Win7 Search Index Fail

[hiptech]

Inexplicably the search index seems to have stopped. I've checked the services menu and looked at the "Windows Search (WSearch)" and for some reason the service refuses to start. Startup Type is set to Automatic but when I try to manually start it I get "Windows could not start the Windows Search service on Local Computer. Error 3: The system could not find the path specified. Also the event viewer indicates: "The Windows Search service terminated with the following error: The system cannot find the path specified."

I recently reinstalled Malware Bytes using my lifetime account and can't shake the feeling there is something related? The only thing I haven't tried is uninstalling the program and checking but I was hoping for a better strategy...

Any thoughts, ideas or suggestions?

 

[Tmagic650]

Virus infection?

 

[hiptech]

Virus infection?

Don't think so, least not as far as Malewarebytes is concerned...

 

[Tmagic650]

Malwarebytes is not an antivirus program...

 

[SNGX1275]

Run the System File Check.

 

[hiptech]

Run the System File Check.

Thanks but nothing found:
"Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations"

 

[SNGX1275]

Hmm. I suggested that because of the windows couldn't find the path on a search function. I dunno man.

Just to ease your mind about a virus (I think that is highly unlikely btw). I would shut down your current AV and go to http://www.eset.com/us/online-scanner/ in IE (I know, but trust me, if you don't use IE it requires more hoops to be jumped through - or at least it used to be that way). It takes a long time to run the scan, either be really patient or do it overnight.

Protip - DO NOT allow the online scan to delete infections, if there is some false positive, you are screwed if you just went with the defaults.