Windows Indexing problem

Hi, I've just tried a little experiment.

I've never indexed external drives as they need to be allocated the same drive letter when inserted each time (which of course is easy to allocate) and I've never needed to.

Background: I have search indexing set up on C: so results are 'instant' even if f explorer is open at My PC - without indexing system files at all.

I have a photo with a title starting 'fox' in a folder on my USB drive.
a. in Indexing Options I choose to have D: (the USB drive) indexed.
Searching for
title:fox
=> no result.

b. In Indexing options, I choose to deselect indexing for D: and instead select the folders on D:
Searching for
title:fox

=> success.

Hmm. Result: I'm puzzled.

My present theory is that since I'm starting my search from My PC, somehow indexing the individual folders on the external disk means they are included.

By contrast, indexing the whole of D: means its content is treated as being outside the scope of My PC.

Now consider the question of whether the index for D: is retained when D: is removed.
1. When D: is removed, the number of indexed items does not change.
So that USB can be reinserted.
2. If, however, a different disk is inserted and is allocated drive letter D:, the index for the first USB disk would be lost.

Therefore it seems that if an external disk is indexed by drive letter, it should be assigned a fixed, distinct drive letter which is allocated to no others.

Further, to search that external disk, file explorer would have to be open at that disk.

This begs the question as to what happens to the index if individual folders on the drive are indexed, rather than the drive by drive letter, and then drives are swapped but assigned the same letter.

Hello @dalchina,

dalchina said:

Background: I have search indexing set up on C: so results are 'instant' even if f explorer is open at My PC - without indexing system files at all.

I know that one of your pet hates when questions are asked about Search & Indexing, that replies mention Third-Party Software [ I apologise as I have been one of those guilty ].

I have tried searching your threads to see if there were any about the system and the way that you have yours setup, as it appears that you have none of the delays or problems that others have.

Is there such a thread?

If NOT, is there any chance that you could provide a very quick guide on this please?

I have looked at the Tutorials, but I am sure that you have added extra settings or information that would make this process a lot smoother and manageable. I am open to being converted.

Thanks.

Hi Paul, I've described this a couple of times, and done this in my two PCs. It came as a surprise it worked.

Note that I'm happy to use a 3rd party tool when more convenient, but threads should address the question asked, as this respects the OP. Sure, sometimes that mean offering an alternative. As I've said, MS has shot itself in the foot in the way Windows search works by default, more so after build 1903.

What did I do?
a. Select enhanced indexing in Settings
b. Index everything on C:
c. Check search was 'instant' with f. explorer open at My PC.
d. Progressively deselect O/S folders in Indexing Options, checking (c).
e. I ended up with only my folders and no O/S folders indexed, and instant search results.

Now I have no idea what the key thing is that needs to be indexed- I can only tell you how I got there.

Thanks for the reply and information @dalchina, it is appreciated.
I will definitely have a deeper delve into this over the next couple of days.

Hi steve108 - can you satisfy my curiosity - is that true if you start from My PC for example, using f explorer's search box, and that that's without indexing everything on C: ? Thanks!

As I said in the original message, I have always been able to search for tags, names etc and never had problems before. Now I cannot search for tags.

@ANDYS1968 I have shown that tag indexing works for me.

But NOT if I index the WHOLE external drive by drive letter.

I hope you understand the difference.

Thus my question to you becomes: in Indexing Options, have you indexed your external disk by drive letter?