Search is slow, but ONLY for settings
When I type "Device", applications with the word "Device" show up instantly (seem to show up before I finish typing).  However, Device Manager of Settings shows up about 5 seconds later.  The same for "Programs" - Programs and Features shows up 5 seconds later.  All items of Settings are slow to show up for searching.  I am wondering if anyone could offer some tips to
March 16th, 2014 5:04pm

Speed depends on your hardware. There is nothing to compare in your question/problem description. 5 seconds are for some computers too large and for others slow.

Use advanced search syntax to search more effectively.

Regards

Milos

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March 16th, 2014 6:50pm

This machine has a quad-core CPU (i5-3570K) with a decent 180GB SSD as its primary drive and 16GB DDR3 RAM. I compare its current search performance  with what the machine used to have before updating the OS from 8.0 to 8.1.  The same search showed the Settings' results almost instantly when running 8.0.  I also compare that with the slowest machine I currently have - Surface RT.  Surface RT shows the Settings' results almost instantly.  This machine is the fastest by far among the five computers I use, but the slowest by far in showing the search results of Settings. 

March 16th, 2014 7:02pm

This happen at the 1st time you setup this PC?

Is there any condition when this search working fine?

Is there any changes before this issue happen (install, reinstall or update SW or HW)?

You can go to explorer then Search Tools --> change index location --> advanced --> troubleshoot seach and indexing
maybe this is caused by bad permission on indexer directories

or you can remove Get search suggestions and web results from Bing
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/search-apps-files-settings

note: please update all the driver, you can find it at manufactured site


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March 17th, 2014 3:30am

This started to happen immediately after the OS was updated from 8 to 8.1 if I remember correctly.

Here is how I normally search:

Click Windows Key to switch to the Metro UI  > type a search word without clicking anything else (I thought this is quite convenient. Kudos to Microsoft).

Yes, there are two ways to prevent the problem:

  1. Click Windows Key to switch to the Metro UI > type the first letter of the search word so the search charm shows up > click the dropdown menu and change the search scope from Everywhere to Settings > continue typing the search word.
  2. Windows key + C (equivalent to swipe from right) to open the charms > Click Search > click the dropdown menu and change the search scope from Everywhere to Settings  > Type the search word.

Here is my hunch: the search process searches Settings, Files, Web images, Web videos and others in certain order. Programs must be at the top because they show up first (usually instantly).  For example, if I just type the letter "s" Visual Studio and Store show up before I finish typing the second letter (the speed is amazing). However, Settings must be behind something that takes relatively long time.  Searching "Setting" per se has proved to be fast as I described before.  It is something else before searching "Settings" that delays the results from it.

I should say this issue is a nuisance, not a serious problem, and this is why I have waited for months before posting a question here.  I was hoping an update would fix it.

I think one way to diagnose it is excluding items from search scope one by one to see which is the culprit.  I am yet to find out how to

March 17th, 2014 9:02am

This happen at the 1st time you setup this PC?

Is there any condition when this search working fine?

Is there any changes before this issue happen (install, reinstall or update SW or HW)?

You can go to explorer then Search Tools --> change index location --> advanced --> troubleshoot seach and indexing
maybe this is caused by bad permission on indexer directories

or you can remove Get search suggestions and web results from Bing
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/search-apps-files-settings

note: please update all the driver, you can find it at manufactured site


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March 17th, 2014 10:20am

Hi,

I made a test in our test enviroment, here is the result.

First in my computer everyday I use, the same problem with yours. It would cost about 5 seconds to show up the search result, such as I search device, about 5 seconds, the Device Manager comes up.

Second, in my test machine, new installed Windows 8.1 Enterprise. Everythings works fine, the search result comes up as soon as I typed the key words.

So, in my opinion, this is not a problem in some cases, after one system you used for a long time, more program and file stored on it. System do need a bit more time to search some

March 17th, 2014 10:13pm

Thanks a lot for testing it, Roger.  I really appreciated it.  This machine with slow search of settings does have much more files than my other Windows 9.1 computers without this issue.

It is good to know that this issue is not specific to my machine, and there is nothing I can do about it, so I do not have to spend time scratching my head.  I still think my memory is correct that this happened immediately after I updated the OS from 8 to 8.1, so I hope future Windows updates will restore the search performance of Windows 8.

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March 17th, 2014 10:34pm

Thanks for your understanding, have a nice day!
March 17th, 2014 10:37pm

I am wondering if anyone could offer some tips to fix this.

Learn the shortcuts.   Win-W  =  Search Settings.   Win, with All Apps instead of the Start Screen as its default, allows you to search only Programs.  Otherwise, it would be Win, Ctrl-Tab then type to find programs (and issue commands).  However, I suspect the most significant thing you can do to improve your searches is avoid Search Everywhere as much as possible, especially if you have allowed BING to be involved with it.  I also rarely use Win-F but it is there too.  Instead of it I would use Win-E Ctrl-e because I feel that I have more control over it.   Anything that I can get out of Win-F seems to be by accident more than by anything I could understand as being produced by a sufficiently specified and understood tool.  But as far as speed goes I often resort to using dir in a cmd window (or Powershell, which I sometimes resort to after dir is done and I'm still waiting for WS to do something useful) .   <eg>

 

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March 18th, 2014 11:17pm

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