Search Host Controller Service in "Starting" state (SharePoint 2013)

 

 

On the "Services on Server" page, the "Search Host Controller Service"  in Central Administration showed the status "Starting".

 

Basically, running the following PowerShell as the Farm Admin Account (run as administrator in PowerShell) solves the issue

 

 

function GetOrStartSearchServiceInstance($Server)

{

    $startInstance = $false

    $serverIns = Get-SPEnterpriseSearchServiceInstance -Identity $Server

    if($serverIns -ne $null)

    {

        if($serverIns.Status -ne "Online")

        {

            $startInstance = $true

        }

    }

    else

    {

        $startInstance = $true

    }

    if($startInstance)

    {

        $serverIns = Stop -SPEnterpriseSearchServiceInstance -Identity $serverIns

    }

    return $serverIns

}

 

GetOrStartSearchServiceInstance -Server “<server name>”

 

 

-- after run the same funcion but replacing stop by start and solves the issue