Annoying behavior of search function in XP

[Larry]

I've recently moved to XP from Windows 98 and when you execute a search in a
Windows folder (by being focused in the folder and pressing F3), the
results, instead of displaying in a separate search box (as in Windows 98),
are displayed in a new folder which replaces the folder you were searching
in. If you want to see the original folder, you need to do Alt+Left, which
means that you move away from the Search results folder.

Is there some way to get around this behavior, so that that the search
results display in their own separate box without interfering with the
folder in which you were searching?

Thanks,
Larry

 

[Bernd]

-------- Original-Nachricht --------

I've recently moved to XP from Windows 98 and when you execute a search in a
Windows folder (by being focused in the folder and pressing F3), the
results, instead of displaying in a separate search box (as in Windows 98),
are displayed in a new folder which replaces the folder you were searching
in. If you want to see the original folder, you need to do Alt+Left, which
means that you move away from the Search results folder.

Is there some way to get around this behavior, so that that the search
results display in their own separate box without interfering with the
folder in which you were searching?

Thanks,
Larry

Don't use the search from the toolbar, use right clicking the folder to
be searched and then search from the context menu.

Bernd

 

[Larry]

Don't use the search from the toolbar, use right clicking the folder to

be searched and then search from the context menu.

Yes, that avoids having the search results folder replace the Windows
folder. But doing it this way requires that before doing the search, you
must exit the folder you want to search, then navigate to the folder icon,
and right click it and then choose Search, compared to just being in a
folder and pressing F3.

Larry

 

[Patrick Keenan]

I've recently moved to XP from Windows 98 and when you execute a search in
a
Windows folder (by being focused in the folder and pressing F3), the
results, instead of displaying in a separate search box (as in Windows
98),
are displayed in a new folder which replaces the folder you were searching
in. If you want to see the original folder, you need to do Alt+Left, which
means that you move away from the Search results folder.

Is there some way to get around this behavior, so that that the search
results display in their own separate box without interfering with the
folder in which you were searching?

Thanks,
Larry

it's worth pointing out that you can get *much* better search results by
installing Agent Ransack.
http://www.mythicsoft.com/agentransack/

HTH
-pk

 

[SC Tom]

it's worth pointing out that you can get *much* better search results by
installing Agent Ransack.
http://www.mythicsoft.com/agentransack/

HTH
-pk

I totally agree. I find it works much better than the default search engines
in XP, Vista, and Win7.

SC Tom

 

[Bernd]

-------- Original-Nachricht --------

Yes, that avoids having the search results folder replace the Windows
folder. But doing it this way requires that before doing the search, you
must exit the folder you want to search, then navigate to the folder icon,
and right click it and then choose Search, compared to just being in a
folder and pressing F3.

Larry

That's not the whole truth ;-)

If you are positioned in Folder A you can navigate through the lefthand
folder tree by using scrolling and/or the +-signs. Then you can
rightclick the folder you want to search. This does NOT change the
position in folder A ! You only have to avoid leftclicking on any folder
in the tree.

Bernd

 

[Larry]

it's worth pointing out that you can get *much* better search results by

I totally agree. I find it works much better than the default search engines
in XP, Vista, and Win7.

Thanks, I guess that's the solution, to get a non-MS search engine that will
work in Windows.

I find the Windows XP search engine, even if you return it to its "classic"
form or whatever, to be over-complicated and a hassle to use. So I will
check out this Agent Ransack.

It was issues like this that made me hold on to Windows 98 for so long.

Larry

 

[Bill in Co.]

Thanks, I guess that's the solution, to get a non-MS search engine that
will
work in Windows.

I find the Windows XP search engine, even if you return it to its
"classic"
form or whatever, to be over-complicated and a hassle to use. So I will
check out this Agent Ransack.

It was issues like this that made me hold on to Windows 98 for so long.

Larry

And/or check out it's big brother, FileLocator Pro (not free, though), which
has much more customability.

I stopped using Windows Search ages ago - it's almost worthless (and not
even as good as the one in Win98). And the fact that it skips certain
types of files means its essentially worthless.

 

[(PeteCresswell)]

Per Bill in Co.:

I stopped using Windows Search ages ago - it's almost worthless (and not
even as good as the one in Win98). And the fact that it skips certain
types of files means its essentially worthless.

This has been an informative thread for me. Been bugged by XP's
"Search" since day 1 when I had to figure out how to get rid of
the Furshlugginer dog..... and it still bugs me to have to step
through the "what kind of search" checkboxes and that the
"Browse" option is buried at the end of the list....

 

[Larry]

The problem with Agent Ransack is that it doesn't have a way of initiating a
search from inside the active folder window. You have to go up one level and
right-click the folder icon. There needs to be a way to initiate a search in
any given folder as easily as it is done with Windows' search tool: you just
press F3, and the search tool opens, focused on the present folder.

I wrote an e-mail to Agent Ransack about it, but the e-mail bounced back:

<[email protected]>
Permanent Failure: 550_#[email protected]
Delivery last attempted at Mon, 9 Nov 2009 09:33:17 -0000

Also, it stuns me that MS had the dog cartoon as the default display for
Find in Windows. But worse is turning a direct, simple Find process, where
you simply type in the item you're looking for and click execute, into a
whole complicated to-do. Also, what XP means by returning to "classic" find
is simply getting rid of the dog, not returning to Find à la Windows 98.

 

[(PeteCresswell)]

Per Larry:

But worse is turning a direct, simple Find process, where
you simply type in the item you're looking for and click execute, into a
whole complicated to-do. Also, what XP means by returning to "classic" find
is simply getting rid of the dog, not returning to Find à la Windows 98.

I ranted about the larger issue of changing familiar
processes/locations/UIs for no apparent reason in new versions of
Windows in another thread.

Seems to me like Microsoft should have a committee or something
that's on the lookout for changes that don't add any value in a
new OS.... but if they do, they sure missed "Search".