Windows indexing: best to disable?

[eidairaman1]

I just know where my files are.

Minx Sounds like a paid shill lol

 

[MarsM4N]

Also, Indexing and Search are two different features.

They are surely two different features, but if a index file is available, the search will use that instead of digging through the whole drive & looking for the file.

Like said, indexing speeds up searches on slow drives (HDD's, USB sticks, etc.) but doesn't improve searches on SSD's since they are that fast.
If I remember corectly, indexing is disabled on SSD's by default for that reason, right?

 

[eidairaman1]

They are surely two different features, but if a index file is available, the search will use that instead of digging through the whole drive & looking for the file.

Like said, indexing speeds up searches on slow drives (HDD's, USB sticks, etc.) but doesn't improve searches on SSD's since they are that fast.
If I remember corectly, indexing is disabled on SSD's by default for that reason, right?

Yes

 

[Bill_Bright]

but if a index file is available, the search will use that instead of digging through the whole drive & looking for the file.

Exactly! Which is why it is a good thing.

Like said, indexing speeds up searches on slow drives (HDD's, USB sticks, etc.) but doesn't improve searches on SSD's since they are that fast.

No! That is wrong. "Like said", had you read through the comments, Indexing indexes the contents of the files too. So if you don't remember the file name, but do remember a specific word, Indexing makes finding that file much quicker - even on SSDs.

If I remember corectly, indexing is disabled on SSD's by default for that reason, right?

Wrong. Indexing is enabled on all drives by default.

 

[chrcoluk]

Minxie if we dont use indexing it doesnt mean we hate Windows.

Bill my experience posted here is based on Windows 10 not XP and the "is it idle" task scheduler is lets say is problematic, all fun right when indexing starts during a game or other task. Dare I say it Microsoft isnt perfect.

Not sure why user choice has been bashed here, not all of us use search we know where to find our files and some of us like to keep the background activity to only whats useful to ourselves, nothing wrong with that.

If you search it might be useful, if you dont its not, thats it really.

 

[Bill_Bright]

all fun right when indexing starts diring a game or other task.

Again, if you look at the link I provided in post #25, you will see if you are playing a game or doing other tasks, Indexing will pause - particularly true if have kept W10 current. So if your system bogged down when you were playing, that was caused by something else.

 

[chrcoluk]

Again, if you look at the link I provided in post #25, you will see if you are playing a game or doing other tasks, Indexing will pause - particularly true if have kept W10 current. So if your system bogged down when you were playing, that was caused by something else.

You think software always works as intended? the problem here is you assuming I dont understand how to diagnose and you assuming the task scheduler idle detection is flawless.

How do you define idle Bill?

 

[Bill_Bright]

You think software always works as intended?

Of course not. But most of the time it does. Just because there are anecdotal exceptions, that does NOT in anyway mean it is the norm. Nor should it dictate behavior. Exceptions don't make the rule.

A drunk may hop the curb and drive their car through your front door. Does that mean you should never leave the house? Of course not.

If you search it might be useful, if you dont its not, thats it really.

Okay. So what? Just because a feature may not be useful for you, that does not mean it should automatically be disabled.

The problem with your comment there is even you don't know that you will never use Search. And more significantly - at least when giving advice, is you don't know when/if another poster will need to search for something on their computers. And once again, Indexing is NOT just for finding a file. It also is useful for finding a specific word.

 

[MarsM4N]

No! That is wrong. "Like said", had you read through the comments, Indexing indexes the contents of the files too. So if you don't remember the file name, but do remember a specific word, Indexing makes finding that file much quicker - even on SSDs.

See, that's another thing I hate about Windows indexing. You're looking for Windows or program file & it lists up all sort of crap.
With "Everything" you can search only for file names, which if I remember correctly, you can't with Windows indexing/search.

 

[Bill_Bright]

To clarify, I happen to think Everything is an excellent tool. But it does not index content. And that may be fine for you.

