Windows 10: Windows Search returning no results

Windows Search returning no results on one of my external harddrives.

I've trawled through pages of Google's advice and I have already:

• Tried indexing the HDD and rebuilding.
• Non-indexing and rebuilding.
• Indexing only specific folders on the HDD and rebuilding.
• Specifically disabling indexing for this drive in the drive's properties.
• Checked that I have the appropriate permissions on the drive (they are identical to my other HDDs).

Crude example of my problem:

• I am looking for the following file, A:\Example\test.txt.
• I am inside the A:\Example folder.
• I search for "test", "*" or "txt".
• It says there are no results.

And it says "no results" instantly - it doesn't appear to even try.

I do not have a second drive with sufficient space to move the contents to do a format - so I'm looking for non-destructive solutions.

Based on solutions I've been proposed since posting this thread:

• Does the HDD work on another computer? Yes. While searching on that computer it says "searching non-indexed locations will be slow", as I would expect. The issue must be with my computer and not the HDD.
• Does outright disabling Windows Search in the Services do anything? Yes - I can now search the drive, but it is painfully slow.

:)

 

search not returning results

i don't know if this is important or not but i recently noticed that the working set memory usage is low on searchUI.exe when i'm having the issue (around 60,400k) and when it is working its about double that.

 

search not returning results

Hi,

Thank you for posting on Microsoft Community.

Please check to see if a system file scan may help in resolving the issue.

• Press Windows+X on the keyboard.
• Select Command Prompt (Admin).
• In the Command Prompt window type the following:
  
  sfc /scannow
• Wait for the scan to complete. Restart the computer and check for the issue

Do let us know about the status. Thank you.

 

Hi, I'm probably misunderstanding what's happening, but taking the simple case that you're not getting a result for searching for sthg on your external drive, if you look at the explorer window, of 'This PC, Current Folder, All subfolders', which is selected?

It needs to be either 'This PC' (ignoring the navigation pane), or the navigation pane must be used to direct the search to e.g. 'This PC' or the external drive or a relevant folder on the drive. I.e. one way or another the search must not be specified so as to exclude the external drive.

I'm struggling to understand exactly what you mean by 'A folder with only one file returns nothing when I put *' I assume the * is part of your search parameter as a wild card. & that para basically = 'however I search for sthg that's on the external drive it's not found.'

Can you confirm you can browse the external disk when it's connected to your PC and the folder & file content is correct?

 

"All subfolders" is the selected option when I search.

I can use the HDD normally with no issues insofar as I can tell, aside from the inability to search. I can search when the HDD is plugged into another PC, so the issue must be with a setting on my PC and not the HDD.

I created a folder with literally only one file in it and then tried to Search for the file - but the Search returned no results.

 

Hi, Try selecting 'My PC'. Basically where you are in the navigation pane (and the options top left) dictate you search range.

Subfolders means 'search inculding subfolders from where I am now'

I recall someone else having exactly the same problem- I think it's not clear enough- and I don't use explorer search anyway.

(Try searching for filenames only- this is when I discovered the search syntax - Advanced Query Syntax
e.g.
Learning Windows Search: Use Advanced Query Syntax to Find Everything )

 

Sorry, but I think you've grossly misunderstood something.

I am trying to search one of my external hard drives FROM that external hard drive - i.e. I'm trying to find a file on A: from A:. I'm not on C: and expecting to find a result on A:.

 

Then you need to make clear what it is you're having a problem with.

Exactly how can you search one external drive from another? Are you using it as a boot drive and running a mini OS from that?

 

Please re-read my original post and ignore all subsiquent conversation up to this point - because you've apparently confused yourself. Maybe I'm using jargon incorrectly. So far as I'm aware I'm being very clear about the problem I am having.

tl;dr:
I have multiple HDDs on my computer. One of them does not return search results - but it will work when plugged into another computer, meaning the issue is with my computer and not the HDD.

Crude example:

• I am looking for the following file, A:\Example\test.txt.
• I am inside the A:\Example folder.
• I search for "test", "*" or "txt".
• It says there are no results.

Changing the location of the search to "This PC" will only expand the search area to include all of my HDDs and thus make the search take longer, but it will still not find test.txt.

Short of adding pictures I really don't know how to better explain this...

 

Hi, please would someone try to help this guy? I believe 3mptlord is simply having a problem because he has restricted his search range in explorer. Unfortunately I cannot understand his post better.

 

Making the search area larger will not help it find a file in the folder I'm currently in... it'll just make it take longer to say that it cannot find it.

 

You need to use another program (for example, everithing). Search in Windows is a great problem.

This is a search with windows (on the left) and with another program (on the right).:
https://i.imgur.com/wJCyRBA.jpg
As you can see, Windows shows about twenty items, xyplorer show 135...

 

I've resorted to using Evertying, but I'd still like to fix the problem. There's got to be something obvious. -_-