"We're getting search ready" error - Windows/Cortana Search

Firey1989 · 11 Aug 2015

Cortana is not available in Australia yet so the on/off toggle is greyed out and the process does not appear to be running in Task Manager. However, when re-registering apps I get the error for Cortana.

jkteddy77 · 11 Aug 2015

Donkeyfumbler said:

Finally fixed it properly. I had managed to get it so all I was missing was the settings from the new settings app so I had another think and tried something I had done before, but that hadn't worked at the time (when I still had the 'we are getting search ready' message and was missing all of the settings and entries from the old control panel as well as the settings app) - I deleted and rebuilt the index using the 'rebuild' button in Indexing options - Advanced.

It went through re-indexing and now I seem to have everything finally - docs, apps, control panel settings, 'new' settings app settings, web search and Windows store apps.

I seemed to get everything searchable again through reindexing and a lucky install, but now "new" Windows Settings aren't searchable, only old control panel features...
I reindexed, but it didn't make a difference. I also tried disabling/enabling cortana, restarting her windows process, etc.
I went from ONLY searching Windows Settings to being able to search everything BUT windows settings.
Anyone else have this and a new solution? Nothing in the last 11 pages works this time.

Entropy · 11 Aug 2015

jkteddy77 said:

I seemed to get everything searchable again through reindexing and a lucky install, but now "new" Windows Settings aren't searchable, only old control panel features...
I reindexed, but it didn't make a difference. I also tried disabling/enabling cortana, restarting her windows process, etc.
I went from ONLY searching Windows Settings to being able to search everything BUT windows settings.
Anyone else have this and a new solution? Nothing in the last 11 pages works this time.

Do you have your personal folders in their default location or you have moved them elsewhere?

Firey1989 · 11 Aug 2015

OK everyone, this has just fixed the issue for me, after combining a few of your previous suggestions.

1. Stop and disable the Windows Search service
2. Change the Windows Search registry key from 1 to 0
3. Untick the indexing checkbox and apply to all folders/subfolders
4. Once complete, tick the indexing checkbox and apply to all folders/subfolders
5. Enable and start the Windows Search service
6. VOILA!!

jkteddy77 · 11 Aug 2015

Firey1989 said:

1. Stop and disable the Windows Search service
2. Change the Windows Search registry key from 1 to 0
3. Untick the indexing checkbox and apply to all folders/subfolders
4. Once complete, tick the indexing checkbox and apply to all folders/subfolders
5. Enable and start the Windows Search service
6. VOILA!!

My applications are all still searchable, but the new windows settings are still not searchable.
I can still search "settings" and find the new app, but for example, I cannot just search "Upda-" and receive a quick link to the Windows Update location in the settings app. I have to open the settings app and search it myself.

My Desktop had this issue, and rebuilding the index fixed that one, but I've tried everything 2 times over on this laptop, and new Windows Settings are still inaccessible through Cortana. All I get are control panel results.

jkteddy77 · 11 Aug 2015

Entropy said:

Do you have your personal folders in their default location or you have moved them elsewhere?

I tried setting all of the library to default their default location, and created new folders for them as well.
and followed Firey1989's steps.
Everything is fine again with applications, but Windows Settings still cannot be searched like before

Entropy · 11 Aug 2015

jkteddy77 said:

I tried setting all of the library to default their default location, and created new folders for them as well.
and followed Firey1989's steps.
Everything is fine again with applications, but Windows Settings still cannot be searched like before

I’ve had exactly the same problem. I could find everything except settings…
Honestly I do not know how I fixed it because I’ve done several times everything posted in this thread and therefore I do not know the "solid recipe".

However, I know one thing: if you remove from your search locations the users directory of the C drive then I am loosing the setting results.
Note that I do not have my personal folders on C drive…
Now Cortana is running ok and returns setting results, however, the moment I remove the users folder of the C drive from the search locations I lose the settings results.
Weird…

jkteddy77 · 11 Aug 2015

Entropy said:

I’ve had exactly the same problem. I could find everything except settings…
Honestly I do not know how I fixed it because I’ve done several times everything posted in this thread and therefore I do not know the "solid recipe".

