[G4] Spotlight Usage

[B G]

Here is a brief synopsis of spotlight.


Spotlight will begin indexing any volume as soon as it is mounted,  
with certain exceptions: CDs, DVDs, and network-attached or shared  
volumes are not indexed when mounted. Volume means either a hard drive  
with a single partition, or a specific partition on a hard drive with  
multiple partitions.

You can under Tiger stop an indexing from happening but you may end up  
with some anomalous data. this has been corrected under leopard


1. Let indexing begin on the volume.

2. Open Terminal, located in the Macintosh HD > Applications >  
Utilities folder.

3. At the Terminal prompt, type the following command, exactly as  
written:
	
		sudo mdutil -i off /path_to_volume
where /path_to_volume is the path of the volume being indexed.

4. Press Return.

5. If prompted for a Password, type your Admin password, then press  
Return.
You will receive the response:

	•/path_to_volume/: Indexing disabled for volume.
under Tiger or

	 /path_to_volume: Indexing disabled.
under Leopard.

Spotlight will immediately cease to index the specified volume.

6. If you are using Leopard, skip to step 9.
          Otherwise, erase the partial index created by Spotlight  
under Tiger. At the Terminal

           prompt, type the following command, exactly as written:

	             sudo mdutil -E /path_to_volume
     where /path_to_volume is the path of the volume being indexed. [1]

7. Press Return.

8. If prompted for a Password, type your Admin password, then press  
Return.
          You will receive the response:

	        /path_to_volume/: Volume index removed.


9.  At the Terminal prompt, type exit then press Return.

10. Quit (Command-Q) Terminal.

If you use the volume frequently just leave it mounted all the time



On Mar 14, 2010, at 5:36 PM, Harry Freeman wrote:

> Greetings All
>
> I'm wondering if someone can give me a clue?
> Every time that I index one of my external USB drives, the next time  
> that I load that disk onto the desktop
> Spotlight doesn't seam to remember any of the items which were  
> indexed.
> I'm indexing a 750Gb external USB drive, when I'm done the contents  
> will be available,
> however if I eject the drive then remount a few days later, it knows  
> nothing of the contents.
>
> Am I doing something that I shouldn't or do I have to keep it  
> mounted forever?
>
> Cheers
>
> Harry
> San Jose, CA
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