Move the Windows Search Index Cache to a Second Drive

If you’re running Windows 7 on a slower hard drive, you may be running into I/O (input & output) constraints. This is especially true during system boot-up, or while transferring a large number of files. One way to help out your system with this kind of lag is to move the Windows Search index to a second hard drive. It’s easy to do, and works the same in both Windows 7 and Windows 8.

Note: You won’t be able to access Indexing Options unless Windows Search is enabled.

To get started open up the Run menu and type in the following:

rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL srchadmin.dll

Alternatively, just open up the search box then type: index and click the Indexing Options setting link.

In Indexing Options click the Advanced button.

Now under Advanced Options click the Select New button.

Navigate to the drive and folder where you want to store the new index database, then click OK.

In the previous window click OK to save changes and exit.

Now just restart the computer, and the Windows Search index will be repopulated in the folder of the drive you selected. That’s all there is to it!