NOTE: In my original post, I forgot to include the diagnostic report that was produced by using the diagnostics tool mentioned in other threads where forum members were having problems with the Search tab, so here it is (just so that this thread is complete)...

MJ's Help Report

A common problem with HTML Help 1.x is DLLs not correctly registered during installation. This utility checks all components and registers DLLs if required. We also report if the RoboHelp DLL is registered, and if MS Help 2 components are installed and registered.

After running the report, try running your program again to see if the fault has cleared.

General Info

Report EXE:                C:\DOCUME~1\LMCKEN~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\Temporary Directory 1 for MJsDiag.zip\MJsDiag.exe
Report Run Date:           7/21/2011 11:14:07 AM
Report EXE Version:        2.7.2.0
Download URL:              http://helpware.net/downloads/

Operating System:           Windows NT 5.1.2600
SysLocale.DefaultLCID:      0x0409 (1033)
SysLocale.PriLangID:        0x0009 (9)
SysLocale.SubLangID:        0x0001 (1)
DecimalSeparator:           .

HH Installed:               YES
HH Version:                 5.2.3790.4110
HH Friendly Version:        > 1.4a

H2 Installed:               NO
H2 Version:                 

IE Installed:               YES
IE Version:                 6.0.2900.5880
IE Friendly Version:        Internet Explorer 6 (Windows XP SP2)

NT Administrator

NT Admin Check: Current user has full administor privileges: YES

HTML Help Run-time Components

File Registered OK: C:\WINDOWS\system32\hhctrl.ocx (Version: 5.2.3790.4110)
File Registered OK: C:\WINDOWS\system32\itss.dll (Version: 5.2.3790.4186)
File Registered OK: C:\WINDOWS\system32\itircl.dll (Version: 5.2.3790.2453)

File Found: C:\WINDOWS\system32\hhctrl.ocx
     Version = 5.2.3790.4110
     Registry Info: {adb880a6-d8ff-11cf-9377-00aa003b7a11}
       ClassName = HHCtrl Object
       InProcServer32 = C:\WINDOWS\system32\hhctrl.ocx
       ProgID = Internet.HHCtrl.1
     DLL is Found and Registered OK = YES

File Found: C:\WINDOWS\system32\itss.dll
     Version = 5.2.3790.4186
     Registry Info: {5D02926A-212E-11D0-9DF9-00A0C922E6EC}
       ClassName = Microsoft InfoTech IStorage System
       InProcServer32 = C:\WINDOWS\system32\itss.dll
       ProgID = MSITFS1.0
     DLL is Found and Registered OK = YES

File Found: C:\WINDOWS\system32\itircl.dll
     Version = 5.2.3790.2453
     Registry Info: {4662DAA5-D393-11D0-9A56-00C04FB68BF7}
       ClassName = 
       InProcServer32 = C:\WINDOWS\system32\itircl.dll
       ProgID = ITIR.WordWheelBuild.4
     DLL is Found and Registered OK = YES


For HH Version Info See: http://helpware.net/htmlhelp/hh_info.htm

HTML Help 1.x Registry Settings

Description: If present this Key can disable HH Shortcuts and HH WinHelp commands on the local PC
Reference: KB 810687, KB 323180

  Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System\
  Value: HelpQualifiedRootDir (string value) = 
  -> Report: Policy is not enabled. HH Shortcuts are not restricted on local machine.

Description: This key can be used to enable Hhctrl.ocx ActiveX Visual controls on servers
Reference: KB 892675

  Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\HTMLHelp\1.x\HHRestrictions
  Value: UrlAllowList (string value) = 
  Value: MaxAllowedZone (string value) = 
  -> Report: Settings reported for information only.

Description: This key allows MS programs such as iexplore.exe to open ITS file that do not have a .CHM file extension
Reference: KB 873343

  Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\HTMLHelp\1.x\HelpRestrictions\AllowedExtensions
  -> Report: No special file extensions have been enabled on this PC.

Description: This key can be used to allow access to remote ITS files
Reference: Win 2003 SP1, KB 896054

  Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\HTMLHelp\1.x\ItssRestrictions
  Value: UrlAllowList (string value) = 
  Value: MaxAllowedZone (string value) = 
  Value: NestedProtocolList (string value) = 
  -> Report: Settings reported for information only.

For HH Registry Info See: http://helpware.net/htmlhelp/hh_info.htm#hh14

HTML Help 1.x Workshop Components

*** HH Workshop not found or not installed correctly. Try reinstalling.

File Registered OK: C:\Program Files\itcc.dll (Version: 4.72.7277.0)
File Found: C:\WINDOWS\system32\hha.dll (Version: 4.74.8702.0)

KeyHelp OCX by Keyworks.net - KeyHelp.ocx

     Detecting KeyHelp.ocx by looking for the IKeyPopup interface
     Registration Info: {1E57C6C4-B069-11D3-8D43-00104B138C8C}
       Version = 1.1.2200.0
       ClassName = KeyPopup Class
       InProcServer32 = C:\WINDOWS\system32\Keyhelp.ocx
       ProgID = KeyHelp.KeyPopup.1
     Dll Found and Registered = YES

For More Info See: http://keyworks.net/

RoboHelp DLL by eHelp/Macromedia - HHActiveX.dll

     Registration Info: {399CB6C4-7312-11D2-B4D9-00105A0422DF}
       Version = 9.0.0.228
       ClassName = HHComponentActivator Class
       InProcServer32 = C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe RoboHelp 9\RoboHTML\HHActiveX.dll
       ProgID = HHActiveX.HHComponentActivator.1
     Dll Found and Registered = YES

For More Info See: http://www.macromedia.com/

MS Help 2 Run-time Components

     *** MS Help 2 NOT installed on this PC

The ANSWER was that I had checked the "Exclude From Search" checkbox in the Topic Properties window for all 8 topics that are in this project! Silly me. I thought that the checkbox was referring to excluding my name in the "Author" field, and possibly excluding the text I entered for "Keywords", but I didn't realize that the checkbox meant that the entire page would be excluded from the Search! This checkbox is a bit confusing...I think it should be labeled "Exclude Topic From Search" - just adding one word would have clearly indicated to me what the checkbox was for!