File Explorer Search Box not returning any results

Using Windows 11 Version 21H2 (OS Build 22000.708)

I have my user folder "Pictures" moved to separate SDD (A:/Pictures) as 350,000 pictures will occupy a lot of space on my C drive.
Whatever I search for using File Explorer Search Box, no results are returned. Even searching for *.* returns nothing.
If I move the "Pictures" folder back to its default location in Users on C drive, search works perfectly and extremely quickly.
I do have drive A selected in the indexing options.
I discovered a curious phenomenon which adds to my puzzlement - the "Pictures" folder is shared on my local network. If I select the network shared folder in File Explorer and perform a search, then search works fine. It just does not work when selecting the "Pictures" folder directly.
I have tried several well-advertised, suggested cures to no avail, such as rebuilding the search index, SFC Scan. Even did a Windows repair install. I won't make a long list of everything I have tried just now but I wondered if I might be missing something obvious.

I'll bet if you search the drive where the actual picture files reside, search will find them. That's the way it works for me.

Unfortunately that's exactly what doesn't work!
Curiously, searchng the network share does work even though that is in effect looking at the exact same files.

The way I read your statement, you can not search search A:/Pictures from the folder level, but the folder is shared and you can search network shared folder. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I am assuming you shared only the folder and not the entire drive.

This may sound crazy, but let's try an experiment. Make another folder on the drive and name it TEST. Make a text document in it and name it test1, then search for "test1" from both the drive level A:/ and the folder level A:/TEST
This will give us some indication if the problem is at the drive level or folder level.
Also, when you set up sharing, I want to verify, did you share the entire drive , or just the folder?

Have a look at this thread,

Great info @Fabler2 . I knew A: was used for floppy(back in the day) but did not know know it wasn't indexed in modern systems.

Because of "tradition" I don't use drive letters A or B, but I never knew Windows didn't index them. I learned something today.

Great info by posted by Fabler2

Thanks for the information provided, especially about using A and B for drive volumes, but now I will throw a spanner in the works!
My other PC (well my wife's actually) is set up exactly the same using Drive A for the pictures folder.
Searching the pictures folder on that PC works without a hitch.
The only relevant difference between the two PCs I can think of is that, although both run under Windows 11, mine was upgraded from Windows 10 whereas the other was a new build with a clean install of 11.

I myself don't have an answer for your spanner wrench. As I've said, I've never used A or B as drive letters and have no experience there. In short, I can neither confirm or deny your experience

Noggin the Nog said:

I have my user folder "Pictures" moved to separate SDD (A:/Pictures)

Click to expand...

How does indexing-searching behave if you re-assign that SSD to a 'normal' drive letter such as D:\ then repeat the tests?

Denis

Problem solved.
Acting upon the advice received, assigning a drive letter beyond C was the cure.
I had thought that by now, A and B drives would work just like others but I was clearly incorrect in this assumption.

Thanks for the confirmation.

Denis

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