moo113 wrote:
Everytime I try to use the search feature in Windows, it crashed Windows Explorer everytime I want to search all files and folders.
Also, at the command like I can't search either because I apparently don't have permission to access my own HD in the Administrative account.
How do I fix this?
Hey moo113, your search crash is likely due to a corrupted index or a shell extension conflict - a common issue in XP we've seen more clearly in hindsight. Here's how to tackle it:
First, rebuild the search index: Open Indexing Options in Control Panel, hit Advanced, then Rebuild. This forces Windows to re-scan files from scratch, often fixing crashes.
If that doesn't work, the crash might be caused by a faulty preview handler (like for multimedia files). Disable thumbnails: In Folder Options > View tab, check Always show icons, never thumbnails. Also, run regsvr32 /i shell32.dll and regsvr32 /i
shdocvw.dll in Command Prompt (Admin) to re-register critical shell DLLs.
For the permission error, even as Admin, XP sometimes blocks access due to wonky ACLs (we later learned this was often from aggressive "security" software or improper profile migration). Run these in Command Prompt (Admin):
takeown /f C:\ /r /d y (grabs ownership)
icacls C:\ /grant Administrators:F /t (grants full control)
Then run sfc /scannow to repair system files, and chkdsk /f /r to fix disk errors. Reboot afterward.
If you've ever used "registry cleaners," they might've broken search - XP's search is fragile. A last resort is to replace searchui.dll and srchui.dll from a working XP install.
This is a response to the post seen at:
http://www.jlaforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=160339#160339
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