Win 7 start button search

When I type in something in the start button search at the top it says searching but nothing ever shows. I created a new administrator account and it works fine on that account.

Any idea where to find the settings I need to change?

Also on my wife's unit she has above the search window "see more" while I have "search everwhere" on hers when you click it windows explorer opens with further info. On mine I get an error that there is not program set to do that task and tells me to set a default program. In default, search is not an option.

Been working on this for months on and off with no luck. Have tried all the tricks on Microsofts forums but no change.

Any ideas will be appreciated.

Thanks

 

Greetings, exscentric.

You've probably already tried this, but check these real quick:

While in the problem profile, go to Start > Control Panel > Admin Tools > Services. See if the following are running:

1. Windows Search
2. Remote Procedure Call (RPC)
3. DCOM Server Process Launcher
4. RPC Endpoint Mapper

Also, it might not be a bad idea to list the things you've already tried, so we won't be redundant.

Question: since you've been able to create a new admin account without the bad Search symptoms, why not just stick with that? Just curious...

 

RPC was on manual so put to auto and started it, others were already on. No change.

I may have to go with a new account but do not know the ramifications of doing so. Many programs do not show up in the new one and My Documents is humongous, not sure whether I can just move that. Will have to do some research on that.

Microsoft has a forum with all sorts of fixes that I tried.

a. There were two registry entries that were to be removed - mine did not have them.

b. Things like go to taskbar settings and be sure search is checked, turning indexing off then back on, rebuilding the index.

c. Microsoft has a utility to fix the search feature, ran that and it restarted search and whatever else it does - no change.

I've searched the net for hours - nine yesterday and numerous other times over the past few months.

The numerous people having the problem, the numerous fixes that help others, and Microsoft's guy on the forum unable to give further suggestions short of reinstalling windows (which was one of their suggestions), make me wonder who is running their company :-D

 

I posted an answer couple hours ago, not sure where it went???

I tried the services and one was not running (on manual) so changed it/started it/rebooted, no change.

I've done everything on a Microsoft forum that was suggested. Supposedly there is a key to change but mine does not have the key. Others posted that they do not but there are no suggestions.

Task bar properties/customize to be sure search is turned on. Restarted Search. Rebuilt the index. Ran a microsoft program that is supposed to repair search, but it did not.

 

If you mean a registry key, one can be created.
Please either post information about the exact key or a link to the thread dealing with this issue.

 

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/977380 down at the bottom, this is one place I've run into this but my unit does not have that entry so can't delete it.

Yes, the unit has sp1 installed. will read the link and see what I find.

 

Yes, have sp1, the hotfix I had tried, it said it was not applicable to my unit.

Tried changing the registry entry you suggested (last one) with no change. Yes the other key is the one I've run across and my unit has never had it.

I tried today right click on c: and on general tab allow files on this drive box that was blank but no change either.

Did find that if I type into the search box and nothing happens that if I right click on the "search everywhere" I can open explorer and search there, but would rather have the see more choices that used to be there.

"Plodr" the link in Davidgp's hotfix is the key I mentioned, have run across this instruction in other places as well.

 

Since I don't run Windows 7, I don't feel comfortable telling you to do fixes that I do not have the chance to try.

I can point you to an extremely good search tool to use while waiting for Win 7's Search to function correctly. http://www.voidtools.com/
I have this running on my XP computers. It is small and is very fast at finding things.

Is there a fix for a 32 bit system and a 64 bit system?

 

They didn't list a hofix for both systems, think the report I got was due to having SP1 installed and the fix was already there probably.

Will snoop your search tool, probably the better answer, have wasted waay too much of my time as well as the time of others on this. :-D

Out of drive space, should stick in a bigger drive and start over. Would get a new computer but this one isn't even two yet.

JUST BUGGGGGGS ME WHEN it don't work the way it is supposed to :-D

 

I did find something about the "Search Everywhere" link indicating a third party protocol handler was assigned to the search function. (screenshot #1. I'm not sure what this means.)

You might check these two places to see if Explorer is associated with Search (from this Vista link but looks the same in Win7 from what I can tell).

 

Search does not show up in either list that they mention.

I think there should be a way to associate explorer with search but have not found where.

Beginning to think search was uninstalled/corrupted some how.

 

Thinking I am fighting two problems. Just found out as I has suspected it ought to be, there is supposed to be a windows search explorer in set the default program windows and mine does not have this.

Have no idea how to get programs to list in that list, any ideas?

 

I'll have to look at it tomorrow. It will take some reading to see if we can find anything useful.

What is confusing is that you are seeing "Searching" at the top of the Start menu so it would seem that something is searching. If nothing was searching then it should just be a blank box.

 

Found a "fix" adding something in the registry. Didn't copy link :-(

Found another reg fix that was to merget it into the default but it did not work.

The text in the fix is below, but doesn't say where it put it.

I wouldn't spend too much time on it, about to reinstall - two days is too much!

I am going to see if I can find the first fix that detailed where to put the keys. Will post it if I find it.

EDIT: This is the link, it is speaking of a different area me thinks - registry is Greek to me!
http://blog.akilles.org/2010/06/13/default-programs-in-windows-7-adding-program-to-list-of-programs/

---
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\RegisteredApplications]
"Windows Address Book"="Software\\Clients\\Contacts\\Address Book\\Capabilities"
"Internet Explorer"="SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Internet Explorer\\Capabilities"
"Windows Mail (News)"="Software\\Clients\\News\\Windows Mail\\Capabilities"
"Windows Media Player"="Software\\Clients\\Media\\Windows Media Player\\Capabilities"
"Windows Media Center"="Software\\Clients\\Media\\Windows Media Center\\Capabilities"
"Windows Calendar"="Software\\Clients\\Calendar\\Windows Calendar\\Capabilities"
"Windows Mail"="Software\\Clients\\Mail\\Windows Mail\\Capabilities"
"Windows Photo Gallery Viewer"="Software\\Microsoft\\Windows Photo Gallery\\Capabilities"
"Windows Search"="Software\\Microsoft\\Windows Search\\Capabilities"
@=""

---

 

That Version 5.00 is for XP.

I haven't touched the Win7 registry yet but I would think it has to be somewhere associated with your particular user. I'll look around just for my own information. I haven't found anyone having your exact problem.

 

Stumbled over an email address for Microsoft support and emailed - they did a huge diagnostic automatically.

Will let you know what they tell me besides trying what has already been tried :-D

 

Wow, busy board, take 24 hours off to stick in a new hard drive and this is on page 5

Update:

Well, Microsoft finally got to their standard answer to everything, reinstall windows. They wanted me to do a repair system, but could not due to having sp1 on it and my dvd does not have sp1 soooooooooo I've been redoing a new hard drive for 24 hours or so :wave

It is about over.

By the way if any of you are/have used the MS Windows install clean up tool
STOP IMMEDIATELY.

I couldn't find it on my drive so went looking for it and found a note that is had been retired because, though it had done some good work, it also had damaged other components. GUESS WHY I've had to restore my drive twice in the last year???????????