Mar 3

Remove Windows Search Indexer (Disable)

Posted by Dave Kelly
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Remove or disable Windows Search Indexer: If like me you are unfortunate enough to have to work on a machine with Windows Vista from time to time – then you may also be annoyed with Windows Search Indexer which will happily munch up your RAM and CPU whenever it feels like it!

It took me a while to work out how to kill/disable it so for anyone else out there who wants to know:

  1. Click Start > Control Panel
  2. Go to Click System and Maintenance
  3. In Control Panel Home view, click Administrative Tools
  4. Double-click Service (If asked for permission just continue)
  5. Find “Windows Search” in the list
  6. Right click and hit Properties
  7. Click Stop
  8. Select Disable from the drop-down next to Startup Type
  9. Click Apply and OK

Enjoy your RAM and CPU! (Or whats left after Vista is done with it!)

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Posted in Tutorials

6 Responses to “Remove Windows Search Indexer (Disable)”

  1. By Warren on November 19th, 2008 at 5:08 pm

    Thanks a bunch. Windows Search was driving me mad.

  2. By Paul Woodall on January 29th, 2009 at 8:41 pm

    Dave! I did all this but the Windows Search window still automatically opens every time I try to open a file in my My Documents window. (The window does have a note that says: “Windows Search is not running. To start,…”) I’ve seen other comments on how to REMOVE this program, but those options were relative to Windows Desktop Search. Is this the same as Windows Search? When I tried to remove Windows Search using the ADD/REMOVE program, it tells me that other programs on my computer may depend on this file and may not work properly if I remove it, so I am afraid to remove it. Do other programs really depend on Windows Search or can I safely remove it using this method? I use Windows XP Home. Thanks for your help! Also, please respond to my email address as well (woodall3118@msn.com) as I very rarely can find these forums once I leave them. Thanks again!

    Paul

  3. By Joe on March 10th, 2009 at 7:55 pm

    To have it default to Windows Search (not Windows Desktop Search):

    http://www.johnsadventures.com/archives/2006/11/how_to_default_to_search_companion_with_windows_de/

  4. By Jéc Harrickin on April 14th, 2009 at 4:13 pm

    Ace! That showed those pesky microsoft minions who was boss XD

  5. By Minica on February 2nd, 2010 at 6:37 pm

    Thankyou Thankyou!!! My computer is so quiet now, and I have a wonderful feeling of calm and relief

  6. By Brody Dorland on March 8th, 2010 at 5:51 pm

    Dave…You rule. MS doesn’t. That is all.

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