Windows Vista Search Services Failed to Start Fix Guide:

The Indexing Options are grayed out and you cannot get the Windows Search service to start. Follow the steps one by one, and at the end the index should be running again.

EXAMPLE: Error Message

EXAMPLE: Index Options grayed out

 STEP ONE:
 Windows Search Service:
 1. Leave Windows Search service set to only Automatic. (See screenshot below)
 2. Close Services.
 3. Proceed to STEP TWO below. (Click on pictures to get bigger view)

STEP TWO:
1. Open the Start Menu.
2. In the white line (Start Search) area, type regedit and press Enter.
3. Click Continue for UAC prompt.
4. In regedit, go to: (See screenshot below)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\SOFTWARE\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\Microsoft\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\Windows Search
5. In the right pane, right click SetupCompletedSuccessfully and click Modify.
* NOTE: If SetupCompletedSuccessfully is not there, then:
    a. In right pane, right click on an empty area and click New > DWORD (32 bit) Value.
    b. Type SetupCompletedSuccessfully and press Enter.
    c. Now right click SetupCompletedSuccessfully and click Modify.
6. Type 0 and click OK. (See screenshot below)
* NOTE: This is the number zero.
7. Close Regedit
8. Proceed to STEP THREE below.

STEP THREE:
Repair the Config Folder:
1. Go to Control Panel and open Folder Options.
   a. Click View tab.
    b. Check Show hidden files and folders.
    c. Click OK to apply and close folder options.

2. Go to C:\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ProgramData\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\Microsoft\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\Search\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\Data (See screenshot below)
NOTE: You will notice that the Config folder may be missing in yours.
If not, delete the contents inside the Config folder. The Applications and Temp folders will most likely be empty to. If not, delete the contents of the Applications and Temp folders.
    a. If the Config, Applications and Temp folder is missing, then right click on an
       empty area and click New and click Folder. 
    b. Click Continue for Access Denied prompt.
    c. Click Continue for UAC prompt.
    d. Type Config and press Enter.
    e. Click Continue for Access Denied prompt.
    f. Click Continue for UAC prompt. Do the same for Applications and Temp

3. Open Config folder and leave this window open.

4. Open another Explorer window to locate the files: gathrprm.txt and schema.txt :

FILE LOCATIONS:
32 bit Vista =
C:\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\Windows\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\winsxs\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\x86_windowssearchengine_
31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6000.16386_none_47e1b1bb326f0fb4\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\gathrprm.txt

64 bit Vista =
C:\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\Windows\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\winsxs\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\amd64_windowssearchengine_31bf3856ad364e35_
6.0.6000.16386_none_a4004d3eeacc80ea\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\gathrprm.txt

5. Right click gathrprm.txt and click Copy.
  a. Right click in Config folder from step 3 above, and click Paste.
  b. Click Continue for Access Denied prompt.
  c. Click Continue for UAC prompt.

6. Right click schema.txt and click Copy.
  a. Right click in Config folder from step 3 above, and click Paste.
  b. Click Continue for Access Denied prompt.
  c. Click Continue for UAC prompt.

7. The Config folder should now look like this inside of it :

 8. Close all windows.

STEP FOUR:
1. Restart the computer. Vista Search should be work now.

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