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This is a topic that is all over the internet with no simple fix posted. Here is the issue: you know that there is a certain file on your computer (maybe you just! created it) but when you Spotlight or Finder Search the file does not appear. Or, maybe when you try to search a certain folder on your computer, you get zero search results no matter what parameters you enter for the search.
In sum: the OSX search is "missing" or not finding entire folders or files.
The simple solution that IS posted online, does not always work: to go to System Preferences / Spotlight / Privacy
Drag whatever folder is not appearing for searches into the window to "Prevent Spotlight from searching these locations" (if the problem is rampant, drag your entire hard drive icon into the window - ignore the "Are you sure you want to prevent Macintosh from searching [ whatever folder ]", and then click the minus - sign in the lower left hand corner to remove the folder from being ignored.
At that point your Spotlight will slowly index the folder, or rather - re-index it. To check the status of indexing, at the upper right hand corner of your computer click the Spotlight icon, then enter the word index into the search and a bar will appear showing you the progress of indexing.
So far - so good. But, what if you do this and STILL the newly re-indexed folder's contents are not appearing in search, or you are STILL missing whole sections of your hard drive as far as search.
The solution is this: you must Repair Permissions on your hard drive, and do it a few times until no permissions errors (other than a few that always remain, another story, don't worry about it) remain on your hard drive. To do a thorough permissions repair, you need to boot from your CD/DVD if you have an old MAC, or from Recovery Mode (press the Command and R keys on restart) on a newer one, so that you may do a thorough repair of your hard drive using Disk Utility while it is not being used.
To repair permissions simply start up Disk Utility once booted in Recovery Mode or via CD/DVD start up disk, click the "sub" HD below the first image of the HD, and click to "Repair Disk Permissions."
AFTER you have repaired permissions a few times, go back and repeat the procedure above to Spotlight re-index your problematic folders, or your entire hard drive. Spotlight should now work properly, and thoroughly.
In sum: the OSX search is "missing" or not finding entire folders or files.
The simple solution that IS posted online, does not always work: to go to System Preferences / Spotlight / Privacy
Drag whatever folder is not appearing for searches into the window to "Prevent Spotlight from searching these locations" (if the problem is rampant, drag your entire hard drive icon into the window - ignore the "Are you sure you want to prevent Macintosh from searching [ whatever folder ]", and then click the minus - sign in the lower left hand corner to remove the folder from being ignored.
At that point your Spotlight will slowly index the folder, or rather - re-index it. To check the status of indexing, at the upper right hand corner of your computer click the Spotlight icon, then enter the word index into the search and a bar will appear showing you the progress of indexing.
So far - so good. But, what if you do this and STILL the newly re-indexed folder's contents are not appearing in search, or you are STILL missing whole sections of your hard drive as far as search.
The solution is this: you must Repair Permissions on your hard drive, and do it a few times until no permissions errors (other than a few that always remain, another story, don't worry about it) remain on your hard drive. To do a thorough permissions repair, you need to boot from your CD/DVD if you have an old MAC, or from Recovery Mode (press the Command and R keys on restart) on a newer one, so that you may do a thorough repair of your hard drive using Disk Utility while it is not being used.
To repair permissions simply start up Disk Utility once booted in Recovery Mode or via CD/DVD start up disk, click the "sub" HD below the first image of the HD, and click to "Repair Disk Permissions."
AFTER you have repaired permissions a few times, go back and repeat the procedure above to Spotlight re-index your problematic folders, or your entire hard drive. Spotlight should now work properly, and thoroughly.