Windows Index ?

At the right hand side of my task-bar there is a small 'magnifing glass' icon that says 'Indexing Complete' most times. I would like to get rid of this but only if it's safe to do so. I've looked in 'Add & Remove Programmes' and I can see 'Windows Search 4.0'. Is this the programme I'm looking for ? It tells me that certain things were installed after the installation of this programme and that certain things may not work properly if I remove it. So can I remove this and if not, what does this programme do that's beneficial ?
Anyone help ?

 

You can turn off Indexing for drives or specific folders:
1. My Computer, open properties of a drive, and at the bottom un-tick 'Allow Indexing Service to index this disk for fast file searching'.
2. Open the Computer Management console, expand Services and Applications and look in Indexing Service. Here you have a small list of folders you want to index regularly, you can add or remove folders.

 

Yes thanks, but can I remove/delete the whole indexing thing. This didn't used to be on my computer. I may have downloaded it as part of a Windows Update, now I don't want it. So can I safely remove it via 'Add & Remove Programme's' ? And is it called 'Windows Search' there ?
One more thing, where is 'Computer Management Console' ?

 

Yes, its not part of the standard XP install. So go ahead and remove it.

 

Thanks for the info. But there is just one more thing. Will removing it affect anything that was installed after Windows Search/Indexer ?

 

It may add a toolbar to desktop or IE browser but those should disappear anyway when you uninstall. You should be ok.

 

Thanks for your help.