Windows 10: Start Menu Search Results for Applications are Out of Date

When I attempt to search for newly installed programs via the start menu search, they do not appear. Uninstalled programs will also still show in the results after having been removed.


I have tried restarting the windows search service, restarting windows explorer, restarting the computer and rebuilding the search index. I have also tried running the windows search troubleshooter but it said it was unable to find an issue.


I ran these commands in the order shown in the cmd:


sfc /scannow

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

sfc /scannow


I have followed these steps:

Method 1. Repair Windows Store apps:



1. Download the Windows Store App Troubleshooter. Link below.



http://aka.ms/solutionstoreapp

2. Temporarily Disable the Anti-virus

3. Run Powershell

4. On Powershelladmin, copy and paste the command below:





Get-AppXPackage Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$$_.InstallLocation\AppXManifest.xml"}





Method 2. Reset update and app components



Open Powershell with Admin or CMD with Admin Press Windows key + X then click Windows PowershellAdmin

Copy each line of command to Powershell then press enter one line at a time

net stop bits

net stop wuauserv

net stop appidsvc

net stop cryptsvc

Del "%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\Microsoft\Network\Downloader\*.*"

rmdir %systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution /S /Q

rmdir %systemroot%\system32\catroot2 /S /Q

regsvr32.exe /s atl.dll

regsvr32.exe /s urlmon.dll

regsvr32.exe /s mshtml.dll

netsh winsock reset

netsh winsock reset proxy

net start bits

net start wuauserv

net start appidsvc

net start cryptsvc


In addition I performed an in place upgrade.


The only thing that has helped me so far are following the steps found at https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...art-menu/fe0261a9-2e6b-4aa8-ae24-d399f77ad1a1


However performing the steps above will only cause the program results to update once. If I go on install/remove more programs those changes won't be reflected in the search results until I do those steps again.


If you have any suggestions on how I might be able to fix this without resetting/refreshing my Windows installation or creating a new account, please let me know! Thanks for your time!

:)

 

Start menu search not finding applications?


Do you have "All apps" listed after you click on the start button ?





Then a list of apps ?

 

Start menu search not finding applications?

I do.





As you can see Outlook 2013 does not show up under "O" in all apps.

 

Start menu Search can't click on search results leading to Settings pages + Settings search results not loading

After I installed the Creator's Update (Version 1703, OS Build 15063.296), I found some results in start menu search being not clickable (i.e., no repsonse when clicking on them) while other results being fine.

I tried everything I could find by google:

• Restart Cortana through task manager
• Restart WSearch service through services.msc
• Rebuild windows search index
• Reinstall/Re-register windows apps through Dism.exe
• Modify windows registry

Nothing workable.

However, when logged in with another account, I found the start menu search working fine.

Then I read this article (SOLVED: Video: How To Hard Reset or Remove Cortana In Windows 10 – Up & Running Technologies, Tech How To's) and follow his steps 1-3:

• Create a new administrator on your Window 10 and sign in as that user
• Delete (or rename) C:\Users\<PROBLEM USER>\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.Cortana_cw5n1h2txyewy
• Sign back in as the PROBLEM USER
• Open PowerShell as an admin and type (or paste)
  
  Add-AppxPackage -Path “C:\Windows\SystemApps\Microsoft.Windows.Cortana_cw5n1h2txyewy\Appxmanifest.xml” -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register

I didn't walk through all 4 steps, cause when I logged in with the "PROBLEM USER" I found everthing was okay.

I guess the start menu search (or cortana search) works as following procedures:

• Build a private database, including start menu programs, control panel items, etc.
• When users try to search something, it starts from the private database
• Then it shows the results queried from WSearch databases

Hence, if something wrong with the items in its private database, the result is not clickable. Clear its private database will fix the problems.