36. Disable Search Index

Important Question! Can your PC Run Faster?

The Windows 7 search index application continuously searches your hard drive for new added files and creates and index. The index is used to rapidly search your system when you type a file name into the Windows Start button search box.

While the search facility is a handy tool it does have an impact on your system's performance.

If you are not particularly bothered that searching your system for a file is not as instantaneous as you would have wanted, then you can help increase performance of your sytem by disabling the Windows search index.

To do that proceed as follows:

1. Click the Start button.
2. In the Start menu search box type: services.msc and press Enter.
3. A list of Services will now appear.
4. Look down the list of services until you come across Windows Search.


Fig: 36-1 Scroll down the list of Windows Services until you come to Windows Search

5. Right click on the Windows Search option and then, from the drop down menu, select Properties.


Fig: 36-2 Set the Startup type to disabled

6. In the Windows Search Properties window, click the down arrow to the right of the Startup Type and, from the drop down menu, select Disabled.
7. Next click the Ok button.
8. Close the Services window and then Re-boot your PC for the changes to take effect.