However, I know one thing: if you remove from your search locations the users directory of the C drive then I am loosing the setting results.
Note that I do not have my personal folders on C drive…
Now Cortana is running ok and returns setting results, however, the moment I remove the users folder of the C drive from the search locations I lose the settings results.
Weird…

Hmm, even with the most thorough sweep, the settings never return for me, just everything else.
This is very irritating, having the only thing break being the only thing that once worked.
There seems to be no way to index or instruct Search to include Windows Settings either.

The most thorough method yet:
1. Stop and Disable Windows Search in Services
2. Delete or Move C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Searches\Data (renaming doesn't work, cleanest way is keeping it empty)
3. In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Search, change DWORD "SetupCompletedSuccess" to value 0.
3a. At this time, make sure all User Libraries (documents,music,videos,pictures,downloads,desktop) are all set to default locations again on the (C) drive. Right-click the libraries on the side of file explorer>Properties> Location tab if you need to reset them back.
4. Right-Click, Properties on your entire C: (or OS drive) in file explorer and uncheck "Allow files on this drive to be indexed" at the bottom, and make sure to include all subfolders and files as well in the following popup window. After it's all done (it takes a while, be patient) and ignore all to any conflicting files. click OK to exit. Restart PC before next step for maximum effectiveness (not sure if it will help or not, but this is a thorough walkthrough)
5.Right-Click (C) drive in file explorer again, and Recheck the allow files to be indexed box, making sure you keep subfolders and files selected again too.
6. Enable Windows Search again in Services to Automatic(Delayed) and Start it. The Index will automatically rebuild.
7. Restart PC, as these changes may might not apply unless you do so.
8. Everything should work now, and you can now set all user libraries back to their chosen locations again. The index should track recognize their move fine, but rebuild the index if you need the peace of mind.

I attempted to re-register cortana and all other microsoft apps as well before step 6, but that didn't seem to make a difference. Instructions for that are here: Apps - Re-register in Windows 8 and 10 - Windows 10 Forums

This has fixed all but Windows Settings being searchable in Search. I can still find control panel locations and all other applications, but no locations from the new Windows Settings apps. Let me know if this solves yours, and if you couldn't find them before, if it lets you find new Windows Settings results. For me, I must continue for a newer solution.

chrisnyc75 · 11 Aug 2015

Just to follow up... after this and several other recurring problems, I finally broke down and just did a clean re-install from the iso using my MS ID as my user account. So far, so good.... Cortana is working perfectly, the index appears to be seamlessly updating in the background, and all apps (including WU & the store) are working as expected.

Now I'm wondering if maybe all of the people experiencing this problem upgraded to Win 10 from a previous installation rather than a clean install from scratch? Maybe it's a bug in carrying forward indexing and/or user account rights from a previous installation vs setting them up fresh?

jkteddy77 · 11 Aug 2015

chrisnyc75 said:

Just to follow up... after this and several other recurring problems, I finally broke down and just did a clean re-install from the iso using my MS ID as my user account. So far, so good.... Cortana is working perfectly, the index appears to be seamlessly updating in the background, and all apps (including WU & the store) are working as expected.

Now I'm wondering if maybe all of the people experiencing this problem upgraded to Win 10 from a previous installation rather than a clean install from scratch? Maybe it's a bug in carrying forward indexing and/or user account rights from a previous installation vs setting them up fresh?

Negative, I for one have been through 6-8 clean installs, and 3 upgrades, and this has appeared on all but 2 installs for me.
The only 2 working clean installs are the ones on my Desktop and Laptop now. I basically had to do the same and repeatedly reinstall, after none of these solutions worked, and am hoping they don't break again in the future.
The install on my Laptop, which happens to be Windows 10 Pro instead of Home, still won't search the new Windows Settings features, only old control panel locations, but this is as close as I can get it without reinstalling for the 11th time. The Windows 10 home install is finally working perfectly. I have a feeling Microsoft will never address this issue, as it's hard to even find on google, and how could they fix it with a simple update? You pretty much have to reinstall to entirely fix it if these solutions don't work for you...