Spotlight forever indexing

Question

Can anyone indicate how I can get spotlight to index properly?  I&#x27;ve tried suggestions such as:Placing HD in Privacy and then removing.Using mdutil to stop and restart indexing.Cursing.Here is an example of the system log:Sep  6 08:10:25 birds-imac.home mds[35]: (/)(Warning) IndexQuery in bool preIterate_FSI(SISearchCtx_FSI *):Throttling inefficient file system querySep  6 08:10:27 birds-imac.home mds[35]: (/)(Warning) IndexQuery in virtual bool SISearchCtx_FSI::performSearch(struct PartialQueryResults *):Retried searchfs 4 timesSep  6 08:42:20 birds-imac.home mds[35]: (/)(Warning) IndexQuery in bool preIterate_FSI(SISearchCtx_FSI *):Throttling inefficient file system querySep  6 08:42:28 birds-imac.home mds[35]: (/)(Warning) IndexQuery in bool preIterate_FSI(SISearchCtx_FSI *):Throttling inefficient file system querySep  6 08:42:33 birds-imac.home mds[35]: (/)(Warning) IndexQuery in virtual bool SISearchCtx_FSI::performSearch(struct PartialQueryResults *):Retried searchfs 4 timesI don&#x27;t know what else to try.Thanks,Traj

Linc Davis · Answer

Please post the output of the commands "mdutil -as" and "mount".

Ken Trajanowski · Answer

Thanks for your assistance.  Is this what you need?Birds-iMac:~ traj$ sudo mdutil -as /Password:/:          Indexing enabled. /Volumes/Big Media:          Indexing and searching disabled.Birds-iMac:~ traj$ sudo mount/dev/disk0s2 on / (hfs, local, journaled)devfs on /dev (devfs, local, nobrowse)map -hosts on /net (autofs, nosuid, automounted, nobrowse)map auto_home on /home (autofs, automounted, nobrowse)/dev/disk1s3 on /Volumes/Big Media (hfs, local, nodev, nosuid, journaled, noowners)

Linc Davis · Answer

What do you get from this:sudo mdutil -i on "/Volumes/Big Media"

Ken Trajanowski · Answer

Birds-iMac:~ traj$ sudo mdutil -i /Volumes/Big_MediaError: unexpected indexing state (/Volumes/Big_Media)Usage: mdutil -pEsa -i (on|off) -d volume ...          Utility to manage Spotlight indexes.          -p             Publish metadata.          -i (on|off)    Turn indexing on or off.          -d             Disable Spotlight activity for volume (re-enable using -i on).          -E             Erase and rebuild index.          -s             Print indexing status.          -a             Apply command to all volumes.          -V vol         Apply command to all stores on the specified volume.          -v             Display verbose information.NOTE: Run as owner for network homes, otherwise run as root.

Ken Trajanowski · Answer

FYI, I have that drive excluded in Sys Pref.

Linc Davis · Answer

Please copy and paste the command I posted. Don&#x27;t type it.

Ken Trajanowski · Answer

Sorry.Birds-iMac:~ traj$ sudo mdutil -i on "/Volumes/Big Media"Password:/Volumes/Big Media:          Indexing and searching disabled.

Linc Davis · Answer

If you have more than one user account, these instructions must be carried out as an administrator.Launch the Console application.Step 1Make sure the title of the Console window is All Messages. If it isn&#x27;t, select All Messages from the SYSTEM LOG QUERIES menu on the left.Enter "mdworker" (without the quotes) in the Filter text field. Post the most recent 50 or so messages that appear in the Console window — the text, please, not a screenshot.If there are runs of repeated messages, post only one example of each. Don&#x27;t post many repetitions of the same message.When posting a log extract, be selective. Don&#x27;t post more than is requested.PLEASE DO NOT INDISCRIMINATELY DUMP THOUSANDS OF LINES FROM THE LOG INTO A MESSAGE. If you do that, I will not respond.Some personal information, such as the names of your files, may be included — edit that out, too, but don’t remove the context.Step 2Do the same with the search string "mds".

Ken Trajanowski · Answer

There were no log entries for "mdworker"."mds":9/6/12 9:07:00.858 AM com.apple.launchd[1]: (com.apple.metadata.mds.scan[236]) Exited: Terminated: 159/6/12 9:08:20.425 AM mds[35]: (Normal) FMW: FMW 0 09/6/12 9:08:32.867 AM mds[35]: (Warning) Server: No stores registered for metascope "kMDQueryScopeComputer"Thanks.

