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slimjim28

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Search component doesn't work - displays [FrontPage Search Component] message

I'm having a problem getting the FrontPage search component to work on a newly configured Windows 2003 Server that is running IIS 6.0.  The install was configured as an application server with only the FrontPage server extensions option selected (no .net)

When you view the page you get the following message:  [FrontPage Search Component] and the component does not display (no box to type in search criteria).

No matter what I try, I can not get the FP search component to work.  I tried other FP components such as a counter and it works.  I do have indexing running on the server.  I am able to query the windows catalog and I do get results back.

I have done the following:

1)  Recalculated hyperlinks
2)  Checked server health and repaired any problems
3)  Recalculated the web

I have gone as far as uninstalling the app server and reconfiguring it.  No matter what I do, I can not get the search feature to work.  I have the same functionality working on a Win2k server running IIS 5.0 and I haven't had any problems with it.

Any solutions would be greatly appreciated!

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seanpowell
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Just want to make sure first that your search page is not an asp page, correct?
Also, you don't mention the version - you're using the 2002 extensions?
And you have done the following to enable the Indexing Service Web Extension:

1. Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Internet Information Services Manager.
2. Expand ServerName, where ServerName is the name of the server, and then click Web Service Extensions .
3. In the right pane, right-click Indexing Service, and then click Allow.
4. Quit Internet Information Services Manager.
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slimjim28

ASKER

seanpowell:

1)  No this is a standard HTML page - no asp is involved.
2)  These are 2002 server extensions - installed right from the Windows 2003 server disk when the application server was configured through the wizard.
3)  When I followed your instructions to verify that the index service is enabled in IIS, I did not have an option to enable indexing in the right pane.  All I'm able to do here is allow/disable components such as FP server extension, server-side includes, asp, etc.  If I right click on the default website - under the home directory tab, the option to "index this resource" has been checked.  If I go to "manage my computer" and look under the indexing service, I do see that inetpub/wwwroot is being indexed.
The actual version of the FP 2002 server extensions is v5.0.2.5012 if that makes a difference.

Yesterday I also tried downloading the 2002 server extensions from Microsoft's site (which happened to be an older version) and I experienced the same problem with them.

This morning I uninstalled the application server and reinstalled it using the server extensions that were supplied on the Win2003 Server cd.
Can you post the code from the page here? (Just in case...)
Here's a copy of the code:

<html>

<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Language" content="en-us">
<meta name="GENERATOR" content="Microsoft FrontPage 5.0">
<meta name="ProgId" content="FrontPage.Editor.Document">
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=windows-1252">
<title>test</title>
</head>

<body>

<p>test</p>

<!--webbot bot="Search" S-Index="All" S-Fields S-Text="Search for:" I-Size="20" S-Submit="Start Search" S-Clear="Reset" S-TimestampFormat="%m/%d/%Y" TAG="BODY" startspan --><strong>[FrontPage Search Component]</strong><!--webbot bot="Search" i-checksum="62951" endspan --><p>&nbsp;</p>

</body>

</html>
The only thing I see missing initially in the code is this:
b-useindexserver="1"
but I need to confirm if FP2003 still uses that field to confirm that index server is enabled.

Can you add it in and resave the page...
I actually tried something similiar today.  I have an existing search running on our current production (Win2k with FP2002 extensions).  I copied and pasted the code from this server into the html page that resides on the Windows 2003 Server.  The search still failed.

Here's an extract of the code that I got from our Win2k Server (production server) that functions properly.  This same code fails on the Win2k3 server:

<!--webbot bot="Search" S-Index="All" S-Fields="TimeStamp,DocumentK," S-Text="Search for:" I-Size="20" S-Submit="Start Search" S-Clear="Reset" S-TimestampFormat="%m/%d/%Y" TAG="BODY" b-useindexserver="0" startspan --><form action="../_vti_bin/shtml.dll/search/index.html" method="POST"><input type="hidden" name="VTI-GROUP" value="0"><p><b>Search for: </b><input type="text" name="search" size="20" value></p><p><input type="submit" value="Start Search"><input type="reset" value="Reset"></p></form><!--webbot bot="Search" i-checksum="39542" endspan --><p align="center">&nbsp;</p>

Notice that the code from the existing and functional server has the b-useridnexserver set to 0 rather than 1.  I tried it both ways on the new 2003 Server and it still failed.

There is definitely a problem with the server extensions.

