Prevent Windows search from searching network mapped drives
I would like to restrict access to network drives by Windows Search. When i make a search and select 'Computer', the mapped drives are also taken into account, which i do not want. Note that i know the content is not being indexed, and i double checked that this is not allowed. however, i don't want that a local search ends up looking on the network for files. Is there a way to avoid this ? On a similar topic, does one know the registry path for the setting "Don't use the index when searching in file folders for system files" ? This setting makes searching for system files work (nothing else seems to do the trick) and i would like to set it as default. thanks in advance bruno
August 2nd, 2010 6:13pm

Hi Bruno, I’m afraid it is hard to rewrite the registry for your setting “ jest don't use the index when searching in file folders for system files”. But you can try to these following steps to prevent searching special type of files (*.dll, *.NLS etc. ): Start-----Control panel-----Indexing Options-----Advanced-----File Types Hope it will helpful to you.
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August 5th, 2010 5:33am

Hi I am a bit surprised as how those forums are automatically set to Answered. The answer is far from any valid workaround that could be implemented. The 'don't use the index when searching in file folders for system files' does not come from nowhere, this is a checkbox so the default value must be stored somewhere, althouth maybe not in the registry. the workaround to disable searching for certain files on the network also applies locally, so this is NOT a workaround. [I guess the search feature is so limited in functionality and /or effectiveness that most people in those forums have just turned it off.] I will open a call directly to Ms support and see if the search is really broken in 7 or if there is still hope... (having users search the network by default when they search their computer is simply stupid and should be at the very least configurable via GPO. Otherwise this 'feature' has no place in an enterprise environment). bruno
August 11th, 2010 11:17am

Hi Bruno, Have you received any answer from Microsoft regarding 'users searching network drives by default when searching my computer' in the meantime? We face the same issues with our XP clients (will migrate to 7 starting next year) taking up a lot of bandwith on the wan link connecting to other sites. Thanks,
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December 2nd, 2010 7:40am

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