SearchHost.exe crashing - cant search

Coyo2 · Nov 22, 2023

This is driving me mad! I cant search via start menu, only using explorer. I have so many programs installed it's a nightmare...

I've tried sfc and dism a few times, plus the steps mentioned in posts such as this about restarting services, running that powershell command, etc. It's been like this for a few days, persisting across reboots.

This is the error I see in event viewer whenever I try to search:

Faulting application name: SearchHost.exe, version: 623.25401.80.0, time stamp: 0x652089e4
Faulting module name: Windows.UI.Xaml.dll, version: 10.0.22621.2715, time stamp: 0x981d05ca
Exception code: 0xc000027b
Fault offset: 0x0000000000577db2
Faulting process id: 0x0x4AD4
Faulting application start time: 0x0x1DA1DB5E2148ED2
Faulting application path: C:\Windows\SystemApps\MicrosoftWindows.Client.CBS_cw5n1h2txyewy\SearchHost.exe
Faulting module path: C:\Windows\System32\Windows.UI.Xaml.dll
Report Id: b6c9f5ed-ccf6-4855-bd35-a6ba0b82b7e9
Faulting package full name: MicrosoftWindows.Client.CBS_1000.22677.1000.0_x64__cw5n1h2txyewy
Faulting package-relative application ID: CortanaUI

Assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

JSntgRvr · Nov 23, 2023

Open a command prompt as an administrator and run these commands:

dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth
sfc /scannow

See if that helps.

Coyo2 · Nov 23, 2023

Ran both with no issue but searchhost.exe still crashing.

JSntgRvr · Nov 27, 2023

Re-register the apps

Right click on the Start button and select Terminal (Administrator).
Now type the following in the command and hit Enter:
- Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}
Restart the PC.

x BlueRobot · Nov 29, 2023

It would be better to just reinstall that individual app rather than all of them.

JSntgRvr · Nov 29, 2023

For the single install, I would run the following:

Add-AppxPackage -ForceApplicationShutdown -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$((Get-AppxPackage MicrosoftWindows.Client.CBS).InstallLocation)\AppxManifest.xml"

JSntgRvr · Nov 30, 2023

Any progress?

Coyo2 · Nov 30, 2023

That did not work.

Ran it a few times as well as sfc/dism/windows updates.

JSntgRvr · Nov 30, 2023

Highlight the entire content of the quote box below.

# Copyright © 2019, Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

function T-R
{
[CmdletBinding()]
Param(
[String] $n
)

$o = Get-Item -LiteralPath $n -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
return ($o -ne $null)
}

function R-R
{
[CmdletBinding()]
Param(
[String] $l
)

$m = T-R $l
if ($m) {
Remove-Item -Path $l -Recurse -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
}
}

function S-D {
R-R "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Cortana\Testability"
R-R "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Search\Testability"
}

function K-P {
[CmdletBinding()]
Param(
[String] $g
)

$h = Get-Process $g -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

$i = $(get-date).AddSeconds(2)
$k = $(get-date)

while ((($i - $k) -gt 0) -and $h) {
$k = $(get-date)

$h = Get-Process $g -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
if ($h) {
$h.CloseMainWindow() | Out-Null
Stop-Process -Id $h.Id -Force
}

$h = Get-Process $g -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
}
}

function D-FF {
[CmdletBinding()]
Param(
[string[]] $e
)

foreach ($f in $e) {
if (Test-Path -Path $f) {
Remove-Item -Recurse -Force $f -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
}
}
}