 

[lexluthermiester]

@80251
Everyone seems to have an opinion. On the one hand we have people(like myself) who care only about system performance and are not worried about upsetting "the microsoft way" of doing things. On the other hand we have ardent and well known microsoft supporters who sing the praises of "the microsoft way" and always advise "leaving well enough alone". Considering how often microsoft screws things up and leaves things broken & unfixed for years at a time, who's advice do you want to take? The people who will tell you to leave your system as microsoft intends or people who will help you get the most from your system, remind you that it is YOUR PC and help you tweak your configuration to maximize performance? You know which side I'm on...

The REAL fact remains that any service running is using system resources and drive space for data storage. With SSDs and modern HDDs the index does NOT help with searches enough to off-set and justify it's presence. Anyone who wants to save system resources(especially on lower spec'd systems) will be disabling any and all services that are not needed. Indexing is one of those services. I take it a step further by deleting the service all together from the Windows install, along with a few others. This action never presents any problems with searches and said searches are always very snappy, even when searching my HDD's.

 

[caroline!]

Minxie if we dont use indexing it doesnt mean we hate Windows.

Bill my experience posted here is based on Windows 10 not XP and the "is it idle" task scheduler is lets say is problematic, all fun right when indexing starts during a game or other task. Dare I say it Microsoft isnt perfect.

Not sure why user choice has been bashed here, not all of us use search we know where to find our files and some of us like to keep the background activity to only whats useful to ourselves, nothing wrong with that.

If you search it might be useful, if you dont its not, thats it really.

Welcome to the internet.

I disable indexer because I literally don't need it so I automatically hate Windows as an OS.

I use Arch btw, but that doesn't means I "hate" Windows... it's just an OS, I'm not dumb enough to be a linux stainless steel fangrill that hates on Window$ because of the search function or the crippled CLI it comes with. I exclusively use 10 LTSC to run games because Arch isn't able to.

 

[The red spirit]

I have noticed that my HDD in secondary PC was being used randomly and may not be as responsive in general usage. I just disabled indexing and now it responds perfectly fine, but I use Windows 7 on that machine and I really don't need search basically ever. Also at that time machine only had 4GB RAM and it swapped to HDD often, now it has 8GB, so doesn't need swap as often. I honestly don't see any point in indexing on hard drives, especially in older days, when RAM was scarce. HDDs were dogshit slow, so why burden them more for stuff that barely gets used, especially so on some poor Vista lappy with that small mobile HDD and 2GB RAM. Sounds rather dumb to me. Anyway, just try disabling it and see how that works out. I heard that Windows compression may help performance on HDDs, as long as you have fast CPU, but I have zero idea if that actually helps performance at all.

 

[Bill_Bright]

who's advice do you want to take?

Good point!

So here's a concept. Do your own home work. Research the facts and see for yourself. If one of those Microsoft bashers claim Microsoft does this or doesn't do that - Google it!!!! There are over 1.5 billion Windows users out there! Surely if, Indexing, just as an example, was so bad as some here want you to believe, there will be millions and millions of Windows 10 users complaining how Indexing is bogging down their systems. Google it! Are there? If Indexing was so bad, the forums would be flooded with users complaining about this? Are they? If Indexing was so bad, all the bloggers and respected members of the IT media would be telling everyone to disable this feature. Are they?

No?

Then there's your answer.

The REAL fact remains that any service running is using system resources and drive space for data storage.

Okay - this is absolutely true. And for sure, if you are that desperately low on system resources and your budget restraints are that dire, then for sure, you need to disable everything possible. Actually, you need to uninstall Windows and be using Linux - or cheap burner phone.

 

[95Viper]

Stay on topic.
Stop your petty arguments... take them to PMs or some other platform.
This is a tech forum, discuss tech; and, not your attitudes toward each other.
Once you have made your point... do not repeat it every time someone has a differing opinion or data. They heard you the first time.

 

[plastiscɧ]

Is there any point to Windows indexing on Windows 10? I rarely search for files, is that the only use for windows indexing and then only for the few folders it actually indexes?

You have two possible ways to brake the index to a way i does not concern anymore

1. just tell it, it shall only scan your startmenü

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2. switch the win search off completely from the services

i hope it helps

 

[oobymach]

Just an FYI, if you disable search indexing certain games (like one of the new Tomb Raider games) won't save your progress. Fairly warned be thee says I.