Right click on your web in IIS
Choose "All Tasks"
Check Server Extensions and Calculate Server Extentions

Do you see any errors reported?
I checked the Server extensions and the only problem it found was the recommendation to "tighten security" - which I did let it fix.  I also recalculated the server extensions.  No matter what I do it doesn't fix the problem.  I bet I have checked server extensions and recalculated at least 20 different times now.

I'm starting to wonder if anyone has succesfully implemented a search component on a Win2k3 Server?  Might this be a bug with Win2k3?
I certainly hope not :-(

Let me do some more checking...
You are currently creating the form directly on the live FP site, yes?
Yes, the form was create on the live FP site.  It wasn't created locally then moved over.
Has anyone got an answer for this one? I've got the exact same problem and have been through the same loops - no luck so far!
I've done some checking around and other users are experiencing the problem but no solution has been found yet.
Are you using UNC Content?

From Microsoft:
Index Server Does Not Support UNC Content
As of this writing, Index Server on Windows Server 2003 only supports indexing of local content; therefore, UNC content searching is not supported. In addition, FrontPage Server Extensions 2002 on Windows Server 2003 no longer includes the Wide Area Information Server (WAIS) search engine, which is used by FrontPage webs that use a search component. As the currently recommended replacement is to use Index Server in place of WAIS, FrontPage webs using the search component will not work on UNC-based storage.
I am not using UNC content.  I am only indexing the local content that resides within the c:\Inetpub\wwwroot\ folder and the search fails.  If I query the local index server catalog, the infomation is there.  The problems appears to be with the link between the indexing service and FP2002 server extensions.
Ok...I couldn't wait any longer so I dumped $ 245.00 into Microsoft's pocket to get a solution on this issue.  Can I award the points to myself? *grin*

Here's what I found out:

By default, Windows 2003 Server does not install the indexing server.  You should actually see an option in the IIS console to "allow" or "prohibit" the indexing service under the Web Service Extension section.  

The solution:
1)  Go to "add/remove components" - "Windows Components" and uncheck the indexing service so it can be uninstalled.
2)  Reboot the system
3)  Go back to "add/remove components" and reinstall the indexing service.
4)  In the IIS console, under "Web Service Extension", "allow" the indexing service.
5)  Recalculate the website

The search should function properly!

I expressed concern to Microsoft that many others are experiencing this problem and more than likely they will create a knowledge base article for this problem.
So my comment from above:

1. Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Internet Information Services Manager.
2. Expand ServerName, where ServerName is the name of the server, and then click Web Service Extensions .
3. In the right pane, right-click Indexing Service, and then click Allow.
4. Quit Internet Information Services Manager.

Only applies after the indexing service is uninstalled and then re-installed? Just trying to make sure I understand...
Yes, it only applies after the indexing service is uninstalled and re-installed.  Do you see the indexing option before doing the uninstall of the indexing service?  My scenario is based on a clean install of Windows 2003 Server.  Based on the conversation with the tech, the scenario might look different for a server that was upgraded.
I agree this should be PAQ/Refund since I had to pay Microsoft to get the answer and I answered my own question.  I think it would be helpful for other users if these posts were archived.  Is there something I need to do on my end for the refund of points?
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coreybryant
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Here's the solution that Microsoft provided to correct the problem for me:


By default, Windows 2003 Server does not install the indexing server.  You should actually see an option in the IIS console to "allow" or "prohibit" the indexing service under the Web Service Extension section.  

The solution:
1)  Go to "add/remove components" - "Windows Components" and uncheck the indexing service so it can be uninstalled.
2)  Reboot the system
3)  Go back to "add/remove components" and reinstall the indexing service.
4)  In the IIS console, under "Web Service Extension", "allow" the indexing service.
5)  Recalculate the website

The search should function properly!

I expressed concern to Microsoft that many others are experiencing this problem and more than likely they will create a knowledge base article for this problem.
Hm, maybe this came at a good time?  I am getting ready to install Windows 2003 today.   Weird the way they do it but I have seen very unusual things.  Thanks for posting this!

-Corey
Hi all,
Same problem, but I'm not able to reinstall the Indexing Service because it doesn't matter if I check it or uncheck it, it seems to be installed: service is running, checkmark won't show up.
So I would ask slimjim28 to tell me:
What are the required files by that Indexing Service under Web Service Extensions?
I don't think it'll help but this seems to be the last chance...
Thanx,
copas2