Linc Davis · Answer

Why do you think something is wrong with Spotlight? It&#x27;s normal for Spotlight to update the index whenever a file changes. You know that, right?

Ken Trajanowski · Answer

Spotlight has been indexing literally for weeks without showing anything other than "estimating index time".  During this entire time, I cannot do a search.  I have a second iMac where Spotlight behaves normally.I appreciate your time on this.

Linc Davis · Answer

Drag or copy — do not type — the following line into a Terminal window, then press return:sudo opensnoop -n mdworkerYou&#x27;ll be prompted for your login password, which won&#x27;t be displayed when you type it..Text will begin to scroll in the Terminal window. Let it run until you have about 25 lines of output, then press the key combination command-period to stop the command.Post the text output — please, not a screenshot — from the Terminal window, below what you entered.

Ken Trajanowski · Answer

Birds-iMac:~ traj$ sudo opensnoop -n mdworkerPassword:  UID    PID COMM          FD PATH                    89   2110 mdworker       3 /dev/dtracehelper      501   2111 mdworker       3 /dev/dtracehelper       89   2110 mdworker       3 /dev/autofs_nowait      89   2110 mdworker      -1 /var/empty/.CFUserTextEncoding    89   2110 mdworker       3 /dev/autofs_nowait      89   2110 mdworker      -1 /var/empty/.CFUserTextEncoding    89   2110 mdworker       4 /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Frameworks/Metadata.framework /Versions/A/Support    89   2110 mdworker       4 /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Frameworks/Metadata.framework /Versions/A/Support/mdworker    89   2110 mdworker       4 /.vol/16777219/29166387/mdworker/..namedfork/rsrc    89   2110 mdworker       4 /.vol/16777219/29166387/mdworker/..namedfork/rsrc    89   2110 mdworker       4 /.vol/16777219/29166387/mdworker/..namedfork/rsrc    89   2110 mdworker      -1 /Library/Sandbox/Profiles/mdworker-bundle.sb    89   2110 mdworker      -1 /System/Library/Sandbox/Profiles/mdworker-bundle.sb    89   2110 mdworker       4 /usr/share/sandbox/mdworker-bundle.sb    89   2110 mdworker       5 /var/folders/zz/zyxvpxvq6csfxvn_n00000b400002s/C//sandbox-cache.db    89   2110 mdworker       4 /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Frameworks/Metadata.framework   501   2111 mdworker       3 /dev/autofs_nowait     501   2111 mdworker       4 /Users/traj/.CFUserTextEncoding   501   2111 mdworker       4 /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Frameworks/Metadata.framework /Versions/A/Support   501   2111 mdworker       4 /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Frameworks/Metadata.framework /Versions/A/Support/mdworker   501   2111 mdworker       3 /dev/autofs_nowait     501   2111 mdworker       4 /Users/traj/.CFUserTextEncoding   501   2111 mdworker       4 /.vol/16777219/29166387/mdworker/..namedfork/rsrc   501   2111 mdworker       4 /.vol/16777219/29166387/mdworker/..namedfork/rsrc   501   2111 mdworker       4 /.vol/16777219/29166387/mdworker/..namedfork/rsrc   501   2111 mdworker      -1 /Library/Sandbox/Profiles/mdworker-bundle.sb   501   2111 mdworker      -1 /System/Library/Sandbox/Profiles/mdworker-bundle.sb   501   2111 mdworker       4 /usr/share/sandbox/mdworker-bundle.sb   501   2111 mdworker       5 /var/folders/z2/mf6zt6m16cb_ztb6pmxmtn7m0000gn/C//sandbox-cache.db   501   2111 mdworker       4 /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Frameworks/Metadata.framework    89   2110 mdworker       4 /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Frameworks/Metadata.framework /Resources    89   2110 mdworker       4 /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Frameworks/Metadata.framework /Resources/English.lproj    89   2110 mdworker      -1 /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Frameworks/Metadata.framework /Resources/Base.lproj    89   2110 mdworker       4 /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Frameworks/Metadata.framework /Resources/schema.plist    89   2110 mdworker       4 /usr/share/icu/icudt49l.dat    89   2110 mdworker       4 /Library/Spotlight      89   2110 mdworker       4 /Library/Spotlight      89   2110 mdworker      -1 /Library/Spotlight/en.lproj    89   2110 mdworker      -1 /Library/Spotlight/Base.lproj    89   2110 mdworker       4 /Library/Spotlight/GBSpotlightImporter.mdimporter    89   2110 mdworker       4 /Library/Spotlight/GBSpotlightImporter.mdimporter/Contents    89   2110 mdworker       4 /Library/Spotlight/GBSpotlightImporter.mdimporter/Contents/Info.plist    89   2110 mdworker       4 /Library/Spotlight/GBSpotlightImporter.mdimporter/Contents/MacOS/GBSpotlightImp orter    89   2110 mdworker       4 /Library/Spotlight/GBSpotlightImporter.mdimporter/Contents/Resources    89   2110 mdworker       4 /Library/Spotlight/GBSpotlightImporter.mdimporter/Contents/Resources    89   2110 mdworker       4 /Library/Spotlight/GBSpotlightImporter.mdimporter/Contents/Resources/English.lp roj    89   2110 mdworker      -1 /Library/Spotlight/GBSpotlightImporter.mdimporter/Contents/Resources/Base.lproj    89   2110 mdworker       4 /Library/Spotlight/GBSpotlightImporter.mdimporter/Contents/Resources/schema.xml    89   2110 mdworker       4 /Library/Spotlight/GBSpotlightImporter.mdimporter/Contents/Resources/English.lp roj/schema.strings    89   2110 mdworker       4 /Library/Spotlight/GBSpotlightImporter.mdimporter/Contents/MacOS/GBSpotlightImp orter    89   2110 mdworker       5 /Library/Spotlight/GBSpotlightImporter.mdimporter/Contents/MacOS/GBSpotlightImp orter    89   2110 mdworker       4 /var/folders/zz/zyxvpxvq6csfxvn_n00000b400002s/C//mds/mds.lock    89   2110 mdworker       6 /var/folders/zz/zyxvpxvq6csfxvn_n00000b400002s/C//mds/mdsObject.db_    89   2110 mdworker       7 /private/var/db/mds/system/mdsObject.db    89   2110 mdworker       6 /var/folders/zz/zyxvpxvq6csfxvn_n00000b400002s/C//mds/mdsDirectory.db_    89   2110 mdworker       7 /private/var/db/mds/system/mdsDirectory.db    89   2110 mdworker       6 /var/folders/zz/zyxvpxvq6csfxvn_n00000b400002s/C//mds/mdsObject.db    89   2110 mdworker       6 /System/Library/Security    89   2110 mdworker      -1 /var/empty/Library/Security    89   2110 mdworker       4 /var/folders/zz/zyxvpxvq6csfxvn_n00000b400002s/C//mds/mdsDirectory.db    89   2110 mdworker       4 /System/Library/Keychains/EVRoots.plist    89   2110 mdworker       4 /etc/localtime          89   2110 mdworker       4 /Library/Spotlight/GBSpotlightImporter.mdimporter/Contents/Info.plist    89   2110 mdworker       4 /Library/Spotlight/GBSpotlightImporter.mdimporter/Contents/MacOS/GBSpotlightImp orter   501   2111 mdworker       4 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Application.mdimporter/Contents/version.plist   501   2111 mdworker      -1 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Application.mdimporter/Contents/_CodeSignature/Co deEntitlements   501   2111 mdworker      -1 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Application.mdimporter/Contents/Resources/English .lproj   501   2111 mdworker      -1 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Application.mdimporter/Contents/Resources/English .lproj/English.lproj   501   2111 mdworker      -1 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Application.mdimporter/Contents/Resources/Base.lp roj/English.lproj   501   2111 mdworker       4 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Archives.mdimporter   501   2111 mdworker       4 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Archives.mdimporter/Contents   501   2111 mdworker       4 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Archives.mdimporter/Contents/Info.plist   501   2111 mdworker       4 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Archives.mdimporter/Contents/MacOS/Archives   501   2111 mdworker       4 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Archives.mdimporter/Contents/Resources   501   2111 mdworker       4 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Archives.mdimporter/Contents/Resources   501   2111 mdworker       4 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Archives.mdimporter/Contents/Resources/English.lp roj   501   2111 mdworker      -1 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Archives.mdimporter/Contents/Resources/Base.lproj   501   2111 mdworker       4 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Archives.mdimporter/Contents/MacOS/Archives   501   2111 mdworker       5 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Archives.mdimporter/Contents/MacOS/Archives   501   2111 mdworker       4 /Users/traj/Library/Preferences/com.apple.security.revocation.plist   501   2111 mdworker       4 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Archives.mdimporter/Contents/Resources/tr.lproj   501   2111 mdworker       4 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Archives.mdimporter/Contents/Resources/uk.lproj   501   2111 mdworker       4 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Archives.mdimporter/Contents/Resources/zh_CN.lpro j   501   2111 mdworker       4 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Archives.mdimporter/Contents/Resources/zh_TW.lpro j   501   2111 mdworker       4 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Archives.mdimporter/Contents/version.plist   501   2111 mdworker      -1 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Archives.mdimporter/Contents/_CodeSignature/CodeE ntitlements   501   2111 mdworker       4 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Archives.mdimporter/Contents/Resources/Dutch.lpro j   501   2111 mdworker      -1 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Archives.mdimporter/Contents/Resources/English.lp roj/Dutch.lproj   501   2111 mdworker      -1 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Archives.mdimporter/Contents/Resources/Base.lproj /Dutch.lproj   501   2111 mdworker       4 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Archives.mdimporter/Contents/Resources/English.lp roj   501   2111 mdworker      -1 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Archives.mdimporter/Contents/Resources/English.lp roj/English.lproj   501   2111 mdworker      -1 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Archives.mdimporter/Contents/Resources/Base.lproj /English.lproj   501   2111 mdworker       4 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Archives.mdimporter/Contents/Resources/French.lpr oj   501   2111 mdworker      -1 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Archives.mdimporter/Contents/Resources/English.lp roj/French.lproj   501   2111 mdworker      -1 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Archives.mdimporter/Contents/Resources/Base.lproj /French.lproj   501   2111 mdworker       4 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Archives.mdimporter/Contents/Resources/German.lpr oj   501   2111 mdworker      -1 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Archives.mdimporter/Contents/Resources/English.lp roj/German.lproj   501   2111 mdworker      -1 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Archives.mdimporter/Contents/Resources/Base.lproj /German.lproj   501   2111 mdworker       4 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Archives.mdimporter/Contents/Resources/Italian.lp roj   501   2111 mdworker      -1 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Archives.mdimporter/Contents/Resources/English.lp roj/Italian.lproj   501   2111 mdworker      -1 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Archives.mdimporter/Contents/Resources/Base.lproj /Italian.lproj   501   2111 mdworker       4 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Archives.mdimporter/Contents/Resources/Japanese.l proj   501   2111 mdworker      -1 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Archives.mdimporter/Contents/Resources/English.lp roj/Japanese.lproj   501   2111 mdworker      -1 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Archives.mdimporter/Contents/Resources/Base.lproj /Japanese.lproj   501   2111 mdworker       4 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Archives.mdimporter/Contents/Resources/Spanish.lp roj   501   2111 mdworker      -1 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Archives.mdimporter/Contents/Resources/English.lp roj/Spanish.lproj   501   2111 mdworker      -1 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Archives.mdimporter/Contents/Resources/Base.lproj /Spanish.lproj   501   2111 mdworker       4 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Archives.mdimporter/Contents/Resources/ar.lproj   501   2111 mdworker      -1 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Archives.mdimporter/Contents/Resources/English.lp roj/ar.lproj   501   2111 mdworker      -1 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Archives.mdimporter/Contents/Resources/Base.lproj /ar.lproj   501   2111 mdworker       4 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Archives.mdimporter/Contents/Resources/ca.lproj   501   2111 mdworker      -1 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Archives.mdimporter/Contents/Resources/English.lp roj/ca.lproj   501   2111 mdworker      -1 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Archives.mdimporter/Contents/Resources/Base.lproj /ca.lproj   501   2111 mdworker       4 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Archives.mdimporter/Contents/Resources/cs.lproj   501   2111 mdworker      -1 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Archives.mdimporter/Contents/Resources/English.lp roj/cs.lproj   501   2111 mdworker      -1

