We use a single 2008SP2 file server for most of our data. All clients access it through the alias 'fsrv'. It makes things simple whenever we need to move the role to a different box, as we just update the DNS and wait a few moments for everything to kick in. All the shares are indexed on the server. However, no clients can make use of the index whenever they access the server by its alias, only if they use its proper name. \\fsrv\Documents\user - Not Indexed \\realname\Documents\user - Indexed The indexing itself is fine, as searches done on the server or searches done using the "real" name show. Is there a way to cause the search service to respond when accessed by either name? Or if not, is there a way to force it to use only 'fsrv' as the name, since that is the one clients will be using?

Hi Symbolicalhead, Did you try adding the server alias into client's host record? How does it work? In addition, you can run the following fix it tool to resolve Windows Search issue. http://support.microsoft.com/gp/windows_search/en-us Regards, Wilson JiaThis posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights. Please click "Mark as Answer" when you get the correct reply to your question.

Wilson, No, I haven't tried that but I certainly can. If that works what does it mean? I'd like to avoid using HOSTS as a remedy for maintenance reasons (kind of undoes the goal of the alias, though I suppose I could move the IP around). Even now every client can access the shares OK by either name, and can search when connected by either name. The only problem is that the searches are unindexed when accessed by the alias 'fsrv' but indexed if connected by the real name. That is, I can open two Explorer windows on the same client machine at the same time, where one uses the path \\fsrv\myshare and the other \\realname\myshare (which are in reality the same share on the same physical machine). Any searches in the Explorer window that has \\realname\myshare will use the index while any searches in the window that has \\fsrv\myshare will not. This happens for Vista and W7 clients. The search services seem to be running and operating just fine on the server... just so long as you connect to the server by its real name.

have you considered using a DFS namespace instead? that will allow you to have a name that persists even when changing the server/servername without resorting to DNS/hostfile hacks...