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koam
Pink Pecker
Premium Member
join:2000-08-16
East Puddle
·Shoreham Telephone

koam

Premium Member

How can I turn off Microsoft Search Index & save disk space?

XP Pro

I have a HD that's getting full. I can see that there is a large chunk of data saved by Microsoft software for search. (\Documents and Settings\All Users\Microsoft\Search, etc)

I use Google Desktop which takes up enough space itself....so can I change some settings so that this Search folder (1GB+) for Microsoft is deleted or reduced?
IamGimli (banned)
join:2004-02-28
Canada

IamGimli (banned)

Member

Right-clight "My Computer", select "Manage", under the "Services" category disable the indexing service.

koam
Pink Pecker
Premium Member
join:2000-08-16
East Puddle

koam

Premium Member

Thanks.. I don't see that the Indexing service is turned on there. (it has Start as an option, not stop)...it's set to Manual

jmorlan
Hmm... That's funny.
MVM
join:2001-02-05
Pacifica, CA
ARRIS BGW210-700
Obihai OBi200

jmorlan

MVM

 
 
said by koam:

Thanks.. I don't see that the Indexing service is turned on there. (it has Start as an option, not stop)...it's set to Manual
Click on "My Computer." Select the drive that has the unwanted index data. Select "Properties" and uncheck the box that allows indexing for the drive. Then do a disk cleanup and check the box that says "Catalog Files for the Content Indexer."

koam
Pink Pecker
Premium Member
join:2000-08-16
East Puddle
·Shoreham Telephone

koam

Premium Member

Thanks. I just tried that and it took a lot of time to change the attributes of all the files. I didn't notice a big gain in disk space.

Here is where the bulk of the space is used up:

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Microsoft\Search\Data\Applications\Windows\Projects\SystemIndex

There are many files that start with
SystemIndex.ntfy###.gthr

The files are mostly dated a year ago.

Is that related to the same thing? (or is it something else?)

jmorlan
Hmm... That's funny.
MVM
join:2001-02-05
Pacifica, CA
ARRIS BGW210-700
Obihai OBi200

jmorlan

MVM

All I can tell you is that on my system, this directory does not even exist.

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Microsoft\Search\

Also I have disabled the service entirely, instead of just setting it to manual.

Good luck.

BillRoland
Premium Member
join:2001-01-21
Ocala, FL

BillRoland to koam

Premium Member

to koam
Tried running CCleaner to see if that will free up some space?
OZO
Premium Member
join:2003-01-17

OZO to koam

Premium Member

to koam
Have you run "Windows Desktop Search"?

yeti34
RC Onroad racin
join:2001-04-12
Salt Lake City, UT

yeti34 to koam

Member

to koam
If it is a tower why not just add another HD to it and move stuff over?

koam
Pink Pecker
Premium Member
join:2000-08-16
East Puddle

1 edit

koam to OZO

Premium Member

to OZO
It might be Windows Desktop Search...if so, how do I get rid of it?
OZO
Premium Member
join:2003-01-17

OZO

Premium Member

"Add or Remove Programs" may be?
Then delete all folders that you've mentioned.

koam
Pink Pecker
Premium Member
join:2000-08-16
East Puddle

koam

Premium Member

I don't see anything in Add/Remove Programs.
I'm wary of just deleting the folders.
koam

koam to jmorlan

Premium Member

to jmorlan
OK I changed the Indexing Service under Manage to DISABLED.

jmorlan
Hmm... That's funny.
MVM
join:2001-02-05
Pacifica, CA
ARRIS BGW210-700
Obihai OBi200

jmorlan to koam

MVM

to koam
said by koam:

I don't see anything in Add/Remove Programs.
I'm wary of just deleting the folders.
That may mean it was not completely installed. Here is a suggestion for removing it, if that's your problem:

»forums.microsoft.com/MSD ··· SiteID=1
OZO
Premium Member
join:2003-01-17

OZO to koam

Premium Member

to koam
When it was installed - did it create a program folder in Start / All Programs menu? Usually programs put a link to some kind of uninstaller there.

If no, follow the link offered by jmorlan See Profile. It should help.

koam
Pink Pecker
Premium Member
join:2000-08-16
East Puddle

koam

Premium Member

I don't seen anything under Start / All Programs.

I do think that I may have installed WDS and that it is messed up...though I cannot find any path to uninstall it.

The script in the link ....may be beyond my skill level.
OZO
Premium Member
join:2003-01-17

OZO

Premium Member

said by koam:

I don't seen anything under Start / All Programs.

I do think that I may have installed WDS and that it is messed up...though I cannot find any path to uninstall it.
There is a simple way to deal with it (in case if developer is honest and did write the uninstall procedure) - install it again and then uninstall it immediately.

koam
Pink Pecker
Premium Member
join:2000-08-16
East Puddle
·Shoreham Telephone

koam

Premium Member

The reason that I think that I may have installed WDS is that I just tried that...to install it again and then uninstall. I got an error asking me to uninstall WDS before installing it.

I don't understand the script thing at all, unfortunately.
OZO
Premium Member
join:2003-01-17

OZO

Premium Member

It looks like the developer is not honest

I do not have WDS installed on my computers, but I've checked the post mentioned earlier and it looks quite straightforward. What particular instruction (from the list of provided) is not clear for you? May be me, or someone else who has it installed will help you.

koam
Pink Pecker
Premium Member
join:2000-08-16
East Puddle
·Shoreham Telephone

koam

Premium Member

THanks...I don't really understand much of it.
For example:

To solve the problem you can create the uninstall information file yourself manually, like the setup utility!

