Microsoft Windows Search Indexer stopped working and was closed

[Your.Master]

I have Windows Vista RTM

I got this message repeatedly at bootup:

Microsoft Windows Search Indexer stopped working and was closed
A problem caused the application to stop working correctly. Windows will notify you if a solution is available.

So I went into services and disabled it (and I had to also disable the automatic retry separately or it kept starting despite being "disabled"). Any attempt to manually start it there gives me:

Windows could not start the Windows Search service on Local Computer.

Error 1067: The process terminated unexpectedly.

I searched around the Internet for some time on this issue. I got the following ideas: one was to rebuild the search index -- but I can't go into advanced without the service being started. The second was to use system restore. I didn't have a restore point yet because this showed up on second boot, just after I installed some drivers and nothing else.

I had previously installed Vista on the exact same computer and all of these drivers with no issue on that (I had to reinstall after I got a continuous stop error-->reboot-->stop error loop after trying to install Alcohol 120%). I then vowed to just install the drivers and then make a restore point.

Do you have any idea what I could do short of reinstalling again (which could just bring the same problem back after I get my drivers running again)?

[Your.Master]

Hello.

I just want to say, for the sake of anybody who finds this on Google, that I fixed it. The trick is to delete all files related to search indexing, located by default at:

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Search\Data\Applications\Windows

and:

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Search\Data\Temp

Delete all files and folders in these directories (you might want to make a backup, I did, but it proved unnecessary).

Then, change the service back to starting automatically. You still can't start the service until you reboot, at which time Windows will rebuild the index.

[Abraxes]

Thanks! Clearing out those two folders fixed the issue.

[evanstre]

Originally Posted by Your.Master

I have Windows Vista RTM

I got this message repeatedly at bootup:

Microsoft Windows Search Indexer stopped working and was closed
A problem caused the application to stop working correctly. Windows will notify you if a solution is available.

So I went into services and disabled it (and I had to also disable the automatic retry separately or it kept starting despite being "disabled"). Any attempt to manually start it there gives me:

Windows could not start the Windows Search service on Local Computer.

Error 1067: The process terminated unexpectedly.

I searched around the Internet for some time on this issue. I got the following ideas: one was to rebuild the search index -- but I can't go into advanced without the service being started. The second was to use system restore. I didn't have a restore point yet because this showed up on second boot, just after I installed some drivers and nothing else.

I had previously installed Vista on the exact same computer and all of these drivers with no issue on that (I had to reinstall after I got a continuous stop error-->reboot-->stop error loop after trying to install Alcohol 120%). I then vowed to just install the drivers and then make a restore point.

Do you have any idea what I could do short of reinstalling again (which could just bring the same problem back after I get my drivers running again)?

[flyrod7419]

Thanks a ton for the post! I started having this prob last week and it was driving me nuts. Your post was the second item I saw regaurding this issue and low and behold, your info works! the apps that were causing issues not only run correctly but a lot faster.

[icshields]

Hi,
Just to say thanks. This problem has been occuring on my machine for several weeks now but not anymore thanks to your 'fix'!

[DCuthbert]

I am having the same problem, but I have vista home premium. The directory C:PROGRAM DATA does not exist on my machine, so I can't find the files to delete them, and can't search for them because search is not working.

Any suggestions

[Your.Master]

It should be one word, C:\ProgramData, and it's a system folder so I didn't think that it really could be named anything else without a lot of monkeying around with the system.

If that doesn't seem to work, try going to C:\Users\All Users. My understanding is that it is a symlink to C:\ProgramData.

[Eagle LM]

Regarding the issue not having that folder under the C drive, it is because this folder "program data" is hidden and you need to change the folder options for you to be able to see it. Hope this works for you

[grmrepr]

I don't know how to change my folder options, could you please help me out.

