4 ms·

Apparently simply disabling Windows Indexing increased battery life from 7.5 hours to 9.5 hours in some tests.

by jakevn 12y ago

thanksgiving 12y ago
Perhaps a sane default would be to pause Windows Indexing by default when on battery? Defaults matter.
- sliverstorm 12y ago
  That's not really ideal though... for example, Windows Indexing is responsible for indexing email in Outlook. If you've been mobile for the last two days, that's potentially a lot of email you can't search.
  - thanksgiving 12y ago
    Reminds me of a somewhat unrelated scenario in Android world. Auto backup of photos in Google+ Photos has a setting where you can have backup only happen when connected to power (and/or on Wi-Fi). Perhaps Microsoft could add something like this in their settings as well? Yes, I understand this could be seen as feature creep but I think if the savings in battery life are as much as the grandfather says then it is worth the extra complication of a setting. What do you think?
  - r00fus 12y ago
    Laptops can't really stay mobile for 2 days. At some point, it needs to power up, and your indexer can do the deed then. Too bad Windows doesn't have something like PowerNap that allows the system to run services while the clamshell is closed. How often do users search in Outlook? I'd say maybe 5-10 times a day, and if it's already indexed, I won't notice.
Someone1234 12y ago
If you have a Pro or Enterprise edition of Windows, you can configure this: 1) Launch mmc (Win+R, "mmc") 2) File -> Add/Remove Snap-In 3) Group Policy Object Editor -> Add -> Local Computer -> Ok 4) Expand Local Computer Policy -> Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Search 5) Find "Prevent indexing when running on battery power to conserve energy" 6) Enable -> OK -> Close If you're on Home Edition then make a new *.reg file with the following content: Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search] "PreventIndexOnBattery"=dword:00000001 And run it.
- FlyingLawnmower 12y ago
  I'm giving this a try, and I'm having trouble following step 4. Once I add the Group Policy Object Editor to the right side of the GUI, I can click on it and get a pop-up, but I can't seem to find the expansion option.
  - Someone1234 12y ago
    Are you still in the "Add and Remove Snap-Ins" dialog by any chance? If you click ok on that dialog after having added the snap-in, it should appear in the main mmc UI on the left hand side. https://i.imgur.com/ZHzEDrC.png https://i.imgur.com/ZHzEDrC.png I've updated the original instructions a little to be more clear.
    - FlyingLawnmower 12y ago
      I feel very silly -- thank you very much for the help!
- ninkendo 12y ago
  You can change steps 1-3 to just "Win+R, gpmc.msc"... which will take you straight to the group policy editor.
  - 616c 12y ago
    1-2 steps, Windows key, type gpmc.msc and it will be the first result in the prog search. I think this assumes the index is enabled, but since we are here ...
  - Someone1234 12y ago
    You have to install Group Policy Tools for Windows in order to have gpmc.msc on Windows 7 work from the run box. Going through MMC works even on virgin Windows 7 pro/ent without installing anything.
adwilson 12y ago
Do you have a link to the tests or the data? I work on the indexer and am always looking for more data about what we are doing wrong.
- jakevn 12y ago
  Check out the top comment of this article: http://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonevangelho/2015/01/26/dell-xps-13-2015-laptop-review-now-if-it-only-ran-os-x/ http://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonevangelho/2015/01/26/dell-x... A commenter pointed out to the author that Windows Indexing was responsible for significant battery drain and the author confirmed by running the test again with it disabled.
  - adwilson 12y ago
    Thanks, not great to see, but good to know what we have to fix

Apparently simply disabling Windows Indexing increased battery life from 7.5 hours to 9.5 hours in some tests.

by jakevn 12y ago

Apparently simply disabling Windows Indexing increased battery life from 7.5 hours to 9.5 hours in some tests.

thanksgiving 12y ago

Perhaps a sane default would be to pause Windows Indexing by default when on battery? Defaults matter.

sliverstorm 12y ago
That's not really ideal though... for example, Windows Indexing is responsible for indexing email in Outlook. If you've been mobile for the last two days, that's potentially a lot of email you can't search.
- thanksgiving 12y ago
  Reminds me of a somewhat unrelated scenario in Android world. Auto backup of photos in Google+ Photos has a setting where you can have backup only happen when connected to power (and/or on Wi-Fi). Perhaps Microsoft could add something like this in their settings as well? Yes, I understand this could be seen as feature creep but I think if the savings in battery life are as much as the grandfather says then it is worth the extra complication of a setting. What do you think?
- r00fus 12y ago
  Laptops can't really stay mobile for 2 days. At some point, it needs to power up, and your indexer can do the deed then. Too bad Windows doesn't have something like PowerNap that allows the system to run services while the clamshell is closed. How often do users search in Outlook? I'd say maybe 5-10 times a day, and if it's already indexed, I won't notice.

Someone1234 12y ago

If you have a Pro or Enterprise edition of Windows, you can configure this: 1) Launch mmc (Win+R, "mmc") 2) File -> Add/Remove Snap-In 3) Group Policy Object Editor -> Add -> Local Computer -> Ok 4) Expand Local Computer Policy -> Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Search 5) Find "Prevent indexing when running on battery power to conserve energy" 6) Enable -> OK -> Close If you're on Home Edition then make a new *.reg file with the following content: Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search] "PreventIndexOnBattery"=dword:00000001 And run it.

FlyingLawnmower 12y ago
I'm giving this a try, and I'm having trouble following step 4. Once I add the Group Policy Object Editor to the right side of the GUI, I can click on it and get a pop-up, but I can't seem to find the expansion option.
- Someone1234 12y ago
  Are you still in the "Add and Remove Snap-Ins" dialog by any chance? If you click ok on that dialog after having added the snap-in, it should appear in the main mmc UI on the left hand side. https://i.imgur.com/ZHzEDrC.png https://i.imgur.com/ZHzEDrC.png I've updated the original instructions a little to be more clear.
  - FlyingLawnmower 12y ago
    I feel very silly -- thank you very much for the help!
ninkendo 12y ago
You can change steps 1-3 to just "Win+R, gpmc.msc"... which will take you straight to the group policy editor.
- 616c 12y ago
  1-2 steps, Windows key, type gpmc.msc and it will be the first result in the prog search. I think this assumes the index is enabled, but since we are here ...
- Someone1234 12y ago
  You have to install Group Policy Tools for Windows in order to have gpmc.msc on Windows 7 work from the run box. Going through MMC works even on virgin Windows 7 pro/ent without installing anything.

adwilson 12y ago

Do you have a link to the tests or the data? I work on the indexer and am always looking for more data about what we are doing wrong.

jakevn 12y ago
Check out the top comment of this article: http://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonevangelho/2015/01/26/dell-xps-13-2015-laptop-review-now-if-it-only-ran-os-x/ http://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonevangelho/2015/01/26/dell-x... A commenter pointed out to the author that Windows Indexing was responsible for significant battery drain and the author confirmed by running the test again with it disabled.
- adwilson 12y ago
  Thanks, not great to see, but good to know what we have to fix