Forewarned is forearmed - Microsoft Search Update

[Ghastly]

The latest round of (thank the Lord, optional - at least for now) Microsoft updates includes a new version of Search.

Which comes with a new service.

Which pretty much halts the system for periods of anywhere from 5 to 25 seconds... at least on my test bed of systems at work, which are mostly Intel Pentium D 2.8 Ghz running Intel motherboards, where I've been having people who installed it turn it off when they call complaining that there machine is now "dog slow".

If you've installed the optional software with the August updates, and you are having similar problems, this is your probable culprit.

<S>

[007Rusty]

 

[Chalenge]

Last week I got a list of 16 updates for Vista x64 all of which failed.

[Getback]

I'm so happy that I turned my updates off.

[Skuzzy]

Last week I got a list of 16 updates for Vista x64 all of which failed.

I had that problem with the 32 bit version of Vista as well.

[BoilerDown]

I had that happen to a computer at work.  Running XP SP3 though, not Vista.  20 updates fail to install no matter what I do.  I've heard that its a "stuck" update and that I need to go back and un-install some of the recent ones that did install... but now I'm not so sure that's it.  For now its not important enough for me to worry about.

As for Search 4.0, as I recall it puts itself into Start > Programs > Startup.  Delete it out of there and it won't load.  I only installed it on 2 or 3 PCs before I stopped doing that update, and I believe that's how I "fixed" it.

[Ghastly]

I believe that it is the indexing service that causes the pauses, and I'm fairly certain that simply removing the Startup tool (which places the quick access widget in the Notification Area) doesn't eliminate the indexing service from causing the problems.  However, the very best thing about Windows (anything) is that each and every machine is likely to be different....

YMMV.

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Guy

[MrRiplEy[H]]

The indexing service should be disabled as a rule. If you have it running you can only blame yourself.. 

[Fulmar]

I tried the indexing service on my work (at the time a AMD 4000+, XP) and my home computer (C2D E6400, XP) and found that it was a piece of crap.  In worked okay when I used it, but the frequent system pauses and slowness brought onto the computer was totally not worth it.

[wabbit]

Just another reason not to use microsloth's update service.

I use Autopatcher, it works with both XP and Vista and allows me download the updates, (from microsloth), and then to select which ones I want to install.

The new version of Autopatcher is still in beta but, so far, seems to work just fine for me. I've been using it for going on 6 months, with no problems, on both OS's.

In case yer interested in checking it out:

http://www.autopatcher.com/

Wabbit

[Fulmar]

I thought autopatcher was shut down last summer.

[Ghastly]

The indexing service should be disabled as a rule. If you have it running you can only blame yourself..

Agreed, but perhaps everyone who might install the optional software won't realize that right away.

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[Krusty]

Why?

Indexing makes an index file of the various filenames. When you do a search, instead of scanning every file in the directory it just scans the index.

Why would that make you slow down significantly? Wouldn't that save you time? Wouldn't it lie dormant until you need to search? I don't run file searches that often, so I never saw the harm in leaving it enabled.

[Skuzzy]

Indexing service is an intrusive service.  Everytime Aces High II udates a file (and it does it pretty often), Windows has to check the index database and update it for changes and make sure it is listed.  It causes far more disk activity and uses up a high amount of system resources when it runs.

It is anything but a dormant service.  Every file you touch causes the index service to come to life.

I thought it had been disabled by default in Windows XP.  Or I have it on automatic disable when I do an install of the OS now and am not aware of turning it off.

[Krusty]

Very interesting... I think I'll turn it off.

As an FYI I think it's on by default, as I looked it over while I was deciding which to shut down and decided to leave it running. That means it must have been on for me to leave as-is.