I propose the next algorithm to uninstall WDS (and many others applications) manually:
0. Not to forget about renew system restore point, system files backup, system restore disk before to begin!
1. To find the setup configuration file "update.inf" in the distributive
2. To collect in some special folder the files: spuninst.exe, updspapi.dll
3. To convert the setup information from update.inf to uninstall information file spuninst.inf and put spuninst.inf to the same folder as in spuninst.exe

....
I don't know where to start...see step 1. what does that mean?
OZO
Premium Member
join:2003-01-17

OZO

Premium Member

It's about what you should not forget.

I suppose that you have to start with:

There is a common way:
1. Unpack the distributive (f.e. Start->Run->WindowsDesktopSearch-KB917013-V301-XP-x86-enu.exe -x) in some folder f.e. "UnpWDSSetup"
2. Create folder to store the uninstall information, f.e. "UnpWDSSetup\spuninst"
3. Copy to from "UnpWDSSetup" to "UnpWDSSetup\spuninst\": spuninst.exe
4. Copy to from "UnpWDSSetup\update\" to "UnpWDSSetup\spuninst\": updspapi.dll
5. Get as a template any "spuninst.inf" file from "%SystemRoot%\$NtUninstallxxxxx$". This file contains the common uninstall information structure for spuinist.exe utility. But the contents depends on the appliaction to uninstall! By analysing this template "spuninst.inf" and "UnpWDSSetup\update\update.inf" you can successfully build the contents of "UnpWDSSetup\spuninst\spuninst.inf" necessary to uninstall WDS. It's not so difficult, but at the end of this post I'll quote such an example of spuininst.inf to uninstall Windows Desktop Search 3.01
6. Edit the section of "UnpWDSSetup\spuninst\spuninst.inf" and set "RebootRequired = 1"
7. Before the happy to uninstall your folder "UnpWDSSetup\spuninst\" must contain: spuninst.exe, spuninst.inf, updspapi.dll
8. Run "UnpWDSSetup\spuninst\spuninst.exe" and confirm that you can exist without so beatiful Windows Desktop Search
9. At the end restart your system!



jmorlan
Hmm... That's funny.
MVM
join:2001-02-05
Pacifica, CA
ARRIS BGW210-700
Obihai OBi200

jmorlan to koam

MVM

to koam
Apparently it is a common problem and depends on which version of WDS you have, and which updates you may have applied. I never installed the program so I don't know much about it. However, this thread seems to deal with most of the uninstall issues:

»forums.microsoft.com/MSD ··· SiteID=1

Good luck.

koam
Pink Pecker
Premium Member
join:2000-08-16
East Puddle

1 edit

koam to OZO

Premium Member

to OZO
I mentioned Step 1 above...not 0...1 makes no sense...

OK i'm trying it....
koam

koam to jmorlan

Premium Member

to jmorlan
Yes apparently it does depend on which version...but there is no way to tell which version i partially have.
koam

koam to OZO

Premium Member

to OZO
Step 5.....gets tricky for me
OZO
Premium Member
join:2003-01-17

OZO

Premium Member

Pay attention to:

... at the end of this post I'll quote such an example of spuininst.inf to uninstall Windows Desktop Search 3.01

Author has provided you with content of the file to use. Save that content into the file "UnpWDSSetup\spuninst\spuninst.inf". You may even skeep p.6, because it looks like the author has done it already.

koam
Pink Pecker
Premium Member
join:2000-08-16
East Puddle
·Shoreham Telephone

1 edit

koam

Premium Member

OK I did that ..thanks.

Now, when I try to run the spuninst.exe file, it says "Software Update Removal Wizard.....When you remove Windows XP .you migh tremove seurity updates that help protect your computer. Immediately after you remove the service pack: -Make sure your firewall is on - Run the latest antivirus software - Go to thew Windows Update site and intall all critical updates......

To remove Windows XP .click Next."

Now it twice says that it's removing Windows XP....which sounds scary. Do you think?

Also, how do I know which version I'm trying to uninstall?
OZO
Premium Member
join:2003-01-17

OZO

Premium Member

Yes, I agree, it sounds scarry. There obviously is something wrong. There is no reference to "Windows XP" in the script and I have no idea where it's coming from. Check again carefuly the list from your post.
I'd not suggest to proceed at this point unless you'll find the reason of such strange output.

koam
Pink Pecker
Premium Member
join:2000-08-16
East Puddle

koam

Premium Member

In the folder UnpWDSSetup\spuninst

spuninst.exe
updspapi.dll
spuninst.inf

the inf file is the script from that post...i just copied and pasted, and named it spuninst.inf.
koam

koam

Premium Member

said by koam:

Now, when I try to run the spuninst.exe file, it says "Software Update Removal Wizard.....When you remove Windows XP .you migh tremove seurity updates that help protect your computer. Immediately after you remove the service pack: -Make sure your firewall is on - Run the latest antivirus software - Go to thew Windows Update site and intall all critical updates......

To remove Windows XP .click Next."

Now it twice says that it's removing Windows XP....which sounds scary. Do you think?

Also, how do I know which version I'm trying to uninstall?
What do we make of this?