Disable Spotlight in 10.6?

Deadeye_ · 09-06-2009, 05:53 AM

Hello does any one now how to disable Spotlight in Snow Leopard using Terminal? I now how to disable in Leopard but in Snow Leopard can't.

benwiggy · 09-06-2009, 09:32 AM

Can I ask why you would want to disable it?
Spotlight is much quicker at indexing in SL, so doesn't cause the slowdown that Leopard had. It's also got better search capabilities, defaults, yada, yada, yada.

It might be worth your giving it another go under 10.6.

What do you use to search with instead?

vanakaru · 09-06-2009, 01:34 PM

I used to hate spotlight that never finds anything. So you say it is different with SL.
I use EasyFind that has not failed me jet.

Deadeye_ · 09-11-2009, 02:47 AM

Im also using EasyFind, i whant to stop spotlight so that it stops indexing my portable HDD's, but if you say it is less lagy maybe i give it a try

Hal Itosis · 09-11-2009, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deadeye_


	stops indexing my portable HDD's

See if this simple method still works in SL: linky

09-13-2009, 04:01 PM

To turn Spotlight Indexing OFF in MAC OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard

sudo mdutil -a -i off

To turn Spotlight Indexing [COLOR="rgb(139, 0, 0)"]ON[/COLOR] in MAC OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard

sudo mdutil -a -i on

polymorpheus · 10-11-2009, 02:30 PM

@Hal
Spotlight is no longer launched/controlled via LaunchAgents or LaunchDaemons. Which is why you have to turn off indexing via niallm1 method.

However, turning off mdutil indexing does not disable spotlight, it merely turns off indexing, and only of those volumes attached at that time. Introduce a new volume and its at it again. And it appears as though if you were to remove and mount the drive again, it will start indexing again.

@benwiggy
If you connect a new volume, it indexes away. Which if you have a failing drive could be catastrophic. It may mean the difference between having the drive mount and recovering some data. Is that a one off scenario, absolutely. But still valid.

There are always good reasons for any of this stuff, just as Apple has a good reason to turn on Spotlight, I have just as equally good reason to turn it off.

I posted a similar but more directed question here: http://forums.macosxhints.com/showthread.php?t=106144 but have unfortunately come up dry thus far. Maybe by cross referencing we can get more traffic.

Heres to hoping.

09-06-2009, 05:53 AM	#1
Deadeye_ Prospect Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 6	Disable Spotlight in 10.6? Hello does any one now how to disable Spotlight in Snow Leopard using Terminal? I now how to disable in Leopard but in Snow Leopard can't.

09-13-2009, 04:01 PM	#6
niallm1 Guest Posts: n/a	How to Disable and Enable Spotlight Indexing in MAC OS X 10.6 SNOW LEOPARD To turn Spotlight Indexing OFF in MAC OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard sudo mdutil -a -i off To turn Spotlight Indexing [COLOR="rgb(139, 0, 0)"]ON[/COLOR] in MAC OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard sudo mdutil -a -i on

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09-06-2009, 09:32 AM	#2
benwiggy League Commissioner Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 5,039	Can I ask why you would want to disable it? Spotlight is much quicker at indexing in SL, so doesn't cause the slowdown that Leopard had. It's also got better search capabilities, defaults, yada, yada, yada. It might be worth your giving it another go under 10.6. What do you use to search with instead?

09-06-2009, 01:34 PM	#3
vanakaru All Star Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 610	I used to hate spotlight that never finds anything. So you say it is different with SL. I use EasyFind that has not failed me jet.

09-11-2009, 02:47 AM	#4
Deadeye_ Prospect Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 6	Im also using EasyFind, i whant to stop spotlight so that it stops indexing my portable HDD's, but if you say it is less lagy maybe i give it a try

10-11-2009, 02:30 PM	#7
polymorpheus Prospect Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 2	@Hal Spotlight is no longer launched/controlled via LaunchAgents or LaunchDaemons. Which is why you have to turn off indexing via niallm1 method. However, turning off mdutil indexing does not disable spotlight, it merely turns off indexing, and only of those volumes attached at that time. Introduce a new volume and its at it again. And it appears as though if you were to remove and mount the drive again, it will start indexing again. @benwiggy If you connect a new volume, it indexes away. Which if you have a failing drive could be catastrophic. It may mean the difference between having the drive mount and recovering some data. Is that a one off scenario, absolutely. But still valid. There are always good reasons for any of this stuff, just as Apple has a good reason to turn on Spotlight, I have just as equally good reason to turn it off. I posted a similar but more directed question here: http://forums.macosxhints.com/showthread.php?t=106144 but have unfortunately come up dry thus far. Maybe by cross referencing we can get more traffic. Heres to hoping.