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Windows XP - The search assistant can no longer be called up?

November 28, 2013
Updated: December 6, 2021
Quick overview:

When connecting to an Internet service provider (or installing a program/tool) while the Windows search function is running, it is quite possible that this search is suddenly no longer operational: A file that is required to run the search assistant was not found. This message is the only feedback you will receive from Windows.

Reinstalling the Windows XP Search Assistant

According to Microsoft, this error only occurs in the English versions of Windows XP, but the following suggested solution has already helped German XP users:

1. Install the Windows XP Service Pack 1 from this page.

2. Manual reinstallation of these files: Open the Run dialog by clicking on Start/Execute click. Enter here %systemroot%\inf in.

3. Look for the file srchasst.inf right-click on it and select Install.

Important: Have the Windows XP installation CD ready! In future, make sure that the search function is not started when you connect to the Internet.

If this suggested solution has not helped, proceed as follows:

1. Open the registry editor (Start/Execute and regedit enter) and navigate to the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Desktop\NameSpace.

2. Select "NameSpace and click on it with the right mouse button! Now select "New/key and call this

{e17d4fc0-5564-11d1-83f2-00a0c90dc849} (Without quotation marks).

3. In this key, double-click on the value "(Standard) and enter "Search Results Folder in!

After a restart, the search assistant should work properly again!

NOTE FOR NEW PUBLICATION: This article was produced by Sandro Villinger and comes from the Windows Tweaks archive, which has been built up since the late 1990s.

Founded Windows Tweaks as a teenager in 2001, his helpful PC tricks made it Germany's most visited Windows site (at the time Sandro looked like this). He then went on to write for international publications such as PC-Praxis, Computerbild, PCWorld in the USA, IMTEST.de and Hifi.de. Sandro's main job is as Global Product Marketing Lead and Consultant for various global tech companies, including Microsoft, AVG, Avast, Nero, TeamViewer, Swiss IT Security Group and now currently in the fintech sector for Gendigital. But he can't get rid of his passion and shares his tweaks here again. Privately, he enjoys traveling the world and loves Asia, especially Japan, Singapore and Korea, but also natural places like Iceland and the Nordics. You can reach Sandro via e-mail.

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