This tells you how to switch it on:
http://vsts-fu.blogspot.com/2009/02/fixing-project-portal-search.html
- the SharePoint Central Administration console link is in Admin Tools
- if the SharePoint Central Administration console won't restart, it's probably the process identity on it's app pool in IIS (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa952804(v=bts.20).aspx)
- if the Windows SharePoint Services Search service won't start, it's probably the LogOn that needs changing (http://technobuff.wordpress.com/2007/11/20/windows-sharepoint-services-search-service-cannot-start/)
- once initially setup, you'll need the indexer to run before search will work!
