1
Diagnostic step 1
Check and record current ACLs and owners for C:\Users (junction) and D:\Users (target) using icacls; avoid bulk ACL resets until backup of ACLs is taken.
FULL AI ANALYSIS
Windows 11 Search returns no results after relocating C:\Users to D:\Users with directory junctions
Generated Oct 3, 2026, 12:35:03 AM
Analysis summary
Event log entries reporting 'Access is denied' for the D:\Users path despite file-level access indicate Windows Search's indexing process lacks the required rights to traverse the junction target or that it treats reparse/junctions as excluded. Directory junctions for system profile folders are not fully equivalent to native profiles, and WSearch may run in a reduced context that cannot follow junctions or may be blocked by the Windows Resource Protection or Controlled Folder Access. The fact a newly created profile on C: indexes normally and that adding explicit ACLs didn't help suggests the search service treats the reparse point as outside of its allowed scope or that the junctioning method broke some security identifiers expected by Search.
Possible causes
Windows Search service sandbox or service account cannot follow directory junctions pointing user profiles to another volume, resulting in access-denied behaviors.
80%Missing or mismatched Owner/ACL/SID entries on D:\Users that prevent indexing from resolving SDDL expected for profile directories.
45%Windows security features (Controlled Folder Access / Windows Defender Exploit Protection) blocking indexing of mounted volume or reparse points.
25%Index database path on C: conflicting with indexing targets on a different physical volume when system profile expectations are violated by junctions.
10%Suggested fixes
2
Diagnostic step 2
Temporarily add the WSearch service account (NT SERVICE\WSearch) full read/list rights to D:\Users and a test file and restart WSearch to see if indexing resumes for that folder.
3
Diagnostic step 3
Create a symbolic link (mklink /D) or relocate only specific indexed folders (Documents, Desktop) using Known Folders redirection through registry/profile settings rather than directory junctioning system-wide; test indexing behavior.
4
Diagnostic step 4
Review Controlled Folder Access and Windows Defender settings; add an exclusion for WSearch or for the D: volume temporarily while diagnosing.
5
Diagnostic step 5
If reversible checks above fail, consider creating a new user profile on D: using Windows-supported folder relocation (ProfileList/ProfileImagePath) or official Known Folder Move methods; escalate to Microsoft support if enterprise policies or WIM-imaging constraints appear involved.