before) for the 3 error events and the warning event from search You only need to do this for a single instance of each unique event.





Re: Windows Desktop Search Help Vista Indexer

Vol4Ever

Here's a sample of each:

Error 1006

Log Name: Application
Source: Microsoft-Windows-Search
Date: 3/14/2007 11:17:32 AM
Event ID: 1006
Task Category: Search service
Level: Error
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer: Russ-PC
Description:
The Windows Search Service has failed to created the new system catalog. Internal error <1,0x80070003>.

Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
<System>
<Provider Name="Microsoft-Windows-Search" Guid="{CA4E628D-8567-4896-AB6B-835B221F373F}" EventSourceName="Windows Search Service" />
<EventID Qualifiers="49152">1006</EventID>
<Version>0</Version>
<Level>2</Level>
<Task>1</Task>
<Opcode>0</Opcode>
<Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords>
<TimeCreated SystemTime="2007-03-14T16:17:32.000Z" />
<EventRecordID>4650</EventRecordID>
<Correlation />
<Execution ProcessID="0" ThreadID="0" />
<Channel>Application</Channel>
<Computer>Russ-PC</Computer>
<Security />
</System>
<EventData>
<Data Name="ExtraInfo">
</Data>
<Data Name="Phase">1</Data>
<Data Name="HR">0x80070003</Data>
</EventData>
</Event>

Error 7024

Log Name: System
Source: Service Control Manager
Date: 3/14/2007 3:45:36 PM
Event ID: 7024
Task Category: None
Level: Error
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer: Russ-PC
Description:
The Windows Search service terminated with service-specific error 2147749155 (0x80040D23).
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
<System>
<Provider Name="Service Control Manager" Guid="{555908D1-A6D7-4695-8E1E-26931D2012F4}" EventSourceName="Service Control Manager" />
<EventID Qualifiers="49152">7024</EventID>
<Version>0</Version>
<Level>2</Level>
<Task>0</Task>
<Opcode>0</Opcode>
<Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords>
<TimeCreated SystemTime="2007-03-14T20:45:36.000Z" />
<EventRecordID>5296</EventRecordID>
<Correlation />
<Execution ProcessID="0" ThreadID="0" />
<Channel>System</Channel>
<Computer>Russ-PC</Computer>
<Security />
</System>
<EventData>
<Data Name="param1">Windows Search</Data>
<Data Name="param2">2147749155 (0x80040D23)</Data>
</EventData>
</Event>

Error 7034

Log Name: System
Source: Service Control Manager
Date: 3/14/2007 3:45:36 PM
Event ID: 7034
Task Category: None
Level: Error
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer: Russ-PC
Description:
The Windows Search service terminated unexpectedly. It has done this 8 time(s).
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
<System>
<Provider Name="Service Control Manager" Guid="{555908D1-A6D7-4695-8E1E-26931D2012F4}" EventSourceName="Service Control Manager" />
<EventID Qualifiers="49152">7034</EventID>
<Version>0</Version>
<Level>2</Level>
<Task>0</Task>
<Opcode>0</Opcode>
<Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords>
<TimeCreated SystemTime="2007-03-14T20:45:36.000Z" />
<EventRecordID>5297</EventRecordID>
<Correlation />
<Execution ProcessID="0" ThreadID="0" />
<Channel>System</Channel>
<Computer>Russ-PC</Computer>
<Security />
</System>
<EventData>
<Data Name="param1">Windows Search</Data>
<Data Name="param2">8</Data>
</EventData>
</Event>

Warning 1008

Log Name: Application
Source: Microsoft-Windows-Search
Date: 3/14/2007 11:00:34 AM
Event ID: 1008
Task Category: Search service
Level: Warning
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer: Russ-PC
Description:
The Windows Search Service is attempting to remove the old catalog.

Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
<System>
<Provider Name="Microsoft-Windows-Search" Guid="{CA4E628D-8567-4896-AB6B-835B221F373F}" EventSourceName="Windows Search Service" />
<EventID Qualifiers="32768">1008</EventID>
<Version>0</Version>
<Level>3</Level>
<Task>1</Task>
<Opcode>0</Opcode>
<Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords>
<TimeCreated SystemTime="2007-03-14T16:00:34.000Z" />
<EventRecordID>4590</EventRecordID>
<Correlation />
<Execution ProcessID="0" ThreadID="0" />
<Channel>Application</Channel>
<Computer>Russ-PC</Computer>
<Security />
</System>
<EventData>
<Data Name="ExtraInfo">
</Data>
</EventData>
</Event>





Re: Windows Desktop Search Help Vista Indexer

David Peng - MSFT

Can you check under %systemdrive%\ProgramData\Microsoft\Search\Data\Config and see if gathrprm.txt and schema.txt exists Did you move your default index location If you don't see these two files, grab them from another vista machine or send me an email for the files.



Re: Windows Desktop Search Help Vista Indexer

Vol4Ever

You may have stumbled on something here. Not only are those files not present, that particular directory doesn't even exist. Inside the (...)\Search\Data folder, there are only 2 subfolders: Applications and Temp. Both of these are empty. Config subfolder is not there. I set the view to show hidden files & show operating system files just in case. Directory & files still not there.

To my knowledge, I have not touched the search feature. Everything should be in its default location. Light at the end of the tunnel





Re: Windows Desktop Search Help Vista Indexer

Vol4Ever

UPDATE: I think that fixed it!!!!! I manually added a Config subfolder and then manually added "0 byte" text files with the names you mentioned (schema.txt & gathrprm.txt). Now all the directories are filling with files and the buttons are no longer grayed out on the Indexing Options. Everything seems to be rebuilding itself.

You ARE the man. Thanks!





Re: Windows Desktop Search Help Vista Indexer

Vol4Ever

Well, the search is "mostly" working now, but there are still a few little kinks. Sometimes when doing a quick search, it appears to start pulling up items. However, the line items are completely blank. For example, I clicked on the Windows logo and put "Defender" in the start search box. It now shows a list of 6 start menu items, but they are blank. In other words, there is a list with the little paper icons, but there is no text in the list. When I click on any of the line items, nothing happens.

Any idea what could be causing the strange behavior Does it have anything to do with the fact that I used "dummy" 0-byte text files to create those we've been discussing above





Re: Windows Desktop Search Help Vista Indexer

Ari Polsky - MSFT

Yes, that is the problem. If you can't get ahold of the files from another Vista machine I can send them to you if you post your email address.



Re: Windows Desktop Search Help Vista Indexer

David Peng - MSFT

Text files sent. Original post with his email address has been removed.





Re: Windows Desktop Search Help Vista Indexer

Vol4Ever

Got e-mails from both of you.  I'll add the 2 files to the config directory when I get to work tomorrow.  The search function inside Outlook 2007 has been acting strange also.  Is it somehow tied to these same 2 files   I'm hoping so as the problem was basically the same.  List of found items would pop up, but the individual line items were blanks.

Thanks to both!!

~Vol