 

[lexluthermiester]

Just an FYI, if you disable search indexing certain games (like one of the new Tomb Raider games) won't save your progress. Fairly warned be thee says I.

That is not only completely false, but is so bizarre as to be nonsensical. I own all of the recent Tomb Raider games and have no problems with game saves. Take your disinformation elsewhere. Try reddit where disinformation fits in perfectly..

 

[80251]

If I turn off windows indexing will I be losing more socks in the dryer too?

 

[eidairaman1]

If I turn off windows indexing will I be losing more socks in the dryer too?

No

 

[AleXXX666]

You people still think SSDs die that easily?

come on, not everyone buys samsung high end, wd black ssds etc. and for average joe's cheapo ssd he got by local shop campany "nvme, speed, gaming" (and in fact this is cheapest crappy dram-less nvme ssd) it's a concern for ssd lifetime improving, lol

 

[oobymach]

That is not only completely false, but is so bizarre as to be nonsensical. I own all of the recent Tomb Raider games and have no problems with game saves. Take your disinformation elsewhere. Try reddit where disinformation fits in perfectly..

It's not disinformation, I had this happen to me, so don't jump down my throat because your system behaves differently. It's a known issue......................and yes, I had disabled windows indexing and turning it back on magically allowed the game to save.

Game will not save progress at all :: Rise of the Tomb Raider General Discussions

Temp solution: Check that your permissions for the save files are enabled to alow read/write (or full control) for all users. Spent just over 4 hours on the game, having completed the radio towers in the soviet installation & progressed past the first firefight. Now when i load my 13% save it...

steamcommunity.com

Here's where I found the fix.

Not work save! (Rise of the Tomb Raider)

People tell me I do not plow conservation, repak from hatab, in the game folder there is no folder steam sohranki lay as expected in documents with numbered folder, but still not saved! what to do?

sharehub.pro

Guest 10.06.20
Thanks, this solved issue (turning on indexing) I have it disabled system wide so enabling it for the save folder fixed the issue.

 

[lexluthermiester]

It's not disinformation, I had this happen to me, so don't jump down my throat because your system behaves differently. It's a known issue......................and yes, I had disabled windows indexing and turning it back on magically allowed the game to save.

Game will not save progress at all :: Rise of the Tomb Raider General Discussions

Temp solution: Check that your permissions for the save files are enabled to alow read/write (or full control) for all users. Spent just over 4 hours on the game, having completed the radio towers in the soviet installation & progressed past the first firefight. Now when i load my 13% save it...

steamcommunity.com

Here's where I found the fix.

Not work save! (Rise of the Tomb Raider)

People tell me I do not plow conservation, repak from hatab, in the game folder there is no folder steam sohranki lay as expected in documents with numbered folder, but still not saved! what to do?

sharehub.pro

That is not a problem with the game. I have had no such issues with my copy of it. Whatever that problem is, it is a glitch in another part of Windows, which is hardly surprising. Additionally, that is a VERY isolated issue and does not effect all users of that game nor any other game. Either way, such a limited problem should not be used as a fear-factor to influence a configuration choice.

 

[Frick]

So in conclusion:

Whatever. Having it on is fine and even great if you want to search within files (like for example specific strings across hundres of log files), turning it off is fine too, especially if you don't search for files ever. You won't notice anything actively turning it off.

 

[MarsM4N]

It's not disinformation, I had this happen to me, so don't jump down my throat because your system behaves differently. It's a known issue......................and yes, I had disabled windows indexing and turning it back on magically allowed the game to save.

Game will not save progress at all :: Rise of the Tomb Raider General Discussions

Temp solution: Check that your permissions for the save files are enabled to alow read/write (or full control) for all users. Spent just over 4 hours on the game, having completed the radio towers in the soviet installation & progressed past the first firefight. Now when i load my 13% save it...

steamcommunity.com

Doesn't make any sense that indexing would affect game saves.

The information from your link is pointing more in the direction that it's a read/write permission issue. Which come down to poor game programming & wouldn't be the first time.
Also notice the date of the post. It was days before the official release of the game, so it's more likely a pre-release bug which most likely got fixed years ago by now.