FSLogix and Windows Search Issues in Server 2022

Question

Hi All,

There are quite a few archived forums regarding this issue, however I am hoping someone can help. I am using FSLogix with Windows Server 2022 Remote Desktop Services. The environment is simple, with two session host servers and a file server hosting the user profile VHDs. I am not using FSLogix cloudcache, therefore profiles are mounted and dismounted over the network at logon/logoff. It's working great, except for issues with the Search Index!

Some common threads here which I have reviewed in detail.
https://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/a9b5000d-e2a8-442b-9cbf-48e05136f732/support-for-server-2019-and-office-2019-search-roaming?forum=FSLogix
https://social.technet.microsoft.com/forums/en-US/e87a25c5-71b8-412a-ba82-b7fa07a7363b/windows-search-changes-in-server-2019-rds?forum=winserverTS
https://jkindon.com/windows-search-in-server-2019-and-multi-session-windows-10/

As per https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/fslogix/configure-search-roaming-ht I am aware that FSLogix no longer requires a specific configuration in place for search roaming as per user search is now native to server 2019/2022, therefore I have configured the following. I actually read that the latest version ignores these settings anyway, so if they are enabled via registry or GPO they are simply ignored.

FSLogix > Enable search roaming > Disabled
FSLogix/Office 365 Containers > Store search database in Office 365 container > Disabled
FSLogix/Profile Containers > Store search database in profile container > Disabled

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Search\EnablePerUserCatalog=(dword)1 - I can prob remove this as 1 just means per user, which is default. I just set to 1 as I have previously tested by setting to 0 which sets the index to machine wide. Still had the same issues.

Anyway I know its working per user as I can see the EDB file created in AppData for each user:
C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Search\Data\Applications\S-SID...

From all accounts, the index is working and is built for the user, however ONLY if the Windows Search service (set to auto) is restarted while the user is logged in. As the user logs out, I can see in the event log.

event ID 1 / Search-ProfileNotify is thrown: Windows Search Service indexed data for user 'domain\user' successfully removed in response to user profile deletion.
I suspect this may be a normal event due to the profile being dismounted and removed from the RDSH server.

Following that the Search Service needs to be restarted before seeing event id 326:
The database engine attached a database (2, C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Search\Data\Applications\S-sid.edb). (Time=0 seconds)

I realise some of the other forums suggest just using a scheduled task to restart the search service every time this ID is thrown... which I can do... but the issue is even if the user logs back in, event ID 326 is not seen for that user until the service is restarted again. I can confirm the index is not all that healthy as from outlook if you select Search Tools > Indexing Status, its just stuck on Loading... forever until you restart the service and then it gives the correct status, will continue to index and write to the .edb files above etc.

So restarting the windows search service only seems to apply to users that are already logged in. I realise I could run a scheduled task to restart the service at logon too, but I thought better to reach out to the community to see if anyone actually has a resolution for this!! Microsoft, if you're listening, it would be such a great thing to fix for us all!!

Hope to hear from someone having a similar experience.

Cheers.

Answer 1

I had this working on 2019 but then one update and it broke. I gave up on Windows Search long time ago. They might be able to fix it now but it will be broken again within a couple of months and the entire circus starts all over again.

Anyway users don't complain. Start menu search works, search in Outlook works but there is no index being built. Beats me.

Answer 2

Still having this issue. Server 2022 DataCenter RDS with FSLogix 2.9.7838.44263. Hesitant to try a newer version of FSLogix because they break Windows login (black screen with cursor, no explorer).

Answer 3

Does anybody have an update?
The whole point of moving from UPD to FSLogix for us is to have the "search index" located in the profile disk and not rebuild each time the user login.

Answer 4

We are seeing the same issues surely something so simple should just work out of the box!!

Answer 5

They fixed it in windows 11 multi session but recently there’s been a few instances when search is not working at all for a user when searching apps it just keeps trying, no error or anything so it’s possible they’ve broken something again. I think MS just need to go back to the drawing board on windows search and rework the entire thing