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Search on Outlook not working (Microsoft Outlook for Mac, Version 16.40)

I received the following instructions, from Outlook, which I carried out:


"Detected Mac OS 10.14.4+


For Mac OS 10.14.4+, the solution to resolve the search issue is to re-index the Outlook profile folder using the steps below:


1. Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Spotlight.


2. Click the Privacy tab.


3. In Finder, On the Go menu click "Go to Folder ... "


4. Copy and paste the following location into the "Go to the folder:" dialog box and click Go:


~/library/Group Containers/UBFBT346G9.Office/Outlook/Outlook 15 Profiles/


5. Drag the 'Main Profile' folder to the Privacy tab. Once added , remove the folder, and Spotlight will re-index the folder. Note: You must perform this step for any additional profile folders you may have."


When I try to drag the 'Main Folder' to the Privacy Tab, the following message appears"


"Privacy List Error

The item couldn’t be added or removed because of an unknown error."


Accordingly, I cannot re-index the folder, and search is not working.


Urgent advice required - thank you.

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 10.14

Posted on Aug 19, 2020 12:38 AM

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Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Aug 19, 2020 2:18 AM

Have you tried a Restart?


Try manually getting Spotlight to re index, open Terminal type in;

sudo mdutil -i on /

press Return, enter your Administrator password (your key entries will not be echoed) press Return.


If that doesn't work, you might have to How to reinstall macOS from macOS Recovery - Apple Support without erasing your disk.

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10 replies
Question marked as Best reply

Aug 19, 2020 2:18 AM in response to LJCS

Have you tried a Restart?


Try manually getting Spotlight to re index, open Terminal type in;

sudo mdutil -i on /

press Return, enter your Administrator password (your key entries will not be echoed) press Return.


If that doesn't work, you might have to How to reinstall macOS from macOS Recovery - Apple Support without erasing your disk.

Aug 19, 2020 11:24 AM in response to anonyme4321

Please, see below:


LJCS-MacBook-Pro:~ ljcs$ cd


LJCS-MacBook-Pro:~ ljcs$ sudo mdutil -E /


Password:


Sorry, try again.


Password:


/:


2020-08-19 19:13:41.112 mdutil[26318:134600] mdutil disabling Spotlight: / -> kMDConfigSearchLevelFSSearchOnly


Indexing disabled.


LJCS-MacBook-Pro:~ ljcs$ sudo mdutil -a -i off


/:


2020-08-19 19:14:08.616 mdutil[26510:135633] mdutil disabling Spotlight: / -> kMDConfigSearchLevelFSSearchOnly


Indexing disabled.


/System/Volumes/Data:


Error: Index is already changing state.  Please try again in a moment.


/Volumes/Time Machine Backups:


2020-08-19 19:14:08.680 mdutil[26510:135633] mdutil disabling Spotlight: /Volumes/Time Machine Backups -> kMDConfigSearchLevelFSSearchOnly


sudo Indexing enabled. (Indexing level may not be changed on volumes which have a Time Machine backup)


/Volumes/Time Machine Backups/Backups.backupdb:


2020-08-19 19:14:57.662 mdutil[26510:135633] mdutil disabling Spotlight: /Volumes/Time Machine Backups/Backups.backupdb -> kMDConfigSearchLevelFSSearchOnly


Indexing enabled. 


LJCS-MacBook-Pro:~ ljcs$ sudo rm -fr .Spotlight-V100/


LJCS-MacBook-Pro:~ ljcs$ sudo mdutil -i on /Volumes/ Macintosh\ HD


Error: invalid path `Macintosh HD'.


/System/Volumes/Data/Volumes:


Error: Index is already changing state.  Please try again in a moment.


LJCS-MacBook-Pro:~ ljcs 


PS. I have spent hours on the phone, today, with Apple & MS - each blaming the other.

Also, search is not picking up adobe, or other files/apps, either.

Thanks


Aug 20, 2020 6:22 AM in response to anonyme4321

First of all, thank you very much for your patience and continued assistance - I am very grateful.


Secondly:


Having carried out: sudo mdutil -i on /, a Spotlight search, initially, showed some Adobe and Word files BUT they disappeared after a few seconds.


Outlook search is still returning 0 results


Additionally:


My Time Machine is not backing up; and hard drive access to Back Ups is telling me "The following disk images couldn't be opened" - the "Image" is my MacBook Pro; the "Reason" is "Resource temporarily unavailable"


The issue with Time Machine is a problem as can't do a reinstall without knowing that I have an up to date back up

Aug 20, 2020 6:55 AM in response to LJCS

defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles -boolean true; killall Finder

This will show hidden files


locate .metadata_never_index

This will tell you where the file .metadata_never_index is located, in Catalina the output should be

/Library/Apple/System/Library/InstallerSandboxes/.metadata_never_index
/Library/InstallerSandboxes/.metadata_never_index
/System/Volumes/Data/.metadata_never_index

Move the file(s) to the trash (you will need to enter your admin password)


defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles -boolean false; killall Finder

This will hide hidden files


mdutil -sa 
sudo mdutil -ai on

To make sure indexing it re-enabled


Reboot your mac

Search on Outlook not working (Microsoft Outlook for Mac, Version 16.40)

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