windows search without indexing
Is it possible to use windows search as a regular search tool; so without the indexing part? I tried some non microsoft tools, i read this article http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Improve-Windows-searches-using-the-index-frequently-asked-questions and http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd744686(WS.10).aspx, but they still index the files. That means that you wont be able to find youre files when they are not indexed. Correct me when i am wrong. So my question; how can i find my files when they are not yet indexed(just like the old search companion did)
April 19th, 2010 7:31pm

Hi, By default, you should be able to search filenames in non-indexed locations. To search file contents in non-indexed locations tick this option: Control Panel -> Folder Options -> Search Tab -> Always search file names and contents. You should in theory then be able to stop the indexer or remove your indexes and still search for anything, but, of course, it would be very slow. A few people (me included) have reported many issues with searching, so you may or may not find this works as expected. Without the indexer, you might not be able to search file contents for all file types, (i.e., non text formats) I haven't tried that. Cheers, Rob
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April 20th, 2010 7:19am

thanks for the reply. will have a look at it and leet you know.
April 20th, 2010 5:20pm

Also, I have seen that searching tends to not find anything in files (even text format files such as .vbs and .vbproj) if the file extension is not added to the indexing options, regardless of whether or not the location you are searching is actually indexed.
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April 20th, 2010 10:44pm

maybe microsoft should create a search tool thats able of indexing and searching through files. Only Indexing isnt enough; when using multi harddisks and many folders its very hard to keep track of your data and indexing just takes too much time before all the data is available.
April 21st, 2010 9:18pm

Windows 7 Search index it´s so stupid! Why??? Dont work, too slow and with unusable interface!!! Hey MS staff, back Windows XP (without Search Companion) search tool!!!!!
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April 28th, 2010 7:04am

hear, hear :-) actually, i dont know what too use as a search tool now. the search companion worked fine. The search tool isnt; tried some other tools, but they all work crappy. Pitty i am not a programmer cause i think a grat windows search tool woul make me a milionaire.
April 28th, 2010 3:48pm

Rob.Ford's response (currently marked as an answer) is not the answer. The answer is, Windows Explorer and the Search service will never find things you are looking for unless you know in advance that you want them to be found. There is however a few commands that you can use to find things in a Windows file system. The answer to this question is then most properly in the following forum response: http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/winserverfiles/thread/598a6a0f-05ff-4d9d-ace2-6e7f02bc081b The question is entitled "How to Find or Search for files, folders, or contents of files, WITHOUT using an Index (Windows Search Service NOT installed)?"
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April 27th, 2012 3:03pm

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