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The Windows.edb file grows very large in Windows 8 or Windows Server 2012

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Symptoms

In Windows 8 or Windows Server 2012, the Windows Search Service may bloat the Windows.edb file. When this issue occurs, the Windows.edb file grows to a very large size and consumes lots of disk space. In some instances, the file size can be larger than 50 gigabytes (GB).

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Resolution

Update information

To resolve this issue, install update rollup 2836988 for Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012. For more information about how to obtain this update rollup package, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
2836988 Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 update rollup: May 2013

Note This update is preventative, but not corrective. To reduce the size of a Windows.edb file that is already affected by this issue, you must rebuild the search index after you install this update.
How to delete and rebuild index
  1. Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Search. Or, if you are using a mouse, point to the lower-right corner of the screen, and then click Search.
  2. Tap or click Settings.
  3. In the search box, type indexing options.
  4. Tap or click Indexing Options.
  5. Tap or click Advanced.
  6. Tap or click Rebuild on the Indexing Settings tab.
  7. Tap or click OK to confirm.
How to offline defrag the index
  1. Change the Windows Search service so that it does not automatically start. To do this, run the following command in cmd.exe:
    Sc config wsearch start=disabled
  2. Run the following command to stop the Windows Search service:
    Net stop wsearch
  3. Run the following command to perform offline compaction of the Windows.edb file:
    esentutl.exe /d %AllUsersProfile%\Microsoft\Search\Data\Applications\Windows\Windows.edb
  4. Run the following command to change the Windows Search service to delayed start:
    Sc config wsearch start=delayed-auto
  5. Run the following command to start the service:
    Net start wsearch

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Status

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

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More Information

For more information about software update terminology, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
824684 Description of the standard terminology that is used to describe Microsoft software updates

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Keywords: kbqfe, kbfix, kbsurveynew, kbexpertiseinter, kb

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Article Info
Article ID : 2838018
Revision : 1
Created on : 1/7/2017
Published on : 9/24/2014
Exists online : False
Views : 316