Windows 10: Windows search doesn't always work

Sometimes when I search forsomething from the start menu, windows finds nothing, even if the program is installed on my computer. e.g if I search for "Warcraft 3" windows will say that it found nothing even though the game is installed on my C drive. This is the case with many other programs/games as well.

Solution: Use indexing options to rebuild the search index.

:)

 

E72 - Contacts quick search doesn't work correctly

That method doesn't work for me. Still can't find most contacts in Contacts app.

Search application works fine but it always worked fine.

 

Cortana doesn't always work

After a reboot, Cortana works fine. Responds to "Hey Cortana" answers with voice etc. After a while when I say Hey Cortana I get back "can't connect to the internet now". My internet connection is fine. If I reboot again Cortana is back - again for a while.
What is going on?

 

Instead of struggling with Cortana and Windows Search my preference is to use third party software.
Everything and UltraSearch can search one or more drives if wanted, with UltraSearch you can very quickly include and exclude drives from the search
Both are small, fast, reliable, very efficient and free
Both have portable versions (which I use) so you can test them without installing them.

Everything Search
UltraSearch

Good luck *Smile

 

Eagle51 posted this fix for search problems last week - may be worth a try? Also, check your indexing option in Control Panel include the folders you want to index.

Try resetting the Search Index by doing the following.
Open regedit and navigate to the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Search change SetupCompletedSuccessfully to 0 and reboot PC.

 

I also have search probs but there is no SetupCompletedSuccessfully should i add the key?

forget about it, i found it

 

Im not sure if Im doing it right but I have checked include systemfolders, compressed files (ZIP,CAB) and search always for file names.

Will try them out and come back with the results.

OK, so I just tested both of these programs, and they find everything that windows doesn't find, so windows search is definitely buggy. Still, I would like to fix windows search so I can search from the start menu, I have been doing that for years and Im used to doing it that way.

 

Does Warcraft 3 appear in Win 10's Start Menu? And does it appear in the same folder as the other shortcuts that are indexed?
Have you tried this option (top left?)



Bear in mind that Cortana search seems limited to what's been indexed- for deeper search it refers you to file explorer.

Want a problem free start menu? Use one that really works. Classic Shell (free) which also uses Windows search and is customisable.

 

Classic Shell is excellent. I configure it so mouse hover opens Classic Shell and left click opens the Windows Start Menu. That way you have access to both menus but I normally use Classic Shell. Classic Shell search works fine.

 

Yes Classic Shell's search is better as well as its menu navigation and all of its amazing customization. There are now many reasons to use it - the Windows 10 menu is worse at everything if you do an objective comparison.

 

Have you by any chance disabled the "let apps run in the background"-setting in your privacy settings? Doing that will cause problems for search and indexing.

 

This caused windows to crash and I coudn't recover windows again. I tried literally every solution offered by windows and windows didn't want to coorporate. System recovery, restoring to a previous version, etc. I have been working really hard yesterday and today to try and get windows working again from scratch.

It could also be because I misclicked and accidentally deleted a wrong registry key, my mouse is acting up lately so misclicks happens sometimes.

I have been using classic shell for about a year, its amazing and I cannot stand the horrible design of windows 10 in general, so I'm using classic shell with xp luna theme instead.

 

The registry fix worked for me. You do need to be very careful in editing the registry and ensure you have a system backup. Many on the forum including me recommend Macrium Reflect Free.

 

Thanks you resolved my search problem!

 

Yes, I just did. I tried searching for slimdrivers, shows nothing. I check in my programs folder and slimdrivers is right there.