Windows 10: Search working Intermittent

Hi, could you explain a bit more about where you're searching and for what?

E.g.
- search using Windows explorer
- the search field on the taskbar (Cortana)
- the search field in the Settings dialogue

and quote a couple of examples.

If Cortana, please provide a screenshot.
Thanks!

Hi, ok, that's Cortana. Cortana can:
- search the web (obviously depends on your internet connection)
- do a very limited search on your indexed files and folders.
- search your settings
- offer suggestions from the store
- apps = universal apps and desktop apps - provided a shortcut exists for them in your start menu (the latter may or may not be true if you upgraded)
etc

If your internet connection is unreliable, browser search e.g. google will be unreliable.
So I think you need to specify your problem more exactly - e.g. do you actually have unreliable Wifi?
Or is it a search problem?

Note: it's very confusing if you try to use it to search for files.
a. it won't find any executables (exe, bat, cmd...)
b. it will only find what's been indexed
c. you have various categories to search in

In other words a right mixture.

For file/folder search, far better solutions than Cortana or explorer search are
Ultrasearch
Everything by void tools
Locate32
- all free

Ok, I'm beginning to understand what you're seeing.
What happens if you press the Windows key and S together?
You should get Cortana like this...


Mine is after the anniversary upgrade- have you done that yet? - to confirm this, please press
Windows key + R
type
Winver
and post the result.
Mine's 14393.10

Hi, you may have Cortana set to disabled as regards web search. Note the lack of news items for example.
It used to be possible to disable Bing search in Cortana but this has changed.

I think if I understand you correctly you cannot search the web using Cortana.
Therefore you may need to do the reverse (opposite) of this:
How to Disable Cortana in Windows 10s Anniversary Update

You will need to take due precautions before trying this. E.g. set a system restore point first. Note System Restore is off by default in Win 10 and after an upgrade so you will need to turn it on.

I suggest you first check the setting as per that article carefully.

Note that it used to be possible to easily do this in Cortana's settings, but as far as I can see, that setting no longer exists.

Sorry, you've totally confused me. The toolbar search box is part of Cortana. It is a limited search.
I now can't understand your problem as you said earlier

"It is searching the Local System, very nice and as it should be."

If you want proper search features for files and folders unlike the limited search that offers, try
Ultrasearch
Everything (Void tools)
Locate32.

I'm afraid I'll have to leave this for someone else to pick up as I'm afraid I can't understand exactly what problem you'd like solved and have offered a fix for what I thought you were saying and you now say you're not interested in Cortana. Good luck..