How to Reset Windows 7 Search Settings and Troubleshoot Indexing Issues

1. Right-click on the Start Menu button and then select Properties.
Within the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties window, click on the Start Menu tab and then click the Customize button.

Use Default Settings

In the new window that opens, click on the button that says “Use Default Settings”. This will reset all options including the search feature.
Your next step will be to go to the Start Menu and type “search” in the bar. Then click on “Change how Windows Searches”.
This will open a window called Indexing Options. Click on the Advanced button.

Rebuild the Index

In the Advanced Options, click on the Rebuild button under the Index Settings tab to delete and rebuild the index.
Click OK in the popup window and wait for the process to complete. Your search database will be rebuilt, then you can check if your problem is rectified.