# What is wrong with my computer's search indexing?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-wrong-with-my-computers-search-indexing/749780>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 21, 2016, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-wrong-with-my-computers-search-indexing/749780 "2016-03-21T16:46:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![DaveBfd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DaveBfd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaveBfd)\
**Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-wrong-with-my-computers-search-indexing/749780/1 "2016-03-21T16:46:42Z")

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I had a hard time deciding where to post this so I’ve settled on GQ as it should have a factual answer.

When I try to search, nothing comes up.

Windows search service shows as stopped, and gives “system could not find the path specified” when I try to start it. Path to executable is C:\Windows\system32\SearchIndexer.exe /Embedding, and the file exists.

in regedit,  
data directory is C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Search\Data\  
default data directory is %ProgramData%Microsoft\Search\Data  
SetupCompletedSuccessfully is 0

Does anyone have experience with this problem? What is windows referring to with the path not found error?

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**Author:** ![JerrySTL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e274bd/32.png) [@JerrySTL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerrySTL)\
**Post date:** [March 22, 2016, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-wrong-with-my-computers-search-indexing/749780/2 "2016-03-22T00:11:14Z")

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Google “SearchIndexer.exe system could not find the path specified”. You aren’t the only one with that problem. You might want to add the version of Windows.

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**Author:** ![DaveBfd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DaveBfd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaveBfd)\
**Post date:** [March 22, 2016, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-wrong-with-my-computers-search-indexing/749780/3 "2016-03-22T01:40:30Z")

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I’ve searched it multiple times and tried multiple fixes posted, non of which worked. That’s the reason I came here. Windows 7 by the way.

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**Author:** ![DaveBfd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DaveBfd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaveBfd)\
**Post date:** [March 22, 2016, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-wrong-with-my-computers-search-indexing/749780/4 "2016-03-22T05:12:57Z")

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I think I may have found a/the issue. The registry value Local\_Machine/SOFTWARE/Microsoft/Windows Search/Gathering Manager/Applications/DefaultApplicationsPath refers to a non-existent drive G. I want to return it to C, but am having (I believe) permission errors in trying. The error simply says “Error Writing value’s new contents”

To fix the permission error I followed [This guide](http://www.groovypost.com/howto/take-full-permissions-control-edit-protected-registry-keys/) and then changed the value. This removed the error in running the search indexer. Jesus Christ.

Searching finally works.

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**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\
**Post date:** [March 22, 2016, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-wrong-with-my-computers-search-indexing/749780/5 "2016-03-22T15:48:36Z")

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Gotta love computers. You had to do a search to find out how to fix your PC’s inability to do a search.

Glad you fixed it.