Attempting to use Opus search throws error message that Windows Search is not installed.
Downloaded and installed WS from your link.
Unfortunately Opus does not recognize the WS installation and continues to throw the same error.
I have today updated Opus to most recent version - 10.5.1.0 (4848) x86
Alse restarted system after update.
WS functions fine, when used directly (not viz Opus).
It reports that it's indexing is complete.
OS is Windows XPpro SP3 - auto updated with all updates and patches. Runs fast and stable on my hardware.
Hardware is AMD quad CPU with 4GB RAM and 128GB SDRAM as drive C: for OS and Applications - so speed is not an issue.
I have not yet uninstall/reinstalled Opus for fear of losing custom settings.
Have you rebooted since installing Windows Search? I'm not sure if it's needed but it's about the only thing I can think of.
If you want to try reinstalling Opus, just install it over the top of itself (that won't change your config). Don't uninstall first (that would wipe your config). You can use the config backup option in the Settings menu to be extra safe.
Yes I did reboot aster WSearch install.
Also I restarted after DOpus new version install (over itself).
A complete DO reinstall is the final option I can think of to try - so in preparation have performed the "config backup" per your advice.
I'll use "Revo Uninstaller" which is more thorough than the regular Windoze Uninstall, and will hopefully clear out whatever is messed up in the Registry, ProgramFiles, or Docs&Settings.
Fingers crossed for settings recovery post the reinstall! Will advise progress.
I recommend not using Revo Uninstaller. That is more likely to cause problems than solve them.
It could be why you've got this problem in the first place, if it has removed/unregistered some needed system component which it thought was no longer needed.
By the way, I did some testing with Windows Search on XP and found that searching from Desktop (the virtual folder) doesn't return any results, but it does work from other folders. (On Windows 7 it works OK.)
(Interestingly, using Windows Search itself, you can't search the Desktop virtual folder either; it ends up only searching the user's personal folder and not the other things -- i.e. the All Users shared folder -- which are also a part of the virtual folder. Maybe that's just a coincidence or maybe the XP version of Windows Search doesn't work with virtual folders.)
We'll look into that, but I thought it worth mentioning so it doesn't add another layer of complication to your tests. Make sure you try from a real folder and not Desktop. (You can use the /desktopdir alias to jump to the real folder where your personal desktop files are stored.)
I uninstalled and then reinstalled current DO without any problem (including recovering my saved custom configuration).
So far, so good.
I then proved that my problems lay with Windows Search itself and not with Opus...
After fixing the errors flagged in Event Viewer, WS still fails to index my files correctly.
It tries hard and creates hundreds of millions of bytes of index, but "index status" remains stuck at "zero items indexed" and the search function does not find my test records.
Have followed all available advice and fixes from Microsoft and other web sources (including complete uninstall / reinstall) - all without avail.
Wasted hours on event logs, and on unhelpful error codes which have different meanings in different versions of Windoze.
Finally followed advice of many web forum pundits, which was to dump WS4 for the junk it is.
Which is exactly what I already did years ago, before DO demanded it back!
If I really need to search my site - I'll either go back to steam powered (un-indexed) search from the XP START button - (clunky and slow but reliable).
Or use Linux tools via Cygwin (fast and versatile but requiring hours of study to parametrize correctly).
It's a pity that DO relies on WS4 because it's a real resource hog when it works, and is also prone to false negatives in inexperienced hands.
But thanks anyway for your prompt and most constructive advice.
Opus doesn't require Windows Search, it has its own search functionality as well which is completely independent. You can access it via Tools -> Find Panel.