[ductape821]

You can access it even without changing your folder options, just type the shortcut he gave above in the address bar of windows explorer. Or if you want to show hidden folders, you go into Control Panel, (make sure you're in classic view) and you click on the icon labeled Folder Options, at which point you go into the View tab, there is a sub-folder about halfway down entitled Hidden Files and Folders, at which point you click the button next to Show Hidden Files and Folders.

[grmrepr]

thank you very much. thats been driving me nuts for awhile now

[Marauder_Bex]

Originally Posted by Your.Master

Hello.

I just want to say, for the sake of anybody who finds this on Google, that I fixed it. The trick is to delete all files related to search indexing, located by default at:

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Search\Data\Applications\Windows

and:

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Search\Data\Temp

Delete all files and folders in these directories (you might want to make a backup, I did, but it proved unnecessary).

Then, change the service back to starting automatically. You still can't start the service until you reboot, at which time Windows will rebuild the index.

My laptop is probably th most tempremantal thing on the planet and has ben doing this for a month or so, it slows him down completely (to the point where adding a folder takes 5 mins of frozen pc)

I'm abit lost as to how to do the deleting, do I just delete everything? Or are only certain things part of the search indexer.

And I presume it's the same for all Vistas? I've got home basic so...

Any help would be appreciated.

[Giani]

Originally Posted by Your.Master

I have Windows Vista RTM

I got this message repeatedly at bootup:

Microsoft Windows Search Indexer stopped working and was closed
A problem caused the application to stop working correctly. Windows will notify you if a solution is available.

So I went into services and disabled it (and I had to also disable the automatic retry separately or it kept starting despite being "disabled"). Any attempt to manually start it there gives me:

Windows could not start the Windows Search service on Local Computer.

Error 1067: The process terminated unexpectedly.

I searched around the Internet for some time on this issue. I got the following ideas: one was to rebuild the search index -- but I can't go into advanced without the service being started. The second was to use system restore. I didn't have a restore point yet because this showed up on second boot, just after I installed some drivers and nothing else.

I had previously installed Vista on the exact same computer and all of these drivers with no issue on that (I had to reinstall after I got a continuous stop error-->reboot-->stop error loop after trying to install Alcohol 120%). I then vowed to just install the drivers and then make a restore point.

Do you have any idea what I could do short of reinstalling again (which could just bring the same problem back after I get my drivers running again)?

[Giani]

Thanks! Clearing out those two folders fixed the issue.

[ALN1]

Thanks! Deleting the two folders worked for me. A

[papir44]

i did your suggest but i couldnt remove in C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Search\Data\Applications\Windows
and:

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Search\Data\Temp
that files, the system saying try again i tried many more but i couldnt achieve.
please help me how can i remove this files
thanks for helps

[dvdavis@wwdb.or]

we have xppro
and we have the same problem
Microsoft Windows Search Indexer stopped working and was closed
A problem caused the application to stop working correctly. Windows will notify you if a solution is available.

So I went into services and disabled it (and I had to also disable the automatic retry separately or it kept starting despite being "disabled"). Any attempt to manually start it there gives me:

Windows could not start the Windows Search service on Local Computer.

Error 1067: The process terminated unexpectedly.
any help?
dvd

[Bell29]

Hi, These post's just saved me a whole lot of money so thanks!!!

I noticed in one of the rundowns that "you will need to change the service back to starting automatically". I'm a bit confused on what this means & how i do it. I'e deleted the folders necessary but I'm scared to just restart it.

Please Help!!

[judelong]

here is the the fix i tried everything nothing seems to work try this:
You can now disable the Indexing Feature:

With the default Category Control Panel:

1. Head to Start
2. Select Control Panel
3. Select System and Maintenance
4. Select Indexing Options
5. Select the Modify button
6. Select the Continue button (if UAC is active)
7. Select the Show all locations button
8. Select the Continue button (if UAC is active)
9. Double click "Users" in the "Summary of selected locations"
10. Uncheck Users directory
11. Double click "Start Menu " in the "Summary of selected locations"
12. Uncheck Start Menu directory
13. Select the Ok button to close the panel