Windows 8.1 Search/Indexing Will not Start - Error 2: The system could not find the file specified.

Anonymous
2013-10-28T21:17:00+00:00

Original title: Windows 8.1 Search/Indexing Will not Start

Running Windows 8.1 and the indexing has stopped. When I go to services and try and restart the windows search service i get the message....

Windows could not start  Windows Search service on the local computer.

Error 2: The system could not find the file specified

I've tried disabeling, rebooting and renabling but this did not work.

I've also did a completly fresh install, which fixed the problem, for about 2 days and back to the exact same error now.

Searched on the internet but cannot find any refrence to Error 2 and windows 8 search. Tried some of the simular fixes reported to different error codes in windows 7 but none matched exactly and none worked.

Any help appreciated, only thing I can think of is that it may be windows 8.1 related? As never had problems with windows 8

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Search, touch, and mouse

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Anonymous
2013-11-25T15:31:34+00:00

I experienced the same problema and i FIXED it!!   after chatting with Microsoft technical service many times, the solution give was: format your PC and reinstall Windows..

However, thanks to Gary and his clue... i fixed and this is my solution (it Works for me now)

I renamed (you can try to delete, but i always like to rename to have an easy way to restore) the key

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Search\FileChangeClientConfigs{A010C594-BAB6-4690-952C-28A0C0365307} value=ScopeToMonitor

renamed to

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Search\FileChangeClientConfigBAK{A010C594-BAB6-4690-952C-28A0C0365307} value=ScopeToMonitor

and then started the Windows search sercvice (services.msc).. and right now its working. Its already indexing my files!!

The Windows search service automatically created a new entre in the registry named:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Search\FileChangeClientConfigs

I rebooted my laptop and the service started automatically and its working and indexing!!

Hope this patch helps!

Sergio

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Anonymous
2014-11-16T03:26:40+00:00

Hi everyone, after 4 months of trying to solve this issue without reinstalling the OS, here is my solution!

 (all other remedies failed)

Suggest you start with USB memory stick and format (I used NTFS)

This is a little laborious but works...

Open [Services] application, scroll down to [Windows Search] double click and set to Automatic on Startup type:

Open [This PC] to show available drives and ensure you can see your new USB drive, then click on [Manage]. Under [Storage] menu click on [Disk Management].

Click on the new USB drive box (bottom of window), it should show Drive 1 Removable

Right button click and select [Change Drive Letter and Paths...], then select the aspirate USB drive and literally work through the alphabet (avoiding drive letters that are already in use). Each time you change the drive letter, reboot your PC and check to see if [Services] has started 'ruining' [Windows Search]

Once you have figured out which is the correct drive to enable [Windows Search] service to run, then I suggest you partition some space on your hard drive and rename it to the appropriate drive letter that you know works! (Don't forget to format)

Hope that works for you as it fixed my issue

Thanks to everyone for making the world a better place

Think responsibly

Dom

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  1. Anonymous
    2013-11-19T17:24:11+00:00

    Are you running any registry check/repair utilities on your four systems?  My experience with my two systems upgraded from 8.0 to 8.1 via the free Store download is that running the registry check/repair routines in Norton Utilities 16 or System Mechanic 12 stops the Windows Search service cold.  Reversing the registry repairs implemented by either of those programs restarts Windows Search service immediately.  You just have to wait a little while until Indexing rebuilds for Search to work in Outlook.  I suspect any similar registry check/repair third party utility will do the same thing and stop Windows Search.  I have an ongoing communication with Microsoft, Symantec and Iolo level 2 techs about this issue, but so far no fix from any of them.  From the posts it sounds like those who have gone straight into 8.1 or upgraded immediately from 8.0 to 8.1 don't have this problem.

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  2. Anonymous
    2013-11-19T16:28:56+00:00

    I have this problem on three of the four systems that I have upgraded to Windows 8.1 by using the free download from the Store. I have dutifully followed the steps outlined above to troubleshoot the issue and nothing works.  Since I don't have 8.1 media, I can't do any type of repair. When I attempt to use 8.0 media that I have, the system tells me that all files save the O/S will be lost in the process. Not an appealing alternative.  I may load an earlier image and take the O/S back to 8.0.  I would like to hear a solution from Microsoft before I take this step. It seems that this issue is quite widespread.

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  3. Anonymous
    2013-11-18T05:07:03+00:00

    No success trying these.

    I have Norton 360 and Advanced System Care 6.

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