Mac OS X 10.4.x: Forcing Spotlight to re-index problematic folders

In some cases, folders can seemingly spontaneously become unsearchable by Spotlight, with the search function refusing to find the folder itself or any items contained therein.

This problem can sometimes happen after an Archive and Install process. For instance, if items in the "Previous System" folder are moved back to an active user folder, Spotlight may not be able to find anything within that user home folder.

MacFixIt reader Karen Stella was one user having this issue: "Tiger failed to create a .dmg file on an Archive install, and left the original user folder contents inside "Previous System". I moved the user's subfolders to the new home folders, and corrected permissions. The use immediately noticed Spotlight could find nothing at all in Home folder."

This problem can usually be remedied via the following process:

1. Open the Spotlight pane of System Preferences
2. Click on the Privacy tab
3. Drag the problematic (unsearchable) folder into the field, adding it as a place Spotlight does not search
4. Quit System Preferences
5. Re-open System Preferences and again click on the Spotlight pane
6. Remove the folder from the Privacy field
7. Quit System Preferences again

This should force Spotlight to re-index the folder in question, and make it searchable again.

Feedback? Late-breakers@macfixit.com.

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