Windows 7 Search Not Working!!

[scottpowers82]

Ok, I am about to pull my hair out (whats left anyway) on this one. Starting about a month or so ago, we started having random users report that they were having issues performing searches in Windows 7 (some also in Windows 8.1). I was able to narrow the problem down to something with Offline Files. If I disable a user's offline files, then they are able to search the files and folders on a network drive without issue. However, we use Folder Redirection for My Documents and then Offline Files for most staff. The nice thing about Offline Files is that it allows the local machine to use the Windows Search Index to actually index the files and their contents so that you can search much faster. However, that is no longer working. In fact, with Offline Files enabled, I do a search on a user's home drive and I get 0 results! I disable the Offline Files and I can at least get results back of their folders and filenames, but not the content. Unfortunately, I need to be able to search the content for certain users. It use to work and, from what I can tell, nothing really changed on the machines.

 

After many hours of googling and testing, and I have noticed that if I remove the Windows Search feature, reboot, reinstall Windows Search with another reboot, I am able to search for the first couple minutes. Then, inexplicably, I can do the same search I just did and get no results whatsoever.

 

I was working on a user's account last night and thought I had it solved after re-imaging her machine. I did a full sync of her files (which took about 3 hours) and watched as the index counted up her files. I performed a search and it successfully returned both files and content of file results. However, after trying it again this morning, i get 0 results and her index only shows as having indexed 400 files...last night I saw that same number in the thousands...

 

Also, I logged in as the same user in my VM machine and was able to get results returned successfully while working with colleague on the phone just a little bit ago and then, after talking for 5 minutes, I did the same search and the results disappear again!

 

I am at my wits end on this one and could really use some advice if anyone has any ideas out there.

 

Thanks,

 

Scott

[scottpowers82]

Ok, another note that I just realized. I think it may have something to do with my Sync Partnerships. I am doing a full sync on my user's account in my VM and, while it was syncing, I was able to search. However, once it finished syncing, I again lost all of my results. I also noticed that when I go to view my Sync Partnerships, the entry for my home drive only shows up when I manually initiate a sync by right-clicking the home drive and selecting Sync. Once it finishes syncing, it disappears. Am I wrong, or should the entry always at least be listed in there? Normally, it should say "Last Sync at xxx date", correct?

 

Also, oddly enough, I kept the Indexing Options windows open by chance and saw it suddenly drop from 1500+ items indexed to about 500! Once I continued on with the sync, it is starting to count up again.

 

Man is this annoying...

Edited July 1, 2015 by scottpowers82