Linc Davis · Answer

Back up all data.In the Finder, select Go ▹ Go to Folder from the menu bar, copy the text on the line below into the box that opens, and press return: ~/Library/SpotlightMove the contents of the folder that opens to the Desktop. Leave the folder open for now.Log out and log back in. Test.

Ken Trajanowski · Answer

I did so.  I redid the last opensnoop:UID    PID COMM          FD PATH                    89   2722 mdworker       3 /dev/dtracehelper      501   2721 mdworker       3 /dev/autofs_nowait     501   2721 mdworker       4 /Users/traj/.CFUserTextEncoding   501   2721 mdworker       3 /dev/autofs_nowait     501   2721 mdworker       4 /Users/traj/.CFUserTextEncoding   501   2721 mdworker       4 /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Frameworks/Metadata.framework /Versions/A/Support   501   2721 mdworker       4 /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Frameworks/Metadata.framework /Versions/A/Support/mdworker   501   2721 mdworker       4 /.vol/16777219/29166387/mdworker/..namedfork/rsrc   501   2721 mdworker       4 /.vol/16777219/29166387/mdworker/..namedfork/rsrc   501   2721 mdworker       4 /.vol/16777219/29166387/mdworker/..namedfork/rsrc   501   2721 mdworker      -1 /Library/Sandbox/Profiles/mdworker-bundle.sb   501   2721 mdworker      -1 /System/Library/Sandbox/Profiles/mdworker-bundle.sb   501   2721 mdworker       4 /usr/share/sandbox/mdworker-bundle.sb   501   2721 mdworker       5 /var/folders/z2/mf6zt6m16cb_ztb6pmxmtn7m0000gn/C//sandbox-cache.db   501   2721 mdworker       4 /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Frameworks/Metadata.framework   501   2721 mdworker       4 /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Frameworks/Metadata.framework /Resources   501   2721 mdworker       4 /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Frameworks/Metadata.framework /Resources/Info.plist   501   2721 mdworker       4 /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Frameworks/Metadata.framework /Resources   501   2721 mdworker       4 /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Frameworks/Metadata.framework /Resources/English.lproj   501   2721 mdworker      -1 /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Frameworks/Metadata.framework /Resources/Base.lproj   501   2721 mdworker       4 /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Frameworks/Metadata.framework /Resources/schema.plist   501   2721 mdworker       4 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight   501   2721 mdworker       4 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight   501   2721 mdworker      -1 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/en.lproj   501   2721 mdworker      -1 /Users/traj/Library/Spotlight/Base.lproj   501   2721 mdworker       3 /dev/dtracehelper      501   2721 mdworker       4 /usr/share/icu/icudt49l.dat   501   2721 mdworker       4 /Library/Spotlight     501   2721 mdworker       4 /Library/Spotlight     501   2721 mdworker      -1 /Library/Spotlight/en.lproj   501   2721 mdworker      -1 /Library/Spotlight/Base.lproj   501   2721 mdworker       4 /Library/Spotlight/GBSpotlightImporter.mdimporter   501   2721 mdworker       4 /Library/Spotlight/GBSpotlightImporter.mdimporter/Contents   501   2721 mdworker       4 /Library/Spotlight/GBSpotlightImporter.mdimporter/Contents/Info.plist   501   2721 mdworker       4 /Library/Spotlight/GBSpotlightImporter.mdimporter/Contents/MacOS/GBSpotlightImp orter    89   2722 mdworker       4 /.vol/16777219/29166387/mdworker/..namedfork/rsrc    89   2722 mdworker       4 /.vol/16777219/29166387/mdworker/..namedfork/rsrc    89   2722 mdworker       4 /.vol/16777219/29166387/mdworker/..namedfork/rsrc    89   2722 mdworker      -1 /Library/Sandbox/Profiles/mdworker-bundle.sb    89   2722 mdworker      -1 /System/Library/Sandbox/Profiles/mdworker-bundle.sb    89   2722 mdworker       4 /usr/share/sandbox/mdworker-bundle.sb    89   2722 mdworker       5 /var/folders/zz/zyxvpxvq6csfxvn_n00000b400002s/C//sandbox-cache.db    89   2722 mdworker       4 /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Frameworks/Metadata.framework    89   2722 mdworker       4 /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Frameworks/Metadata.framework /Resources