Windows Search Companion freezes and then shows 'program is not responding'

[Vance]

I have been running a computer with Windows XP Service Pack2 through all modern updates installed. For a moment following Windows Update accomplished an update, I observed that while I attempt to run Search (Start>Search), the search utility freezes. It freezes when I type inside the file search box and click on the "search" button. While I try to close the application window, it shows “program not responding." and eventually "You picked to end the nonresponsive program, Windows Explorer.” What is wrong with this Windows XP? Can I get a fix for this issue?

[Muwafaq]

I think that it is some kind of issue with the indexing service with your Windows Search companion. The Indexing service might be interfering with the search feature. The only option left for you to repair it is to disable the indexing service. Other than this I don’t think that you can resolve it anyhow. In order to disable any service in Windows XP, go to Start> control panel > Administrative Tools>Services. Now Double click on top of the Services icon and locate the Indexing Service. Once you located double click>properties>Stop. From the Status Type Box, choose Disabled. Now it might have fixed.

[Christina 80]

Like someone said above it is obviously the issue of the indexing service. Disabling this service in your computer might solve the issue. However also check that whether your computer is enabling the search feature inside different folder or Inside My Computer. Indexing service makes a database index of each and every one files on the system while the system is or else inactive. Except you do repeated searches, it is recommended you put out of action this service. Indexing services is a tiny program that hogs massive amounts of memory and can frequently formulate a PC continually noisy and piercing.

[KennedII]

As far as I know that this issue is regarding the corrupted files in your system which is related to the Windows companion. Something might have corrupted those files and you started getting such issue. for this kind of issue you will either need to run the Windows update utility otherwise windows repair process by the use of the original Windows Disk. AS you are saying that you are still running windows XP with service pack 2. I urge you to get the next version of pack that is Service Pack 3. Install or update it in your computer and see whether the issue has resolved or not.

[Chakradev]

In order to fix this issue exclusive of getting the hotfix otherwise installing Windows XP SP1, go after these steps:

• Log on to the PC by the use of an account with administrator privileges.
• Click Start> Run, type “%systemroot%\inf”, and afterward click OK.
• Establish the Srchasst.inf file within that directory.
• Right-click the Srchasst.inf file, and afterward click Install. This will re-installs the files that Search Companion utilizes.

NOTE: You might require Windows XP disk to end installing Search Companion. This problem may perhaps take place over again if you have Search Companion open while you connect to the internet.

[Appaji]

You might have heard about the sfc chkdsk command in windows operating system. This command we utilize in Dos or command line in order to check any files corrupted in the system. This command will search for all the files present in the system at the startup and fixes it if there is any damage to them automatically or it can. If this cannot solve your problem then you might need to re-install entire operating system.