SharePoint 2013 Search: Fixing an Orphaned Search Component

Problem/Scenario
You previously moved a search component (e.g. Query Processing Component) to a web front end (WFE). For other issue resolutions, you needed to disconnect and then reconnect the WFE server to the SharePoint Farm. In reviewing the current Search Topology, there is an issue with the Query Processing Component:

Resolution

Run PowerShell as Administrator and load the SharePoint snap-in
(or run SharePoint 2013 Management Shell as Administrator):

Add-PSSnapin Microsoft.SharePoint.PowerShell -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

Get the Search Service Application and clone the search topology:

# Clone the active search topology
$ssa = Get-SPEnterpriseSearchServiceApplication
$active = Get-SPEnterpriseSearchTopology -SearchApplication $ssa -Active
$clone = New-SPEnterpriseSearchTopology -SearchApplication $ssa -Clone –SearchTopology $active

Issue the following to review the cloned topology:

Get-SPEnterpriseSearchComponent -SearchTopology $clone

Locate the search component (e.g. QueryProcessingComponent) entry with the missing ServerName and copy the ComponentId:

 

 

Remove the component by using the ComponentId above as the -Identity value in the following:

# Remove Orphaned Component
Remove-SPEnterpriseSearchComponent -Identity d8450c12-09a8-4aa4-b824-b709a7a852e0 -SearchTopology $clone -confirm:$false

 

 

Add a new search component component using the respective cmdlet:

# Add New Search Component
$wfe = Get-SPEnterpriseSearchServiceInstance -Identity "<<wfe name here>>"
New-SPEnterpriseSearchQueryProcessingComponent -SearchTopology $clone -SearchServiceInstance $wfe

 

 

Activate the search topology:

# Activate  Search Topology
Set-SPEnterpriseSearchTopology -Identity $clone

 

 

That's it! Refresh the search service application page and life is back to good: