Windows Search hogging CPU - Pprune exclusive!

[Simonta]

Hi all

I know this is a leading FAQ...

I've read many, many threads about Windows Search and CPU usage with no sensible solutions offered. Seems to me that the folks on PPrune tend to be above average both in terms of being able to solve issues and not being too overrun with "use Linux" (insert boring anti-Microsoft diatribe of choice here) responses.

Using Windows 7 on my laptop. Really want to use Windows Search for two reasons combined; indexes my PSTs (many GBs, in excess of 100k mails) and well integrated,

Sadly, nothing I can do will stop the indexer hogging the CPU. The lappy is not particularly well specced but works perfectly when indexing is disabled. Practically unusable with it running.

I've tried lowering the priority (set it to below normal and low) but that doesn't seem to help.

Only solution I've got so far is to let the indexer run when I'm away from the machine for a while, disable it when I get back, then turn it on when I need to do a PST search. Yeuch! Also getting concerned about the continued heating effects arising from 100% CPU.

Any (sensible) ideas please?

Thanks

Simon

[Keef]

There isn't an easy answer.

If you run the indexer, it will gobble up CPU resources - lots at first while it indexes everything, and then somewhat less once that's done and it's just updating.

100k mails will give it a big job if it is to index them all. I could see it taking weeks to do that lot, and then a fair old time to search the index each time you ask it. I archive off old mail, by subject etc, and don't index the archive. I don't even notice the indexer overhead.

[Saab Dastard]

I have noticed that a dual-core (or higher) CPU will perform much better in this respect, as only 50% of capacity will be taken up by one process.

I notice this particularly with AV scans and updates (similarly disk / CPU intensive to indexing).

While performing an identical task (updating Sophos), one PC (single core) is slowed to a virtual standstill with 99-100% CPU, the other (dual-core) is still usable with approx. 50% utilisation.

SD

[Mike-Bracknell]

Windows Search sucks. Plain and simple.

If your desktop/laptop isn't up to the job, you're not likely to be able to do much about it.

FWIW, I don't use it on any of my servers, desktops, laptops, and only one customer insists upon it at which point they're aware of the limitations and bought a new (quad core) PC to cope. I've spent too long trying to get it to behave that I firmly believe altering your filing styles on the PC is a much more efficient way of working.

[W2k]

Haven't noticed the CPU-hogging myself, then again I've no huge PSTs.

As another poster pointed out, the indexing service will take a long time to perform the initial indexing. Once that's done it will require much less CPU and disk I/O as it simply updates the index incrementally.

If you leave the indexer to its task for long enough then it should eventually finish up its task and stop using the CPU (completely). Perhaps you could leave it on overnight and see if that allows it sufficient time to finish? Repeatedly stopping and starting the indexer probably hurts its efficiency.

From your problem description I assume your laptop is fairly far down the low end. It's a possibility, then, that it's simply underspecified to run Windows Search. Windows 7 isn't exactly lightweight to begin with even though it performs better than XP on modern hardware (in my experience). May I ask for the specs? I own a laptop that's about four years old and it runs Windows 7 just fine, search and all.

You need not worry about running at 100% CPU for a long time. As long as all fans are working, no vents are blocked and the ambient temperature is not too high then it should be fine. I've had ThinkPads inside closets running at 100% CPU for months will no ill effects. (Don't ask me why.)

[Simonta]

Hi W2K

It's a Toshiba Satellite Pro M70 ramped to to 1Gb RAM. Single core Pentium 1.73GHz. Windows 7 runs fine. Only issue I've had is with the indexer. I am using search on a backup PC with the same PSTs and in fact, the search time performance is extremely good. Will find any email in less than 30 seconds.

I'll leave it for even longer to see if it finishes indexing and the CPU ramps down. Already left it overnight twice!

Thanks all for the responses.