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

Anonymous

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

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Anonymous

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

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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140 additional answers

Anonymous

2014-12-26T17:28:14+00:00

If the the other answers don't work, go to the Control Panel and select "Programs and Features". Click on "Turn Windows features on or off" (you must be an administrator [in the administrators group]).

Uncheck "Windows Search" to uninstall the Indexing service. Restart the computer.

Repeat the process, but this time check "Windows Search" and restart the computer.

This should reinstall Windows Search with all required files and registry settings.

Note: I am using Windows 7, so the names might not be the same.
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Anonymous

2014-11-09T16:27:36+00:00

Very disappointing that a year later, Iolo still hasn't fixed this issue - which obviously isn't minor.
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Anonymous

2014-11-09T15:23:31+00:00

Hi I have been following this thread for some months. I was very frustrated with the Windows 8.1 Search functioning dying. I would regularly edit the Registry as has already been mentioned multiple times.

However, the thing that finally did the trick for me was removing Iolo's System Mechanic from my PC's (and it was only PC's with SM on them that had this problem).

Since then I have had no problems whatsoever with indexing and with Search.

I agree that there probably is an underlying 8.1 problem, however, removing SM did the trick and I think it is up to Iolo to identify the issue, not Microsoft.

I like System Mechanic and still have 6 months or whatever of a multi-license deal with them, but will not reinstall it until I am certain it won't cause my PC to all over again.

MKJ
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