win7 search is slowly making me insane
I'm simply trying to do this: search the contents of ALL files in a particular directory for string "xyz" NOW, without the index! I'm searching for a string that I know exists and it's finding 0 files. Because my files have no extension I believe the index isn't including them.I guess I'd like to completely disable the search index and just force win7 to always search everything. I don't want to have to manage the file extensions and the directories and all that hogwash.Win7 should not assume we are all technically challenged and need an index. I usually only have a few directories I need to search and that's easily accomplished without an index.Please tell me this is possible.
February 26th, 2010 2:21am

Perhaps you can disable Windows Search in the Programs and Features control panel, and that will force it to search the 'slow' way. Before you do though... to search by filename, try typing this into the search box: filename:"xyz" This is the same as *xyz* in XP, but 7 doesn't need the asterisks. If this was helpful, please vote by clicking the green triangle. If it solves the issue, click Propose as Answer. Thanks!
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February 26th, 2010 4:09am

Hi,I am sorry to say Windows 7 search won't index contents of files without extension. You may need to disable windows search as a workaround.
February 26th, 2010 11:28am

If you could search from XP multiboot, I wonder if it would work as well as it does in XP? I used to defrag Vista with XP because it was far better.
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February 26th, 2010 3:26pm

Good idea but this didn't work. I unchecked "windows search" and verified that "indexing" was still unchecked. After a reboot I'm no longer able to search at all! From windows explorer there is no more search bar (top right) and right clicking on a folder doesn't have a "search" option, like in XP. So there's no apparent way to even start a search.However, the biggest side effect of this change was unexpectedly losing search capability from the Windows Start button. I use it like crazy in win7 to find programs and tools, and now it's gone.
February 26th, 2010 8:49pm

Wow I had no idea it was that tightly integrated. Does leaving it on but using the filename filter help you find the results you expect? (I'd die without the Start menu search for programs and control panels... if I could get my company to upgrade from XP, that'd be my #1 selling point). If this was helpful, please vote by clicking the green triangle. If it solves the issue, click Propose as Answer. Thanks!
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February 27th, 2010 1:46am

I have utterly and completely disabled indexing in all the ways I can find, and I can still search for things. It searches the file contents right now, and it seems just as fast to search the Start Menu as ever.That's not to say it finds everything. Windows Search is simply broken. For better odds of finding what you're looking for you will need to install a 3rd party search tool. The good news is there are some dynamite free ones around.Please see this thread:http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en/w7itproui/thread/ecbecc00-f3e7-429f-87cd-8900fc313addIt's a long thread, but down a ways I list my settings and also an alternative freeware search tool called grepWin that actually works.Good luck.-Noel
February 27th, 2010 9:30am

Try this to check if it can workaround this issue:Adding a new file type to Indexing Options -> Advanced -> File Types. I went to "Add extension to list" and typed a single space. This seems to create a file type with a blank extension. I set it to "Index Properties and File Contents" and it is listed as using "Plain Text Filter".
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March 1st, 2010 1:42pm

Thanks Noel.GrepWin is the answer: http://tools.tortoisesvn.net/grepWina non-intrusive tool that doesn't index and JUST PLAIN FINDS THE F'ING FILES & CONTENTS, PERIOD!I'm done with win7 search and will NEVER spend another hour 1) investigating whether my particular file has the right extension2) checking wither indexing is on or off and whether my dir is in the index list3) checking folder permissions to make sure they can be searchedThinks I'll have myself a beer today at lunch in celebration :)c
March 1st, 2010 8:35pm

Open windows explorer, orgernization, folder options, under search tab, enable the second one to search content
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March 9th, 2010 5:32am

Oh, if only it were that simple, Magon. That makes it better, but it still misses things.-Noel
March 9th, 2010 12:29pm

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