Try searching your email with Google within a browser window. It is wicked fast and smart and always available.
https://mail.google.com --- Most likely you are already logged in
You can search right in the search box or if you want to get fancy with some details like FROM or SIZE....Click on the small arrow.
Still want your Outlook email search to work? Ask your IT person to rebuild the windows index file. He will do it, I heard he's pretty nice.