Microsoft windows search filter host is burning my cpu usage.

Hi,

Thank you for posting in the Microsoft Community.

I am sorry for the inconvenience.

As I understand, “Microsoft windows search filter host is burning the cpu usage". Am I correct?

SearchFilterHost.exe is the process for Windows Search. It is involved in indexing, caching, etc.

Let us try the following methods and see if thet helps:

Method 1: I would suggest you to run “Search and Indexing” troubleshooter to diagnose the exact issue.

Follow these steps:

a. Press “windows key + W” on your keyboard.

b. Type “Troubleshooting” without quotes in the search box and hit enter.

c. Select “View all” from the left panel.

d. Select “Search and Indexing” and follow the on-screen instructions.

Method 2: I would suggest you to try disabling the .XML file extension from being indexed in the Indexing Options and check if the issue is fixed.

Refer the folowing steps:

a) Press “windows key + c” on the keyboard.

b) Select Settings

c) Type Indexing Options, and select indexing options from the search

d) Click Modify.

e) To add or remove a location, select or clear its check box in the Change selected locations list, and then click OK.

f) If you don't see all locations on your computer in the list, click Show all locations. (If all locations are listed, Show all locations won't be available.) If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

g) If you want to include a folder but not all of its subfolders, click the folder, and then clear the check box next to any subfolder that you don't want to index. These folders will appear in the Exclude column of the Summary of selected locations list.

Method 3: Additionally you may also perform a full system scan using the Microsoft Safety Scanner to eliminate any issues related to virus/malware.

http://www.microsoft.com/security/scanner/en-us/default.aspx

Important Notes:

· The Microsoft Safety Scanner expires 10 days after being downloaded. To rerun a scan with the latest anti-malware definitions, download and run the Microsoft Safety Scanner again.

· Any data files that are infected may only be cleaned by deleting the file entirely, which means there is a potential for data loss.

Hope the information helps. If you need further assistance, please reply. We will be happy to help you.

I have Windows 8.1 pro also. And Search Filter host ix Killing Me!! I have tried all of this but it still keeps coming back, at least twice a day! Things go slower than Windows 98 when it happens. I have also tried repairing the search indexing, but it ran 3 days and did not complete. I gave up!

I never had this problem when I was using Win 7.

I am about ready to say SCREW IT! And Buy my first MAC!!

I am beginning to think Windows 8.1 Really SUCKS!!

Can anyone come up with some other suggestion?

I have just about had it with this ****!!!

I wish I could get my money back!!

I am running an Acer Aspire 5742 with Windows 8.1 update1. After the update the machine had all the same problems as above. I tried all the solutions but nothing worked. I changed the power settings to high performance and the system has now stabilised. The fan is no longer whining and there are no hot spots on the case. Maybe its solved but task manager is now showing a reading between 0.9% and 2%, never did that before.

Hi I have the same problem!

None of the above methods worked for me! If I look in the indexing options, I see that the number of files indexed stays the same for hours, but if I kill the search filter host process it continues again for a  ´little while, but halts again eventually. I think it hangs up on the files it is indexing. I have already tried removing xml from the indexed file types and also excluded most file extensions except for the most important ones.

I hope someone can find a solution for this quickly because running the cpu at 50% constantly brings down laptop battery life dramatically and I cannot just deactivate indexing as it is needed for skydrive under windows 8.1

Edit:

Hello,

I think that the integration of SkyDrive into Windows 8.1 is a really great thing. However, in my case the Indexing service chocked on some file types that were stored on my computer. This is really bad because it blocked the indexing service and burned the CPU of my laptop at a constant 30%, bringing down battery life dramatically, and I needed to move many of my files out of SkyDrive into a non-indexed folder to solve the issue.

I hope the problems get fixed soon so that I can use SkyDrive to store all my data

Just rebuild your index but make sure that SkyDrive, is NOT BEING INDEXED! THAT WILL CORRECT THE PROBLEM WITH SKYDRIVE.

Go to control panel... choose to view as small icons... then select indexing options

or search for indexing options.

**Open it.**Hit modify.

**Now make sure that the SkyDrive folder is not selected under your user profile.**Hit OK.

Now it should say that SkyDrive folder is excluded from the index.

**Now go to advanced.**Choose rebuild from the troubleshooting section.

Super helpful, worked instantly. Thank you.