Alert: An error occurred while running the Test-ExchangeSearch cmdlet. Failed to complete before the timeout. Source: <Test Server> Path: <Test Server> Last modified by: Test Domain\SCOMSdkCfg Last modified time: 12/8/2008 11:20:59 AM Alert description: The ExchangeSearch test failed. A simple search did not return the expected results before the default timeout. The initial event reported: The search performed by this test failed. Response to rule: "{8694A291-738E-6F9C-A680-721E94DDDDEC}" Diagnostic command: "Test-ExchangeSearch -MonitoringContexttrue" To see the current problem, look at the events associated with this alert and find the most recent event. Knowledge base article for this alert: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=67336&id=F57B10F9-A747-4688-8B2E-B41EB817DD45 Alert view link: "http://DSVPWD15:51908/default.aspx?DisplayMode=Pivot&AlertID={12acf7e2-5a9b-40f9-a4cb-7085c5566922}" Notification subscription ID generating this message: {82518E81-B51F-F8F1-493E-CB0B825759EA} For the above issue, if we recycle the Microsoft Exchange Search Indexer will fix this issue. Also if we re-create the catalog file (Storage wise - It means we have to check which storage has been affected by running the test exchange search in storage wise and rebuild the catalog file will fix the issue). Now my problem, This issue ocurs frequently in my environment particularly to one server but not all the server. Atleast every month this issue arise in the particular server for atleast 5 times. Can any one suggest, why this is happening for this particular server? Thanks/ Sivakumar Palanivel

Please note: The following steps only work for Exchange 2007 RTM, Exchange 2007 SP1, Exchange 2007 SP2 and Exchange 2010 RTM. For Exchange 2007 SP3 or Exchange 2010 SP1&SP2, please DON'T use the steps. For more information, please refer to Intuit999's reply at the end of this thread. ================================= Hi Sivakumar, First, I suggest using Test-ExchangeSearch parameters -IndexingTimeout to extend timeout value and test the issue. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb124733.aspx If the issue persists, please refer to the following suggestions and test the issue again: Remove/Reinstall Microsoft Full Text Indexing Engine for Exchange. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Here are the steps to Properly remove and re-install the Microsoft Full Text Indexing Engine For Exchange. 1. Stop the Microsoft Exchange Search Indexer and the Microsoft Search (Exchange) services 2. Click Start, and then click Run. 3. In the Open text box, type Installer , and then click OK. 4. Right-click the Name column header, and then click More.. 5. Select Subject and Click OK 6. Search through the Subject field until you find "Microsoft Full Text Indexing Engine for Exchange Setup v8.x.xxx.x". The x's denote what version is installed on the server. 7. Right-click the cached Windows Installer file that has the "Microsoft Full Text Indexing Engine for Exchange Setup v8.x.xxx.x" subject, and then click Uninstall. 8. After the uninstall process has completed, quit the Installer. 9. Run msiexec /i msfte.msi TARGETDIR="c:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server" .The TargetDir can change, but this is the default one, change it to whatever you are using. MSFTE.msi will add the "\Bin" to the path. After this completes make sure Microsoft.Exchange.Search.ExSearch.exe and msfte.dll are in the same folder. MSFTE.MSI can be found on the Exchange 2007 Setup CD (file:///\\\\Setup\\ServerRoles\\Mailbox) directory 10. Start Microsoft Exchange Search Indexer and the Microsoft Search (Exchange) services. Hope this helps. Thanks, Elvis Elvis Wei

ThanksElvis. Rightnow the test-exchangesearch failed error has gone. If I get it again, I will try the steps metioned by you and let you know the status.Thanks again/ SivaSivakumar - Exchange Administrator

How to check the default Indexing timeout value in the server using the powershell.I am clear with the link"http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb124733.aspx", which you have mentioned. I tried with the value 120...is it seconds or minutes?[PS] C:\Documents and Settings\D000480\Desktop>Test-ExchangeSearch -IndexingTimeout 120 ResultFound SearchTime ----------- ---------- True 8Thanks/ SivaSivakumar - Exchange Administrator

It's seconds. Thanks,ElvisThe Microsoft Exchange Team Blog - You had me at EHLO - http://msexchangeteam.com/

Elvis Wei -MSFT said: It's seconds. Thanks,Elvis The Microsoft Exchange Team Blog - You had me at EHLO - http://msexchangeteam.com/ You da man....thanks for your help :)Funnyghost

ThanksElvis, it suggestiosn works. Thanks again for your information. Siva Funnyghost

Hi Elvis, Can i run that command in production during business hours ? at the moment I'm desperate in getting it to work ASAP. Thanks./* Windows Infrastructure Support Engineer */

yes, Albert, you can run it during business hours.

Elvis, I just ran into an issue today for the first time whereby I cannot get one of my many Exchange 2007 SP2 RU4 SCC clusters to recreate the indexes for any DBs. I noticed a few days ago that the indexes were not being updated so I simply ran the resetsearchindexes script to delete all catalog files. However, now that i've done that, my indexes are no longer being created...at all. I've verified all DBs are enabled for indexing and the search and index services are running without error upon starting. No errors are generating in the event logs. From what I can tell, it looks as though the search service is not properly spawning the Msftefd.exe process as it should. I've done everything as described in all the articles by yourself, Xiu and others. However, I have one cluster that now will not regenerate indexes for any DBs. I've uninstalled, reinstalled the full text indexer; re-registered all respective DLLs but my indexes will no longer recreate. Any help or guidance is appreciated. Thanks.

This procedure only works for Exchange 2007 RTM, Exchange 2007 SP1, and Exchange 2007 SP2. If you run this command Run msiexec /i msfte.msi TARGETDIR="c:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server" on an Exchange 2007 SP3 server, you will completely ruin the MSSearch executable files. Then, there is no way to fix the MSSearch installation. In that case, you will have to save the databases, uninstall Exchange 2007 SP3, and then FORMAT THE SERVER, then reinstall Exchange 2007 SP3 and bring back the databases. (OR you can move all the mailboxes off, uninstall Exchange 2007 SP3, FORMAT THE SERVER, then reinstall Exchange 2007 SP3 and move all the mailboxes back). The same applies to Exchange 2010 - for Exchange 2010 RTM, you can run the command. But for Exchange 2010 SP1 or Exchange 2010 SP2, if you run this command you will completely ruin the MSSearch executable files. Then you will need to FORMAT THE SERVER and totally reinstall the Exchange 2010 SP1 or Exchange 2010 SP2 server. Bob Want (MSFT) Exchange Search SME