Finally i have my spotlight back

Cheers fellas!

sams-macbook:LaunchDaemons samflower$ sudo launchctl load -w com.apple.metadata.mds.plist
launchctl: no plist was returned for: com.apple.metadata.mds.plist
launchctl: no plist was returned for: com.apple.metadata.mds.plist
nothing found to load
sams-macbook:LaunchDaemons samflower$ pwd
/System/Library/LaunchDaemons
sams-macbook:LaunchDaemons samflower$ sudo mdutil -a -i off
Spotlight server is disabled.
sams-macbook:LaunchDaemons samflower$ sudo mdutil -a -i on
Spotlight server is disabled.
sams-macbook:LaunchDaemons samflower$ sudo mdutil -E /
Password:
Spotlight server is disabled.

Regards

Sam

You have to put this .Spotlight-V100 folder into the trash, then open up Terminal (app located in the Utilities folder) and enter the following code (you can copy/paste it in, but without the “quotation marks”):
“sudo launchctl load -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.metadata.mds.plist”

then hit return and type in your system password

then enter the following code (without the “quotation marks”):
“sudo mdutil -i on -E /”

then hit return and it will start indexing (if you hear your drive grumbling away, you’ll know it’s started indexing). It can take hours, but you can still use you computer while it’s indexing, but it’s been suggested to refrain from using Spotlight until it’s finished indexing (you’ll know when the grumbling has ceased).

Terminal may or may not show the words “Indexing enabled.” Don’t worry if it doesn’t, as long as you hear your drive busily indexing away.

In case you don’t understand my instructions, go to the following web page where I got this invaluable information from, in a March 2010 post by “Entropy”: http://www.mactalk.com.au/10/80771-spotlight-no-results.html

It really saved my bacon, because nothing else worked for one reason or another. Note that I’m still using Leopard. I’m not sure if this works for Lion (I’m should for Snow Leopard), but it’s sure worth a try.