Solved Windows indexing

Bill4321 · Apr 23, 2022

Hi guys

Windows search index. Why is it so slow? Why does it never finish? I have scaled back all of the indexed locations down to 31,000 items needing indexing. Outlook and One Note are excluded from my indexing. As are XML files. I have an I7 10th Gen processor yet the indexing will only do at best 20 items a minute. So we're talking 25 hours to index the whole lot. As a one off that's fine. I know it takes time.

The thing is, when I get to the 'done' status and reboot my PC the index then shows 50 - 60 files still pending and the countdown starts again. And these files are always pending. I never get back to zero. Even though all files have been indexed.

So basically the windows search indexer is constantly using circa 15% of my processor. My first thought was to turn off the service and be done with it. The trouble is the indexer turns itself back on again. It will not be defeated.

I have tried things..

I have re built the index many times. It does not help. I have changed the location of the index but Windows ignores the new location and goes back to its default location. I have changed the 'Disablebackoff' key in the registry to always on, then off when finished. I have Googled like mad but can't get anywhere with this.

If anyone out there has any suggestions please let me know..

ShamrockRig · Apr 23, 2022

Bill4321 said:
Hi guys

Windows search index. Why is it so slow? Why does it never finish? I have scaled back all of the indexed locations down to 31,000 items needing indexing. Outlook and One Note are excluded from my indexing. As are XML files. I have an I7 10th Gen processor yet the indexing will only do at best 20 items a minute. So we're talking 25 hours to index the whole lot. As a one off that's fine. I know it takes time.

The thing is, when I get to the 'done' status and reboot my PC the index then shows 50 - 60 files still pending and the countdown starts again. And these files are always pending. I never get back to zero. Even though all files have been indexed.

So basically the windows search indexer is constantly using circa 15% of my processor. My first thought was to turn off the service and be done with it. The trouble is the indexer turns itself back on again. It will not be defeated.

I have tried things..

I have re built the index many times. It does not help. I have changed the location of the index but Windows ignores the new location and goes back to its default location. I have changed the 'Disablebackoff' key in the registry to always on, then off when finished. I have Googled like mad but can't get anywhere with this.

If anyone out there has any suggestions please let me know..

Mines been turned off since about week 3 of windows 11 back in june/july last year. You will need to do this after every windows update, Or create a batch script but i aint that guy.
Go to services, Find windows search, click on it, Press on Stop. Change startup type to disabled. Good to go.

Bill4321 · Apr 23, 2022

Hey Devlin

Thank you so much, that's sorted it. I'm a bit peeved off that I couldn't work out what Windows was constantly trying to index, I guess that I will have to leave that for another day.

In the meantime a big gold star for you, cheers mate.

Bill

ShamrockRig · Apr 23, 2022

Bill4321 said:
Hey Devlin

Thank you so much, that's sorted it. I'm a bit peeved off that I couldn't work out what Windows was constantly trying to index, I guess that I will have to leave that for another day.

In the meantime a big gold star for you, cheers mate.

Bill

All good! Next time you update Windows you will need to do it again but it only seems to be for like main updates, not the small ones etc. It had the same effect on me, was using about 10% of my cpu, yeah I have the headroom for days but it was the principal that got me to get rid and surprise surprise...I can still search for everything I've had to and it finds it the same as prior. Glad you're sorted!