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

Our users are suffering from this issue as well. Following here hoping soon for notification that Microsoft has fixed this.

Answer 2

Wir haben das Problem nach wie vor, nur wenn der Cache Modus aus ist scheint es zu funktionieren. Hoffentlich gibt es bald eine Lösung von Microsoft dafür, dafür zahlen Kunden so viel Geld für ein fehlerhaftes Produkt... irgendwie enttäuschend ..... Qualität ist das nicht leider.

Answer 3

No new development on this? we have 1000 users with these problems

Answer 4

Apply WS22 KB5035857 (12 March 2024 OS update), set KIR registry key below to activate fix and reboot:

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Policies\Microsoft\FeatureManagement\Overrides\721378957 = 1 (DWORD)

KIR feature flag is required to activate the preview fix included in KB5035857 until Microsoft release this as GA at some point in the future. You may need to create the registry path "\Policies..." as it may not already exist.

Answer 5

Is there any news on this item? or are there still people(like me) where it still doesn't work?