function D-W {

$d = @("$Env:localappdata\Packages\Microsoft.Cortana_8wekyb3d8bbwe\AC\AppCache",
"$Env:localappdata\Packages\Microsoft.Cortana_8wekyb3d8bbwe\AC\INetCache",
"$Env:localappdata\Packages\Microsoft.Cortana_8wekyb3d8bbwe\AC\INetCookies",
"$Env:localappdata\Packages\Microsoft.Cortana_8wekyb3d8bbwe\AC\INetHistory",
"$Env:localappdata\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.Cortana_cw5n1h2txyewy\AC\AppCache",
"$Env:localappdata\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.Cortana_cw5n1h2txyewy\AC\INetCache",
"$Env:localappdata\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.Cortana_cw5n1h2txyewy\AC\INetCookies",
"$Env:localappdata\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.Cortana_cw5n1h2txyewy\AC\INetHistory",
"$Env:localappdata\Packages\Microsoft.Search_8wekyb3d8bbwe\AC\AppCache",
"$Env:localappdata\Packages\Microsoft.Search_8wekyb3d8bbwe\AC\INetCache",
"$Env:localappdata\Packages\Microsoft.Search_8wekyb3d8bbwe\AC\INetCookies",
"$Env:localappdata\Packages\Microsoft.Search_8wekyb3d8bbwe\AC\INetHistory",
"$Env:localappdata\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.Search_cw5n1h2txyewy\AC\AppCache",
"$Env:localappdata\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.Search_cw5n1h2txyewy\AC\INetCache",
"$Env:localappdata\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.Search_cw5n1h2txyewy\AC\INetCookies",
"$Env:localappdata\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.Search_cw5n1h2txyewy\AC\INetHistory")

D-FF $d
}

function R-L {
[CmdletBinding()]
Param(
[String] $c
)

K-P $c 2>&1 | out-null
D-W # 2>&1 | out-null
K-P $c 2>&1 | out-null

Start-Sleep -s 5
}

function D-E {
Write-Host "Press any key to continue..."
$Host.UI.RawUI.ReadKey("NoEcho,IncludeKeyUp") > $null
}

Write-Output "Verifying that the script is running elevated"
if (-Not ([Security.Principal.WindowsPrincipal] [Security.Principal.WindowsIdentity]::GetCurrent()).IsInRole([Security.Principal.WindowsBuiltInRole] 'Administrator')) {
if ([int](Get-CimInstance -Class Win32_OperatingSystem | Select-Object -ExpandProperty BuildNumber) -ge 6000) {
$Cx = "-File `"" + $MyInvocation.MyCommand.Path + "`" " + $MyInvocation.UnboundArguments
Start-Process -FilePath PowerShell.exe -Verb Runas -ArgumentList "-noexit",$Cx
Exit
}
}

$a = "searchui"
$b = "$Env:localappdata\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.Search_cw5n1h2txyewy"
if (Test-Path -Path $b) {
$a = "searchapp"
}

Write-Output "Resetting Windows Search Box"
S-D 2>&1 | out-null
R-L $a

Write-Output "Done..."
D-E

Right click on the highlighted text and select Copy.
Right click on the Start button and select Terminal (Administrator)
A Command prompt will popup
Right click on the command prompt and the contents of the clipboard will be pasted therein.
Press Enter.
After completing the script, restart and test.

JSntgRvr · Nov 30, 2023

Expand the Quote box.

Coyo2 · Dec 1, 2023

Ran it twice with restarts, did not work. I mean the script ran without errors but the problem is not repaired.

JSntgRvr · Dec 1, 2023

I believe you will need to perform a repair install in place upgrade, keeping your personal data intact. Some programs may not install (Third Party software will need new registry entries). After Installation an HTLM file will be created on your desktop with a list of programs that failed to install.

Repair Install Windows 11 with an In-place Upgrade Tutorial

Coyo2 · Dec 1, 2023

Thank you, that is what I figured would probably need to happen at this point. I need to upgrade some hardware this weekend so I will do so after I have upgraded.

Olaf Engelke · Feb 1, 2024

Coming a bit late, but you could also try to recreate the Index through Control Panel/Indexing.

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SearchHost.exe crashing - cant search

Coyo2

Member

JSntgRvr

Sysnative Staff, Security Analyst

Coyo2

Member

JSntgRvr

Sysnative Staff, Security Analyst

x BlueRobot

Administrator

JSntgRvr

Sysnative Staff, Security Analyst

JSntgRvr

Sysnative Staff, Security Analyst

Coyo2

Member

JSntgRvr

Sysnative Staff, Security Analyst

JSntgRvr

Sysnative Staff, Security Analyst

Coyo2

Member

JSntgRvr

Sysnative Staff, Security Analyst

Coyo2

Member

Olaf Engelke

Member