Mail search won't search Entire Message

When I type anything into the search bar in mail, and have it select to search Entire Message, it won't find anything. Even if I only type 2 characters, it won't find it.
In the SpotLight System Preference, I tried adding the whole drive to the privacy pane and then removing it.

I had this problem too - I can't believe that now at 10.5.8, Apple STILL haven't sorted this out.
I have eventually managed to get search back again (don't want to speak too soon though). Among other things, I did mdimport ~/Library/Mail following the advice in http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=5934412#5934412. However, I don't know if this actually had any particular effect, as Spotlight seemed to start a new index run after I had done this (which presumably would override the effects of the specific import).
I have tried most things mentioned - rebuild mailbox, delete Envelope Index after quitting Mail, all sorts of variants of turning Spotlight or different volumes to be indexed or not on or off.
I have not tried (because I don't think they are likely to have any effect) deleting the preferences, switching off and on again, resetting PRAM etc.
I have tried searching for duplicate Mail copies, and searching for .metadataneverindex and disk utility checking permissions on the volumes and manually on the mail folders, and checking by looking that the mail folders are not packages, but come on, I don't think any of these are likely.
Personally, I think it was the virgin sacrifice that fixed it.

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