I'm often frustrated by Vista's search capabilities.
What are the best alternatives?

Thanks

Onlooker wrote:
> I'm often frustrated by Vista's search capabilities. What are the best
> alternatives?

Google desktop?

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"Onlooker" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote ...
> I'm often frustrated by Vista's search capabilities. What are the best
> alternatives?

I desparately want Windows' built-in Search facility to work well. But at
present, it is too unreliable to, uh .. rely on. Plus it doesn't search
network shares, only local drives; so for anyone who keeps docs on a file
server it is functionally useless (even WDS 3.01 on XP could search shares).

I am using Google Desktop Search and it works perfectly for me. If/when
Windows Desktop Search becomes usable again, I will switch back, but for
now, it's Google.

Remember to disable the Windows Search service, while you are using a 3rd
party Search solution. Otherwise you'll have 2 search engines running side
by side! In the Services MMC, Set Windows Search to "Disabled", not just
"Manual"; otherwise it is likely to start of its own accord.

Once Windows Search can search network shares, and can reliably find
documents on local disks, I will start using it again. It has teh potential
to be a great search solution.

--
Andrew McLaren
amclar (at) optusnet dot com dot au

* Andrew McLaren:
> "Onlooker" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote ...
>> I'm often frustrated by Vista's search capabilities. What are the best
>> alternatives?
>
> I desparately want Windows' built-in Search facility to work well. But at
> present, it is too unreliable to, uh .. rely on. Plus it doesn't search
> network shares, only local drives; so for anyone who keeps docs on a file
> server it is functionally useless (even WDS 3.01 on XP could search shares).
>
> I am using Google Desktop Search and it works perfectly for me. If/when
> Windows Desktop Search becomes usable again, I will switch back, but for
> now, it's Google.
>
> Remember to disable the Windows Search service, while you are using a 3rd
> party Search solution. Otherwise you'll have 2 search engines running side
> by side! In the Services MMC, Set Windows Search to "Disabled", not just
> "Manual"; otherwise it is likely to start of its own accord.
>
> Once Windows Search can search network shares, and can reliably find
> documents on local disks, I will start using it again. It has teh potential
> to be a great search solution.

Andrew,

I thought after mapping a network drive, Vista's search could index it.

I just looked in my Indexing Options and my network drives are
listed as options.


-Michael

* MICHAEL:
> * Andrew McLaren:
>> "Onlooker" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote ...
>>> I'm often frustrated by Vista's search capabilities. What are the best
>>> alternatives?
>> I desparately want Windows' built-in Search facility to work well. But at
>> present, it is too unreliable to, uh .. rely on. Plus it doesn't search
>> network shares, only local drives; so for anyone who keeps docs on a file
>> server it is functionally useless (even WDS 3.01 on XP could search shares).
>>
>> I am using Google Desktop Search and it works perfectly for me. If/when
>> Windows Desktop Search becomes usable again, I will switch back, but for
>> now, it's Google.
>>
>> Remember to disable the Windows Search service, while you are using a 3rd
>> party Search solution. Otherwise you'll have 2 search engines running side
>> by side! In the Services MMC, Set Windows Search to "Disabled", not just
>> "Manual"; otherwise it is likely to start of its own accord.
>>
>> Once Windows Search can search network shares, and can reliably find
>> documents on local disks, I will start using it again. It has teh potential
>> to be a great search solution.
>
> Andrew,
>
> I thought after mapping a network drive, Vista's search could index it.
>
> I just looked in my Indexing Options and my network drives are
> listed as options.

Also, in my "Advanced Options", there is a "Add UNC Location".

Hmm... I wonder if I did something way back to add that. I've been
using Vista for so long, I don't remember if that's there by default.


-Michael

* MICHAEL:
> * MICHAEL:
>> * Andrew McLaren:
>>> "Onlooker" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote ...
>>>> I'm often frustrated by Vista's search capabilities. What are the best alternatives?
>>> I desparately want Windows' built-in Search facility to work well. But at present, it is
>>> too unreliable to, uh .. rely on. Plus it doesn't search network shares, only local
>>> drives; so for anyone who keeps docs on a file server it is functionally useless (even
>>> WDS 3.01 on XP could search shares).
>>>
>>> I am using Google Desktop Search and it works perfectly for me. If/when Windows Desktop
>>> Search becomes usable again, I will switch back, but for now, it's Google.
>>>
>>> Remember to disable the Windows Search service, while you are using a 3rd party Search
>>> solution. Otherwise you'll have 2 search engines running side by side! In the Services
>>> MMC, Set Windows Search to "Disabled", not just "Manual"; otherwise it is likely to
>>> start of its own accord.
>>>
>>> Once Windows Search can search network shares, and can reliably find documents on local
>>> disks, I will start using it again. It has teh potential to be a great search solution.
>> Andrew,
>>
>> I thought after mapping a network drive, Vista's search could index it.
>>
>> I just looked in my Indexing Options and my network drives are listed as options.
>
> Also, in my "Advanced Options", there is a "Add UNC Location".
>
> Hmm... I wonder if I did something way back to add that. I've been using Vista for so long,
> I don't remember if that's there by default.

