Windows Search doesn’t load completely and can't be closed

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Argus
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Windows Search doesn’t load completely and can't be closed

Post by Argus »

I've been told that this place is very good at answering questions. :grin: (And also in the need of some questions..., sooo, I have left no stone unturned in the search for a suitable question, saving me time. :smile: )

Sometimes, say every 100th time or so, when I invoke Search, either via Winkey-F or Start menu > Search, I get an Explorer window that doesn't load completely. So the Subject isn't entirely correct, most of the time it works fine (apart from some minor indexing issues).

That is: the first two menu options are not "populated" with options (not that I use them, but anyway); the Explorer title bar doesn't load (as can be seen in the attachment); hovering the mouse cursor inside the window shows a hour glass (except in the search pane and toolbar); and finally, and the reason for this question, it isn't possible to close the window.
WS.PNG
If I try to do that I get a dialogue box (Title "Microsoft Internet Explorer") saying:
  • "The window is busy." - That I did know (well, it's my translation).
  • "If you close this window it can cause problems." - That I can understand, but...
  • "Would you like to close the window?" - Yes, thank you; but it doesn't work.
So, to close the window I have to log off, or kill Explorer.

OS is Windows XP SP3, with Windows Search 4.0. Some two years ago I had Windows Desktop Search 3.01, but it was removed before Windows Search was installed.

I have not tried reinstalling Windows Search; I have had this "problem" for quite some time, but never bothered looking closer at it. At first it only seemed to happen when the, eh, "input speed" from me was high, i.e. quickly selecting Start menu > Search or Winkey-F after Windows start or shortly after doing something else, but I can't find any pattern.

Perhaps I should create a poll: reinstall search, or not. :grin:
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viking33
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Re: Windows Search doesn’t load completely and can't be closed

Post by viking33 »

I'd try for a reinstall.
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Rebel
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Re: Windows Search doesn’t load completely and can't be closed

Post by Rebel »

Would this help Argus?
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Argus
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Re: Windows Search doesn’t load completely and can't be closed

Post by Argus »

Thank you guys.

The Windows Search service is set to automatic, and I've not changed it. I can't say for sure: it was running at the different occasions, but I have no reason to believe it didn't.

I see the SearchIndexer running all the time and I see SearchFilterHost and SearchProtocolHost running every now and then, which I interpret as it's indexing something or similar. The only thing I don't have enabled, all the time, is the Windows Search Deskbar in the Taskbar. But that shouldn't matter.

The "Automated Troubleshooting Service" at MSFT doesn't work with Windows XP in this case, but thanks for the link.

I have seen this before and after the install of IE8, and before and after the install of XP SP3. I have not, yet, tried to find the exact dates; I was at one point thinking about files being replaced, but that wouldn't explain the intermittent nature of this problem (either you have the wrong file(s) or you don't).

I have been thinking about the anti-virus software and if it somehow is impeding WS 4 loading at different times.

It is odd.

I will do some more research when I have some more time, or try a reinstall.
Byelingual    When you speak two languages but start losing vocabulary in both of them.