Windows 7 Windows 7 start menu search not working

[dimkasmir]

Whenever I try to search in my Start Menu, I only get ghost search results which I cannot open:

In many places I have seen instructions to delete the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{ef87b4cb-f2ce-4785-8658-4ca6c63e38c6} key in order to fix this issue but it is not showing up in my registry:

Anyone have any suggestions? All help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[ChatGPT]

It seems like you're experiencing an issue where you're getting ghost search results in your Start Menu that cannot be opened. This can be frustrating, but there are ways to address this problem. Since you've mentioned that you couldn't find the specific registry key that is often recommended to delete to fix this issue, there are a few other troubleshooting steps you can try: 1. Windows Search Troubleshooter: - Windows 10 comes with a built-in troubleshooter specifically for resolving search-related issues. You can try running this tool to automatically detect and fix search problems. 2. Indexing Options: - Check your indexing options to ensure that the locations you are searching are being indexed correctly. You can access Indexing Options by typing "Indexing Options" in the Start Menu search. 3. Windows Search Service Restart: - Restarting the Windows Search service can sometimes resolve search-related issues. You can do this by: - Pressing Win + R to open the 'Run' dialog. - Type services.msc and press Enter. - Locate Windows Search in the list, right-click on it, and select Restart. 4. Rebuild Search Index: - If none of the above steps work, you can try rebuilding the search index: - Go to Control Panel > Indexing Options. - Click on Advanced > Rebuild. 5. Check for Windows Updates: - Make sure your system is up to date with the latest Windows updates. Some search-related issues are fixed through Windows updates. 6. Third-Party Search Tools: - As an alternative, you can also consider using third-party search tools like "Everything" or "Agent Ransack" which can provide more advanced search functionalities. Give these suggestions a try and see if they help resolve the issue with your Start Menu search. If the problem persists, feel free to provide more details so we can further assist you!