I try to use the suggested method of excluding a particular file through spotlight. But, it keeps telling me that it is a time machine backup folder and won't let me use this method. The backup folder resides on the same disc but the folder I'm trying to index isn't the backup folder. Is there another method to index? I can't find anything in the file info that would let me change it's status.
Have you checked System Preferences> Spotlight> Privacy. Does your external disk or any of its contents appear in there, if so highlight them and press the minus button, this should now allow them to be indexed.
If this is not the case then we may have to try some Terminal commands, are you feeling lucky.
Are you comfortable using the Terminal app. Terminal is in the Applications/ Utilities folder.
If so you could type in this text.
sudo mdutil -s (drag the icon of your Macintosh HD from the Desktop to here)
make sure there is a space after the s before you drag the icon over.
Press Return
Now enter your Password, any typing you do will not be shown on screen press Return
The result will tell you if indexing is enabled or not.
If indexing is not enabled then this command will turn it on.
sudo mdutil -i on (again drag your disk icon to here)
Press Return
Enter Password
Press Return
It should tell you that indexing is enabled.
If you want to check then click on the Spotlight icon in your menubar and enter a word or name of a folder/ file that you know exists on your Mac. If it is indexing then you should see a progress bar.
Thanks but that didn't seem to work for me. The mac itself is indexing - just the external hard drive that isn't. It seems that the problem may have started when I installed Catalina. Should have waited to do that. Thanks for the suggestion.
If you are trying to discover if indexing is enabled on your external disk then use the Terminal commands as described
above but substitute the Macintosh HD for the external drive.
so after the s in the first command press the spacebar and drag the icon of your external disk into the Terminal window
and then press Return.
If indexing is not enabled then follow the instructions above and drag your external drive icon into Terminal,
and press Return.
No. Nothing is there and I am unable to move any folder or disc to the exclusion list.
My Mac has stopped indexing the files on my external hard drive.