Okay- I see now. I reckon I used the below download at some point
on my machines.

http://gallery.live.com/liveItemDeta...e2d948f2fa&l=3

The Windows Desktop Search add-in for Files on Microsoft Networks is a protocol handler that
indexes shared network directories and shared FAT drives. This add-in uses Windows Desktop
Search 3.0 and later versions of Windows Desktop Search. This add-in lets you easily locate,
and search the contents of, these shared network locations.


-Michael

dzomlija wrote:
> Onlooker;506114 Wrote:
>> I'm often frustrated by Vista's search capabilities. What are the best
>> alternatives?
>>
>> Thanks
>
> What is causing your frustrations with Vista search? Perhaps we can
> help resolve your problem?
>
> Untill Vista SP1 is released, I wouldn't recommend using a third-party
> search tool, such as Google Search. Third-Party search tools do not
> disable the Vista Search engine when they are installed, and you'll
> experience performance degradation as a result of two search programs
> competing for system resources. This performance penalty can in some
> cases be rather severe.
>
> Vista Service Pack 1, due in the first half of 2008, will allow you to
> turn off Vista Search yourself, allowing you to use third-party tools.
>
> But again, I must ask what your problem is regarding Vista Search?
> Perhaps we can help. Vista Search is amoung my Top 10 Favourite Vista
> Features, and I've found it to be better than Google Search or Nero
> Scout.
>
>

Well, in this thread is a possible answer; a patch to
permit searching of network files. However, I also
dislike the visual presentation.

Therefore, I've disabled Vista Search (Services.msc) and
installed Copernic. We'll see.

Thanks!

I find Vista's search to be really helpful for me. It was worth taking some
time to learn its features and options. Here are some useful web sites
concerning Vista's search:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/932989
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/des.../advanced.mspx
http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Win...02ec61033.mspx
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/69...ons.html?ltr=I

"Onlooker" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:fgrotk$c6o$(E-Mail Removed)...
> I'm often frustrated by Vista's search capabilities. What are the best
> alternatives?
>
> Thanks

Another vote for Copernic. I've tried Google, WDS 3.01 and always fine
myself coming back to Copernic. It just works.

"notaguru" wrote:

> dzomlija wrote:
> > Onlooker;506114 Wrote:
> >> I'm often frustrated by Vista's search capabilities. What are the best
> >> alternatives?
> >>
> >> Thanks
> >
> > What is causing your frustrations with Vista search? Perhaps we can
> > help resolve your problem?
> >
> > Untill Vista SP1 is released, I wouldn't recommend using a third-party
> > search tool, such as Google Search. Third-Party search tools do not
> > disable the Vista Search engine when they are installed, and you'll
> > experience performance degradation as a result of two search programs
> > competing for system resources. This performance penalty can in some
> > cases be rather severe.
> >
> > Vista Service Pack 1, due in the first half of 2008, will allow you to
> > turn off Vista Search yourself, allowing you to use third-party tools.
> >
> > But again, I must ask what your problem is regarding Vista Search?
> > Perhaps we can help. Vista Search is amoung my Top 10 Favourite Vista
> > Features, and I've found it to be better than Google Search or Nero
> > Scout.
> >
> >
>
> Well, in this thread is a possible answer; a patch to
> permit searching of network files. However, I also
> dislike the visual presentation.
>
> Therefore, I've disabled Vista Search (Services.msc) and
> installed Copernic. We'll see.
>
> Thanks!
>

Your kidding right ? Don't install a 3rd party search ? You can turn off the
POS Search in vista then Install anything you want.



"dzomlija" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> Onlooker;506114 Wrote:
>> I'm often frustrated by Vista's search capabilities. What are the best
>> alternatives?
>>
>> Thanks
>
> What is causing your frustrations with Vista search? Perhaps we can
> help resolve your problem?
>
> Untill Vista SP1 is released, I wouldn't recommend using a third-party
> search tool, such as Google Search. Third-Party search tools do not
> disable the Vista Search engine when they are installed, and you'll
> experience performance degradation as a result of two search programs
> competing for system resources. This performance penalty can in some
> cases be rather severe.
>
> Vista Service Pack 1, due in the first half of 2008, will allow you to
> turn off Vista Search yourself, allowing you to use third-party tools.
>
> But again, I must ask what your problem is regarding Vista Search?
> Perhaps we can help. Vista Search is amoung my Top 10 Favourite Vista
> Features, and I've found it to be better than Google Search or Nero
> Scout.
>
>
> --
> dzomlija
>
> ____________________________________
> Peter Alexander Dzomlija
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