Author Topic: windows search missing from windows features (Read 53338 times)

garegin · « **on:** September 25, 2015, 10:38:04 am »

I can't turn on windows search because it's not even in windows features.
ran sfc and failed. dism didn't throw any errors, though

Tone111 · « **Reply #1 on:** September 25, 2015, 10:45:21 am »

Have you tried checking to see if the "Windows Search" (WSearch) service is disabled or running in Services? (can be found in Task Manager, depends which version of Windows you're running...)

garegin · « **Reply #2 on:** September 25, 2015, 03:18:20 pm »

it's enabled in the services.
but fails when I press start.

Tone111 · « **Reply #3 on:** September 25, 2015, 06:15:31 pm »

By 'enabled' do you mean it's set to automatic (the default setting) or manual?

If it won't run when you press start it should throw up an error message - is this the case, and if so what error?

Also try checking the RPC (remote procedure call) service (should be set to Automatic and running) as the Search service is dependent on the RPC service to run...

Boggin · « **Reply #4 on:** September 26, 2015, 07:58:39 am »

Mine is set to Started Auto (Delayed) but you should also check Event Viewer for any DCOM Server errors and run a sfc /scannow to see if anything else is amiss.

garegin · « **Reply #5 on:** September 26, 2015, 08:34:58 am »

the error code is 1053. The server did not respond to the start or control request in a timely fashion.
The startup type is automatic.

Boggin · « **Reply #6 on:** September 26, 2015, 08:41:25 am »

Does the blue online help give any more info on it and have you run a sfc /scannow ?

Boggin · « **Reply #7 on:** September 26, 2015, 08:54:35 am »

I've been having a look around online for this problem and came across a possible fix.

Go Start - type indexing - click on Indexing Options/Advanced and click on the Rebuild button and then the Windows Search service should start according to the advice, but a reboot after the Rebuild would probably help and then you can check if the service is started or will start.

garegin · « **Reply #8 on:** September 26, 2015, 09:10:19 am »

what's the blue online help?
sfc /scannow fails.
the CBS.log is attached below.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1lqZhpyr-KQTnhxTnN3S1ZGZVE/view?usp=sharing

edit: I can't type anything, because the search doesn't work. so I can't even get to indexing.

garegin · « **Reply #9 on:** September 26, 2015, 09:20:23 am »

i think we should be focusing on why windows search is missing from windows features. and where windows features keeps it's settings. the service not starting derives from this root issue.

Tone111 · « **Reply #10 on:** September 26, 2015, 09:26:05 am »

You should be able to type "indexing" in the Search box which you get when you press the Windows Start orb (in W7) or equivalent depending on your OS version. "Indexing options" should be the first item that appears (at least it is on mine!) - you can also access it via the Control Panel, then you can try the solution Boggin proposed...

Did you check if the RPC service was running as well?

Boggin · « **Reply #11 on:** September 26, 2015, 09:27:14 am »

The blue online help link is in the lower window of Event Viewer when you click on an Error.

That CBS log didn't half hang up my laptop downloading the file.

Dump that attachment and at an admin command prompt enter -

findstr /c:"[SR]" %windir%\Logs\CBS\CBS.log >"%userprofile%\Desktop\sfcdetails.txt

This will put an icon onto the Desktop which will open the CBS Log in Notepad which you can copy & paste.

This is a cut down version and just shows what it was and was unable to repair.

As you are unable to type anything, you could use the Search and Indexing repair from All Control Panel Items/Troubleshooting/View All and select that option.

It has some repair options, but whether typing in the not listed problem box that the Windows Search won't start will get you anything....

As for your latest post, there could be underlying problems but I haven't viewed your CBS Log yet.

Boggin · « **Reply #12 on:** September 26, 2015, 09:35:00 am »

I'm going to have to shove off now but will be back in about 3½hrs.

garegin · « **Reply #13 on:** September 26, 2015, 09:56:38 am »

seach and indexing repair is not in "troubleshooting/all categories".

I found this article that talks about my issue. Things missing from Windows Features
https://www.raymond.cc/blog/fix-blank-or-empty-list-in-vista-turn-windows-features-on-or-off-optionalfeaturesexe/

I'm going to run DISM again and attach the CBS.log.

garegin · « **Reply #14 on:** September 26, 2015, 10:23:37 am »

here is the CBS.log

Boggin · « **Reply #15 on:** September 26, 2015, 01:24:43 pm »

While Dism has repaired any corruption, I was expecting a sfc /scannow CBS log, but how have you gotten on with the fix in that article ?

