Anomolies in XP "Search files & Folders"

  • Thread starter Thread starter David H. Lipman
  • Start date Start date
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David H. Lipman

For all the improvements in XP, the "Search Files & Folders" capability is step down. I
have found it fails to find files, it gives up w/o looking as if it already determined the
object of search was not found and the GUI is worthless.

I have tried *all* preferences and configuration settings but it fails to work properly. I
have a network drive mapped as drive "L:" with GB's of; PDF, PPT, DOC, MDB and other
standard office file formats. In Win2K the "Search Files & Folders" capability properly
searches through the tree and finds the files desired. In Win2K you can even search
multiple drives by using a construct such as -> P: ; L: In WinXP it doesn't like that
syntax.

Here's the real enigma. During the process of upgrading users from Win2K to WinXP, I
experimented with different restoration profile scenarios. I use Enterprise Ghost and
image the Win2K platform. I would then restore the WinXP image to the platform, run the
mini-setup wizard and configure the platform for the end-user. I would then copy the Ghost
image to the WinXP platform then extract data from the Ghost image to their respective
destination locations. In one experiment, I extracted the Win2K NTUSER.DAT { "C:\Documents
and Settings\End-User\NTUSER.DAT" }. The interesting result was that the "Search Files &
Folders" function of Win2K was fully functional on the WinXP platform. That is the GUI and
capabilities were exactly as if it was running on a Win2K OS but was actually on a WinXP
platform.

This leads me to believe all the capabilities and the GUI for the "Search Files & Folders"
are all stored in HKEY_CURRENT_USER.

The questions are...
Where in HKEY_CURRENT_USER ?
What changes can be made on a WinXP platform in HKEY_CURRENT_USER to make the capabilities
and the GUI for the "Search Files & Folders" be the same as in Win2K.

Dave
 
For all the improvements in XP, the "Search Files & Folders" capability is step down. I
have found it fails to find files, it gives up w/o looking as if it already determined the
object of search was not found and the GUI is worthless.

I have tried *all* preferences and configuration settings but it fails to work properly. I
have a network drive mapped as drive "L:" with GB's of; PDF, PPT, DOC, MDB and other
standard office file formats. In Win2K the "Search Files & Folders" capability properly
searches through the tree and finds the files desired. In Win2K you can even search
multiple drives by using a construct such as -> P: ; L: In WinXP it doesn't like that
syntax.

Here's the real enigma. During the process of upgrading users from Win2K to WinXP, I
experimented with different restoration profile scenarios. I use Enterprise Ghost and
image the Win2K platform. I would then restore the WinXP image to the platform, run the
mini-setup wizard and configure the platform for the end-user. I would then copy the Ghost
image to the WinXP platform then extract data from the Ghost image to their respective
destination locations. In one experiment, I extracted the Win2K NTUSER.DAT { "C:\Documents
and Settings\End-User\NTUSER.DAT" }. The interesting result was that the "Search Files &
Folders" function of Win2K was fully functional on the WinXP platform. That is the GUI and
capabilities were exactly as if it was running on a Win2K OS but was actually on a WinXP
platform.

This leads me to believe all the capabilities and the GUI for the "Search Files & Folders"
are all stored in HKEY_CURRENT_USER.

The questions are...
Where in HKEY_CURRENT_USER ?
What changes can be made on a WinXP platform in HKEY_CURRENT_USER to make the capabilities
and the GUI for the "Search Files & Folders" be the same as in Win2K.

Dave
Click to expand...
There are definitely some weirdnesses with XP's search tool.
Take a look at this post. It contains some options and advice from
kelly.
http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=#[email protected]&output=gplain

Dave
 
Thanx for the referral but...not helpful.

