Abstract: An indexing algorithm executes when a storage medium is coupled to a computing device. An index cache corresponding to the storage medium may exist on the computing device if the storage medium had been previously coupled to the computing device. The index cache includes the files that were stored on the storage medium the last time that the storage medium was coupled to the computing device. If the storage medium has not been modified since the previous coupling to the computing device, files in the index cache are made immediately available to a user without re-indexing any of the files on the storage medium. If the storage medium has been modified since the previous coupling to the computing device, the index cache is synchronized such that the index cache reflects the current state of the storage medium without re-indexing all of the files on the storage medium.