Are you using Win 8.1 or 10 ?

I must have misread your opening post as I didn't realise the Features window was blank, otherwise I would have been looking for another solution.

garegin · « **Reply #16 on:** September 26, 2015, 07:17:25 pm »

the features window is not blank, it's missing windows search (and maybe other stuff too, I wouldn't know what should be there in the first place). The guide that I posted uses sfc, not dism. I will try running src on Monday and get back. Btw, whats the difference between sfc and dism in 8 and above? In general, do I need to run both?

BTW. This particular machine uses 8.1.

Rick · « **Reply #17 on:** September 26, 2015, 07:54:43 pm »

Quote from: Tone111 on September 25, 2015, 10:45:21 am

Have you tried checking to see if the "Windows Search" (WSearch) service is disabled or running in Services? (can be found in Task Manager, depends which version of Windows you're running...)

good one, but lets start offering advice of repair install!
Too many complaints lately about so many small issues and with MSFT 10 now; MSFT will try their best to force the market to move to that!

Case in point; China is creating their XP version... Given the nonsense over the years and yearly updates required from MSFT that we didn't need, I would rather have to support that!
Case in point, The US Government still uses XP

regards,

garegin · « **Reply #18 on:** September 26, 2015, 07:59:36 pm »

a small correction to my earlier post. the article I linked uses SURT, so I though DISM is the newer equivalent to that. So I ran that instead of SFC

Boggin · « **Reply #19 on:** September 27, 2015, 01:47:37 am »

Quote from: garegin on September 26, 2015, 07:17:25 pm

the features window is not blank, it's missing windows search (and maybe other stuff too, I wouldn't know what should be there in the first place). The guide that I posted uses sfc, not dism. I will try running src on Monday and get back. Btw, whats the difference between sfc and dism in 8 and above? In general, do I need to run both?

BTW. This particular machine uses 8.1.

I only run Win 7 so don't know if Windows Search is in Features in Win 8.1 as it is in Win 7 but would expect it to be.

That tutorial you posted looks like a decent one to follow as it should put back any missing features, but you would need to use the Dism cmd for Win 8.1

https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/kb/947821

sfc /scannow is a system file checker whereas dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth goes online to look for the files it requires to replace (roughly

) and you can use both - generally sfc first and again after the dism cmd to confirm the /restorehealth cmd has fixed all if the sfc found files it was unable to repair.

I wasn't aware SURT produced a log like that or that it was used in Win 8.1 as I've only ever run the Fixit in Win 7 and that usually reports nothing found rather that directing me to a CBS log as it has in Win 8.1 with the repairs it has effected.

garegin · « **Reply #20 on:** September 27, 2015, 08:38:45 am »

"I only run Win 7 so don't know if Windows Search is in Features in Win 8.1 as it is in Win 7 but would expect it to be."
It should be. I was talking about the other features I don't know about that might be missing from the list.
If sfc throws errors and dism doesn't, then sfc performs extra checks that the later doesn't do, right? At least that's my educated guess.
In any case, I'll run SFC tomorrow and see what happens

Boggin · « **Reply #21 on:** September 27, 2015, 09:24:00 am »

If sfc /scannow finds files it is unable to repair, you can run SFCFix.exe which will summarise what it cannot repair either which will mirror the CBS log, but without the rest that sfc /scannow was able to.

http://thetechcookbook.com/automatic-sfc-corruption-repair-sfcfix-exe/

garegin · « **Reply #22 on:** September 27, 2015, 09:50:07 am »

yep. i just found out about sfcfix hours ago.
good stuff.
MS needs to seriously develop a windows equivalent of os x's migration assistant. Windows repairs are brutal and a huge waste of effort. The current easy transfer wizard doesn't transfer applications.

Boggin · « **Reply #23 on:** September 27, 2015, 10:01:25 am »

Give them a chance - they are still struggling with Win 10 and Edge

garegin · « **Reply #24 on:** September 27, 2015, 05:24:34 pm »

there is a third party tool, I think from EaseUS. but it requires a live computer. you can't migrate from a non-booting OS. I don't think MS is even thinking about it, because not many are even requesting it. Not only is this useful for corrupted Windows instances, but for migrating people's stuff to a new computer.
I once had a customer who needed a temp system but wanted to keep his everything, including settings within apps, extra fonts, keychain passwords. I just migrated it and everything was fine. That would have been a nightmare on Windows .