I want to search a word inside files. A very simple task but Windows 7 cannot handle it. First I enable "search inside files": Then I search in a folder full of *.php files (simple text files) but Windows 7 shows no results although many files contain my search term. Please don't start an irrelevant discussion about indexing... I love Windows 7 but its a shame that it cannot handle this simple task. Windows XP can do this with 2 clicks.

HiYou can try a little prog like " Locate32 " and i found an older prog wich seems to work perfect on Win 7 and it's called " AgentRansack ".http://www.mythicsoft.com/agentransack/default.aspxhttp://www.locate32.net/Both are small progs and freeware.

Thanks but I already have a 3rd party prog called Total Commander. That is not the point. The thing is, there is a high-end search function in our super-duper Windows 7 and it can't even handle a simple find in files task?

Total Commander.The thing is, there is a high-end search function in our super-duperWindows 7 and it can't even handle a simple find in files task? Total Commander is a very good utility and is around for many years.We all know Win7 can't find files , but there's nothing we can do about it .Complaint is all we can do and hopefully MS will give us our good working search function back.

Well I hope when Microsoft has finished flooding our TV with promotion videos they will come down to earth and make the search function usable. It's unbelievable... the number one operating system world wide can't "find in files".

Using windows explorer; from the left side select the folder you want to search. Then in the upper right hand corner (search box) enter what you would like to search for, lets say "test" At first windows will search for all files that have "test" as part of the file name, but if you SCROLL to the bottom of the search results you can see the following: Search again in: Libraries / Computer / Custom / Internet / File Contents Click on File Contents and it will perform a search within the files for the keyword "test".

So if I want to start searching text in files I have to perform two searches? I tried that and it is too slow. I rather use third party software that is able to find what W7 or Vista can't

.php text file is not supported by Windows Search. Supported: doc, dot, htm, html, mht, one, rtf, txt, xml http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/desktopsearch/technicalresources/filetypes.mspx

PHP files are not enabled by default, however you can edit the Indexing Options : Start > start typing: "Index" click "Indexing Options" From the Indexing Options dialog, press "Advanced" then go to "File Types" Scroll down to the .php file type (assuming you associated it with something) Change the radio button to "Index Properties and File Contents " (the "Filter Description" in the list will change to "Plain text filter") After clicking OK your index will be rebuilt (this takes quite a while) I will come back and post if I can finally find in files after completing re-indexing.

Well I just tested searching... results VARY. sadly the query: name: *.php contents: [your contents query here] seems to work, but only finds "whole words" so it's next to useless

Fuggedaboutit. Win7 search is a dog. I wasted an hour trying to find a solution online. There isn't one. It just doesn't work. ArcticBloom is totally right. I hit this forum because Win7 search can't find text inside a Publisher 2010 (.pub) file. Is MSFT kidding, or what? I took Arctic's tip and downloaded Agent Ransack. It gets good reviews, runs like a flash, and works phenomenally. I don't care what MSFT does next with search. I found my solution. Thanks, ArcticBloom, for the tip on Ransack. It even comes in a 64-bit version. Like I said, Ransack is outstanding. And it's free. But I'm so happy that now I can search files, I will probably spring the few bucks for the Pro version. (If you go into Win7 Index Options, Advanced, you can set search to index the contents of .pub files. But why bother? Ransack finds files instantly without indexing.)