Dave



| There are definitely some weirdnesses with XP's search tool.
| Take a look at this post. It contains some options and advice from
| kelly.
|
http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=#[email protected]&output=gplain
|
| Dave
Click to expand...
Well there's this, but I don't kow if it has the stuff you
want : HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Search Assistant

Also there's this from Doug Knox who talks about a registry
tweak to make XP's search behave like the old classic search:
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&selm=O3OKyljzBHA.1372@tkmsftngp02


Dave
 
You need to go to "classic" search mode (to search file or text inside a
file).

To change Preference Setting to classic mode:

1. click Start / Search
2. click "Change Preferences"
3. click "Without Animated Characters"
4. click "Change Preferences"
5. click "Change Files and Folders Search Behavior"
6. click "Advanced...includes options to manually
enter search criterias"
7. click OK
 
I did all that. Without stating this explicitly, it is what I meant when I stated "I have
tried *all* preferences and configuration settings but it fails to work properly."

Thanx Dan...
Dave




| You need to go to "classic" search mode (to search file or text inside a
| file).
|
| To change Preference Setting to classic mode:
|
| 1. click Start / Search
| 2. click "Change Preferences"
| 3. click "Without Animated Characters"
| 4. click "Change Preferences"
| 5. click "Change Files and Folders Search Behavior"
| 6. click "Advanced...includes options to manually
| enter search criterias"
| 7. click OK
| ---
| ----------------------
| "David H. Lipman" <[email protected]>
| wrote in message | >
| > There are definitely some weirdnesses with XP's search tool.
| >
|
|
 
I gave up on the native Windows XP Search For Files or Folders quickly. I use the FREE
search utility Agent Ransack. It's faster, and searches using any criteria that I've
needed. (wild cards, by extension, and yes, it will also search for text in the body of
files, and by other criteria) You can download Agent Ransack (again it's FREE, not
shareware) at:

http://www.mythicsoft.com/agentransack/download.aspx

I put a shortcut for Agent Ransack on my Start menu, and will never use the native Windows
Search For Files or Folders utility again...
 
Thanx but 3rd party software is not an option. Right now, the following is the only anser I
have received...

A REG file that would contain the following between the dashes "---"...

Dave

---
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CabinetState]
"Use Search Asst"="no"

---





| I gave up on the native Windows XP Search For Files or Folders quickly. I use the FREE
| search utility Agent Ransack. It's faster, and searches using any criteria that I've
| needed. (wild cards, by extension, and yes, it will also search for text in the body of
| files, and by other criteria) You can download Agent Ransack (again it's FREE, not
| shareware) at:
|
| http://www.mythicsoft.com/agentransack/download.aspx
|
| I put a shortcut for Agent Ransack on my Start menu, and will never use the native Windows
| Search For Files or Folders utility again...
| --
|
| T.C.
| t__cruise@[NoSpam]hotmail.com
| Remove [NoSpam] to reply
|
|
| | > I did all that. Without stating this explicitly, it is what I meant when I stated "I
| have
| > tried *all* preferences and configuration settings but it fails to work properly."
| >
| > Thanx Dan...
| > Dave
| >
| >
| >
| >
| | > | You need to go to "classic" search mode (to search file or text inside a
| > | file).
| > |
| > | To change Preference Setting to classic mode:
| > |
| > | 1. click Start / Search
| > | 2. click "Change Preferences"
| > | 3. click "Without Animated Characters"
| > | 4. click "Change Preferences"
| > | 5. click "Change Files and Folders Search Behavior"
| > | 6. click "Advanced...includes options to manually
| > | enter search criterias"
| > | 7. click OK
| > | ---
| > | ----------------------
| > | "David H. Lipman" <[email protected]>
| > | wrote in message | > | >
| > | > There are definitely some weirdnesses with XP's search tool.
| > | >
| > |
| > |
| >
| >
|
|
| ---
| Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
| Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
| Version: 6.0.742 / Virus Database: 495 - Release Date: 8/19/2004
|
|
 
Apparently you did NOT try all variations.
I just used the following syntax


D:\;G:\

in the "Look in" field.
It works fine.
Not the same as previous OS but what is?
 
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