There has been a substantial change in how Outlook does search in version 2007. If you are using Windows XP, you will need to install Microsoft's MSN search bar for such functionality (which BTW I believe is a less than ideal decision).

Windows Vista users can use the built-in search function for Email within Outlook 2007. However, do not be surprised if you get absolutely no results for queries that should. This seems to be a commonplace error that is not as documented as it should.

For solving the problem, go to the Start menu, Programs, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Office Tools, and then select Microsoft Office Diagnostics.

This will run for a while and re-index all your folders in Outlook, successfully solving the problem. Note that rebuilding the index in Vista's control panel does not fix the problem, but is a good place to start.

Hi Julio,

I have exactly that problem, and every time I try to solve it (either by doing what you suggest here above or by indexing through the control Panel) I get more un-indexed entries. I have now used Outlook for about 1½ months and there are WAY too many emails in my inbox/sent items box to browse through manually.

Any suggestions are gratefully received.

p.s. I also tried to repair the Office installation (twice...) to no avail...

Thanks in advance

Have you installed all SP updates? I'm just trying to guess because I haven't had any further problems, lucky me I guess

Hi Julio,

It is set to automatically install updates, I haven't seen that it has installed the SP1 for Vista yet (it has only just become available in Danish, not sure if Microsoft Updates installs it automatically yet).
Update - just checked; no SP1 installed...
Is there anything in the tools/office diagnostics that can be done wrong? It didn't say a word about indexing things when I did it here, only checked for errors etc.

Still really hoping someone will know something...

Thanks in advance,

Mads

Yes I am having the same problem with searches in outlook 2007. I also tried the up above fix and I am still having the same issue. Anyone have a fix yet?

Hey Smicale I don't think anyone has come up with any solutions to this, if you hear anything please do let me know and I will do the same,

Mads

mads,

yes I will do the same thing if I find something out. I have several posts in different forums, but so far no fix from anyone. Funny that on the MS forums non of the MS workers have a clue what the problem is. Man I am really starting to be a MS hater. For a long time I was a huge supporter of theirs, but seems like I waste more time trying to fix things in their OS rather then enjoying the system and doing things that really need to be done in my day-to-day life.

-smicale

After two days of hammering Google and the Microsoft website I confirmed a fix that worked after none of the others I tried was successful. The problem seems to be a corrupted interaction between the index in Outlook and the other Vista indexes. I think that when you reindex Outlook while the Vista index has the problem or vice versa you pass the problem back and forth between Outlook and Vista. To really clear the indexes; 1) open the Outlook search option panel and unselect all folders for indexing. 2) Exit Outlook and without doing anything else wait a good while, it was suggested that you allow time for the index to be removed. 3) reboot 4) go directly to the control panel, go to System and Maintenence, then to Indexing Options, then to Advanced Options. 5) Press the Reset Defaults button (yes if you have special options you will loose them) 6) Reboot and wait for the indexes to rebuild (this may take quite a long time. 7) When you return to Outlook you will see the Indexing Status now actually works its way through the items and when it completes the Instant search works. I think this was the first time I have seen it work since I built this system.

I was having problems with Windows search both in Outlook and in general. It now seems cured after downloading Windows Search 4.0 which cause a complete re-indexing.

RMCCUNE,

Well I tried the steps you outlined and that has not fixed my problem. I even installed WDS4.0 and my problem is still there. I am so frustrated with this because I use these search features all the time. I wish MS would get their **** together.

It bothers me most that Microsoft must know more about the complexities of these problems than they have been willing to share.

When you had the problem did you see this error in your application log?

Log Name: Application
Source: Microsoft-Windows-Search
Date: 7/11/2008 9:26:17 AM
Event ID: 3036
Task Category: Gatherer
Level: Warning
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer: IT-Micale.hh.hrm.lan
Description:
The content source <mapi://{s-1-5-21-189038056-1230993814-239210854-1668}/> cannot be accessed.

Yes, here is the error:

Product
Microsoft Windows Search Filter Host

Problem
Stopped working

Date
7/9/2008 6:05 PM

Status
Not Reported

Description
SearchIndexer.exe has terminated SearchProtocolHost.exe because it appears to be hung.

Problem signature
Problem Event Name: MsSearchTerminateProcess
Problem Signature 01: Microsoft Windows Search Filter Host
Problem Signature 02: 6.0.6001.18000
Problem Signature 03: 2
OS Version: 6.0.6001.2.1.0.256.1
Locale ID: 1033

Files that help describe the problem
Microsoft Windows Search Protocol Host_0.hdmp
Version.txt

Hello from Austria,

since a few days I have exactly the same problem. I have no index in Vista32 or Outlook2007 anymore and the event log says that the indexer is terminated.

I already tried a fix fount at
w w w.mydigitallife.info/2008/06/26/fix-windows-vista-search-indexer-has-stopped-working-with-kb952093

but it didn't work.

When I try to install WDS4 the installer says "no updates found". But in the controlpanel I find no trace that WDS4 is already installed.

Did anyone get the problem solved so far?

Thanks for any help,

William

I have exactly the same problem & i did as u said but problem is not solved
Any sugessions plz

Hello,

I just uninstalled the WDS4 and marked it as "never ask again" in windows update. maybe if I have enough time I will try it again but I don't think I will ...

Regards,

WiKl

Hi everyone, I was finally able to make this work. I had experience the same problem mentioned by all of you for 3-4 months. I just installed all available upgrades to Vista (including SP1 and all Office recommended upgrades), then followed the advise from rmccune (1) open the Outlook search option panel and unselect all folders for indexing. 2) Exit Outlook and without doing anything else wait a good while, it was suggested that you allow time for the index to be removed. 3) reboot 4) go directly to the control panel, go to System and Maintenence, then to Indexing Options, then to Advanced Options. 5) Press the Reset Defaults button (yes if you have special options you will loose them) 6) Reboot and wait for the indexes to rebuild (this may take quite a long time. 7) When you return to Outlook)
and after several hours the indexes were re-created and IT WORKED!!! GOOD LUCK.

Try going into Tools > Instant Search > Search Options
Then unclik all the data files listed there. This pretty muc slved the search problem I had!!

Good luck!

To avoid such problems, I am using a search tool called lookeen. I gave up the hope that microsoft will one day be consumer-friendly and develop good programms so I focuse on third-party-products to compensate the faults microsoft does so permanently

I agree to Dan06,

Lookeen is much better than Windows Desktop Search.
If I search with WDS/Instant Search i always have the feeling that not everything is found.
And it does not always find what i´m searching.