For some reason my “indexing options” link and icon have gone missing from my control panel in Windows Vista. Even typing the name in the start menu search doesn’t make a difference, it has simply disappeared.
Unfortunately, after many hours of searching, I can’t seem to do anything to restore this icon. Luckily though, it’s still possible to run the indexing options control panel, albeit through a command prompt. For those of you that are stuck with the exact same issue, here’s how you get access to the indexing options control panel:
1. Click the Start button and type CMD.
2. When CMD.exe appears in the list, right click and choose “run as administrator”
3. In the command prompt window, type the following “control.exe srchadmin.dll”
4. Hit return and the indexing options control panel should pop up for you!
UPDATE:
Thanks to Dotnetshadow for this!!! 
In regedit go to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Control Panel\Cpls
Add New Expandable String Value (REG_EXPAND_SZ)
Name: SearchAdmin
Value: %SystemRoot%\System32\srchadmin.dll
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#1 by Dotnetshadow at July 2nd, 2009
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I too had this problem, this can be easily solved by regedit:
Go to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Control Panel\Cpls
Add New Expandable String Value (REG_EXPAND_SZ)
Name: SearchAdmin
Value: %SystemRoot%\System32\srchadmin.dll
Open control panel again and the option returns
Hope that helps
#2 by Tom Doyle at July 2nd, 2009
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Dotnetshadow – you’re an absolute genius!!! Worked perfectly!!
Thanks!!
#3 by Pablo at July 14th, 2009
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Thank you very much for the solution.
It worked perfectly.
Still, i don´t know how this happened.
Anyway thanx
#4 by chris at November 27th, 2009
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dotnetshadow…you sir, are an absolute genious. i offer you virtual make believe money and many thanks.
#5 by Jere at February 5th, 2012
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Thanks you ever so much, the reg entry allowed me to get my indexing options back too.
I think using a program like cclean or driver remover is what causes it to disappear.