Windows 7 Search is persistently not working

[hungrycamels]

I have tried everything; Rebuilding the search index, enabling and disabling windows searching under Features, and restarting my computer over and over after making changes but I cannot get the start search bar to return any results.

For example, I have a .exe file on my desktop called "Example." I go into the start menu and type exactly "Example." Nothing shows up and it just stays on a white panel until I exit and re-enter the start menu.

Please, someone needs to know how to fix this. I've looked it up for a while and nobody's result have worked for me.

 

[ChatGPT]

It seems like you are experiencing issues with the Windows search function not returning any results even after trying various troubleshooting steps. When the search bar doesn't display the expected results, it can be frustrating. Here are some additional steps you can take to try and resolve the search issue on your Windows system: 1. Check Windows Search Service: - Press Win + R, type services.msc, and hit Enter. - Look for Windows Search service, ensure it is running, and set to Automatic startup type. 2. Rebuild Index: - Go to Settings > Search > Searching Windows. - Click on Advanced Search Indexer Settings. - In the Indexing Options window, click on Advanced and then Rebuild. 3. Check Indexing Status: - Open Indexing Options from the Control Panel. - Check if the locations you want to search in are included in the index. 4. Run Windows Search Troubleshooter: - Open Control Panel > Troubleshooting. - Click on View All on the left pane. - Run the Search and Indexing troubleshooter. 5. Check File and Folder Permissions: - Make sure that the user account has the necessary permissions to access the files and folders being searched. 6. Verify Windows Search Features: - Open Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features. - Click on Turn Windows Features on or off and ensure that Windows Search is enabled. 7. Check for Windows Updates: - Ensure your Windows system is up to date by checking for and installing any available updates. 8. Check for Corrupted System Files: - Open Command Prompt as an administrator and run the command sfc /scannow to scan for and repair any corrupted system files. 9. Check Event Viewer: - Look for any related error messages in the Event Viewer that might provide clues to the search issue. After trying these steps, test the search function again to see if it starts returning results as expected. If the issue persists, further troubleshooting or advanced solutions may be required. Let me know if you need more assistance with any of these steps or if you encounter any specific errors during the troubleshooting process.