Microsoft resorts to Registry hack to keep Outlook from using Windows 11 search
- Reference: 1657541705
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2022/07/11/outlook_search/
- Source link:
The [1]problem for Outlook Desktop users on Windows 11 is that recent emails are not showing up in the search results and Windows Indexing appears to be the culprit.
The indexing service is infamously fragile and when results look a bit odd, chances are the Windows Indexing options in the Control Panel might show the service as either paused or running slowly.
[2]
Since the Windows Search service is used to index offline email, the problem mostly affects users with POP, IMAP, and offline Exchange accounts. Microsoft 365 and connected Exchange accounts use Service Search, which isn't affected by whatever is causing Windows Search such trouble.
[3]
[4]
As for a fix, well, there isn't a formal one yet. Microsoft is working on it, but hasn't yet emitted a release date.
A temporary workaround is to simply switch off Windows Desktop Search to force Outlook to use its built-in service. Users that choose this option will be warned that Search will be impacted because a group policy has turned off the Windows Search service, but let's face it, less-than-slick performance has long been a hallmark of the Windows Search services.
[5]Microsoft rolls back default macro blocks in Office without telling anyone
[6]Microsoft splits up Windows Beta Channel Insiders
[7]Rufus and ExplorerPatcher: Tools to remove Windows 11 TPM pain and more
[8]Windows 11: The little engine that could, eventually
Microsoft has helpfully provided a set of steps required for making the necessary changes to the Windows Registry to disable Windows Search for Outlook (alongside the usual health warning that clumsy editing might result in "serious problems").
Windows Search has long blighted Microsoft's flagship operating system, and behind the scenes Windows Search continues to cause grief for some.
[9]
In 2019, for example, Microsoft [10]emitted a fix for excessive CPU usage that ended up comprehensively breaking desktop search for a bunch of users.
The latest problem is, however, a reminder of the connection between Microsoft's services. Local Outlook search appears to have a preference for the indexes produced by Windows Search. Therefore, when Windows Search is having issues so too does Outlook. A shame then that a registry hack is required to work around the problem. ®
Get our [11]Tech Resources
[1] https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/outlook-search-might-not-display-recent-emails-on-windows-11-22124db2-e7c6-48ec-953d-790378cc49db
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2YsxJJz3ztl12NTtWxhsViQAAAA8&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YsxJJz3ztl12NTtWxhsViQAAAA8&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YsxJJz3ztl12NTtWxhsViQAAAA8&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://www.theregister.com/2022/07/08/office_macro_block_rollback/
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2022/07/06/windows_beta_split/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2022/07/04/rufus_explorerpatcher_windows_11/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2022/07/01/windows_11_adduplex/
[9] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YsxJJz3ztl12NTtWxhsViQAAAA8&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2019/09/11/windows_cpu_cortana/
[11] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
People have Windows Search enabled? I've never found a use for it and have disabled it after install since Win 95.
I actually found it useful until Windows 98 SE. After that? Well...
What about Windows 10?
What's their excuse for results not showing in Windows 10?
Oh that's right - they can't make a search algorithm that works for anything. My mistake.
But what about Thunderbird?
First used it when Outlook Express was sidelined been on TB ever since.
Borkzilla has never understood search
30 years on and Windows Search is still as slow as it was before Y2K.
One wonders what Borkzilla is employing all those programmers for.
Oh, yeah, making useless interface changes and creating new emojis nobody asked for.
You want real, efficient search ? Try [1]Everything .
That is a search tool. It returns results as you type, like a proper program should given the power of today's computers.
[1] https://www.voidtools.com/
Re: Borkzilla has never understood search
Finding a file on the c-drive .. one can fly to Guatemala for purchasing fresh coffee beans, return home, and make an expresso before MS-Bimbo found something.
It feels like blondie from Redmond is still digging thru floppy drives to find ones file.
Try "find / -type f -name '*important_file*' or "find / -type f-print | xargs fgrep this-i-am-looking-for"
on any Linux/Unix machine from the last 15 years, and you be done within two minutes in most cases.
"A temporary workaround is to simply switch off Windows Desktop Search to force Outlook to use its built-in service. Users that choose this option will be warned that Search will be impacted because a group policy has turned off the Windows Search service,"
That's how you would have it working on a terminal server, usually. I've not noticed any impact on the speed of search, to be honest!
Did you notice
The disturbing lack of search "telemetry" being forwarded to Redmond?
For I fear that is the real problem. If what you want your search to find is actual files on your actual computer, you won't miss much, as they use pretty similar code. The "modern" search just shovels in 7 other categories and mixes the results with random paid web search hits from Bing.
I already had to apply GPO hacks to keep it from trying to serve up links to download shady knock-offs of apps the company uses when they are in our MDM's self service install library. (Which helpfully does not appear in either list, but a link to buy another copy from the windows store is prominently featured).
M$ really needs to get a wakeup slap in the face, as we are starting to replace a little too much of it out of the box. When your business users are installing a 3rd party desktop shell, search, browser, package manager, and identity server you might have mismanaged your OS development.
Windows, search, and the art of inadequacy
Windows’ lack of ability to perform simple tasks like searching for a file is on my top 10 list of reasons why I hate it. I’m sure everyone here has tried to do a search for a file that you KNOW is there and yet W can’t find it, even when it’s there in plain sight.
Another is copying a file; why does it have to “prepare” to copy the selected file(s). Just f***ing do it!!!! There is nothing to “prepare” for.
Yet another is it’s inability to kill a rogue task/application. Running and stopping tasks is about as basic as you can get with an OS and yet Windows seems to struggle with even this simple job; it is the only OS I have ever used that can fail to kill a user task
Being unable to search effectively is just a symptom of the Micky Mouse crappy OS (I use the term loosely) that is Windows.
Re: Windows, search, and the art of inadequacy
I have an under powered three or four year old HP laptop with, I think, a pentium silver processor. For some reason it was able to upgrade to Windows 11 and as I wasn't using it much I forgot to restore it to Windows 10. It takes about 15 minutes to boot to a usable desktop and programs can take over five minutes to load. The machine is frankly unusable. However when booted in to Mint it is quick and snappy and it is almost a pleasure to use, still a little slow but perfect for my use case for the machine.
So same machine, Windows 11 unusable, Mint very usable. I know the conclusion I've drawn.
You see the problem with Linux for the average user is the need for obscure commands and text manipulation to make it work as you want it to.
Oh, sorry, wrong OS here...