Search results not accurate

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Level 1

16 points

Search results not accurate

I often search an attached back up hard drive used for pictures to see if a specific image file has already been transferred from my SD card. I narrow the search parameters to the specific hard drive. The Spotlight search function used to show the image name and path.

I disconnected my hard drive to store with a friend while I was out of town. Now, when I search, the image name with the proper date shows up, but the path is completely wrong. This has not happened when I've ejected/reconnected my hard drive before. Running Big Sur 11.6 and I haven't changed systems for 6 months or so.

How do I force the iMac to reindex my external hard drive? I'm happy to have it reindex the internal hard drive, too.

iMac 21.5″, macOS 11.6

Posted on Mar 28, 2022 3:36 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

LinneaMac Author

Level 1

16 points

Mar 29, 2022 6:49 AM in response to LinneaMac

I did some more searching on Apple Support and discovered that they use the term "rebuild" instead of reindex. I found some a suggestion about how to rebuild the index Spotlight uses here:

If searching your Mac returns unexpected results - Apple Support

I will try it and and report back.

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Answer 2

ku4hx

Level 7

23,532 points

Mar 29, 2022 12:55 AM in response to LinneaMac

If your "backup hard drive" is TimeMachine created, using Finder can damage its structure. Proper search in TM is done by "Enter Time Machine". I get to it via the menu icon.

You don't really want to do any manipulations of a TM backup, it will take care of itself.

If your backup is an HDD with simple copies of files and folders, it appears Spotlight is indexing it via the various search elements in the Spotlight panel.

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Answer 3

LinneaMac Author

Level 1

16 points

Mar 29, 2022 6:44 AM in response to ku4hx

It's not a Time Machine HD.

It was indexed correctly and the Spotlight Search function worked perfectly until just recently. I want to reindex it. I couldn't find an answer to this when searching Apple Support using "reindex".

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Answer 4

LinneaMac Author

Level 1

16 points

Mar 30, 2022 2:40 PM in response to LinneaMac

I used the suggestions I found in the Apple Support link and my external hard drive is now searchable with the correct results again coming up.

Basically it involves "preventing" the offending hard drive from being indexed, then removing it from that blacklist so that it's Spotlight catalogs/indexes it again.

If you follow the Apple Support instructions, everything works well again. If it's a large hard drive, you may have to wait a day or so for the reindexing to be completed.

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Search results not accurate

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