I HATE vista file searching.

[auser]

I don't understand why searching in vista is so slow.
I have a folder filled with a bunch of subfolders with about 1000 mp3s. I
right click the folder and select search and type in "name:*.mp3". This list
should be done in 2 seconds. But instead it takes minutes. What is it
looking for? I purposely specified the "name:" part so it wouldn't look
inside of the files in the folders.

Another thing I hate: I want to search for all txt files with the name john
in it (once again non-indexed). I search for "john name:*.txt". The problem
with this is that not only will it bring up all txt files with the name john
in it, it will also bring up all txt files with john in the title of the
file. I dont want to see the files with the name in the title, just the
contents.

In xp, either scenario would not exit.

 

[Ben Enfield]

Sounds interesting, can you provide more information relevent to the
problem. The following are questions I have.

Do you have fast file searching turned on?
Have you let the indexer index (can take a few days)?
Are you doing many other things while searching?

Ben

 

[auser]

I don't want or care about the indexer (although, i don't really see a need
to turn it off). I am not searching for tag information or inside the files.
I am just searching for name in the first case. It should be at least as
fast as XP.
No, I am not doing other things.

 

[Guest]

Hi, I am a bit of a novice, but I have had no such problems, I am using RC1
and the results are on the screen before I even finish typing in the name.

I always use the search from the start menu, if that makes any difference.
Hope this helps someone.
Cookey.

 

[auser]

You are probably searching files that are in indexed locations, I am not. I
know that indexing the files will potentially make it faster. But there are
many times I want to search files that are not indexed.

 

[Kevin Spencer]

I have found that Network shortcuts slow down the performance of the file
system considerably. Perhaps this is the case with your situation.

--
HTH,

Kevin Spencer
Microsoft MVP
Bit Player
http://unclechutney.blogspot.com

Where there's a Will, there's a William.

 

[mikeyhsd]

search NO longer works as it did in previous OS. get over it, quit fighting it.
the MOST efficient way to search with VISTA is to ALLOW it to INDEX.

you can change the items (folders/disks) that are indexed,
once it is done, search is super fast.
mine is set to index 3 hard drives took about 3 days to finally get done. but can now search for almost anything in turbo speed.



(e-mail address removed)



I don't understand why searching in vista is so slow.
I have a folder filled with a bunch of subfolders with about 1000 mp3s. I
right click the folder and select search and type in "name:*.mp3". This list
should be done in 2 seconds. But instead it takes minutes. What is it
looking for? I purposely specified the "name:" part so it wouldn't look
inside of the files in the folders.

Another thing I hate: I want to search for all txt files with the name john
in it (once again non-indexed). I search for "john name:*.txt". The problem
with this is that not only will it bring up all txt files with the name john
in it, it will also bring up all txt files with john in the title of the
file. I dont want to see the files with the name in the title, just the
contents.

In xp, either scenario would not exit.

 

[auser]

no, i won't get over it. I frequently download tons of files and expand them. I don't want to wait until they are indexed before i search them.
search NO longer works as it did in previous OS. get over it, quit fighting it.
the MOST efficient way to search with VISTA is to ALLOW it to INDEX.

you can change the items (folders/disks) that are indexed,
once it is done, search is super fast.
mine is set to index 3 hard drives took about 3 days to finally get done. but can now search for almost anything in turbo speed.



(e-mail address removed)



I don't understand why searching in vista is so slow.
I have a folder filled with a bunch of subfolders with about 1000 mp3s. I
right click the folder and select search and type in "name:*.mp3". This list
should be done in 2 seconds. But instead it takes minutes. What is it
looking for? I purposely specified the "name:" part so it wouldn't look
inside of the files in the folders.

Another thing I hate: I want to search for all txt files with the name john
in it (once again non-indexed). I search for "john name:*.txt". The problem
with this is that not only will it bring up all txt files with the name john
in it, it will also bring up all txt files with john in the title of the
file. I dont want to see the files with the name in the title, just the
contents.

In xp, either scenario would not exit.

 

[Ben Enfield]

Are you using Vista RTM?

Ben

I don't want or care about the indexer (although, i don't really see a need
to turn it off). I am not searching for tag information or inside the
files. I am just searching for name in the first case. It should be at
least as fast as XP.
No, I am not doing other things.

 

[auser]

My theory is that even though I specify "name:" windows is still looking at
the tags in the files (1000 mp3s). I can see and hear it churning away. If
it were just looking at the name of the files it would pop up the list
instantly, instead of the dog slow way it is.

 

[Ben Enfield]

Interesting theory. Do you know the increase in resources that would be
involved with searching all of the tags in addition to just the names of the
files, and how much more time it would take? I have never written code to
access tags, so I don't have a clue as to the increased overhead/time to
search.

I appreciate the amount of involvement you have had with your post, not
abandoning it when many questions are asked (as many people do). Since you
seem to know a lot about this subject, do you know what the results of your
search would be in non Windows operating systems? Do you know whether this
limitation is Vista specific (I mean that none of hte other common OS's by
default search all accessible info)?

These are not critical questions, and you don't have to answer them, but
just interesting bits of trivia that I would be able to use to understand
this problem, and possible apply to others.



Ben

 

[mikeyhsd]

your only choice then for efficiency is to stay on XP.
I don't like it either.
especially when browsing a folder and delete a file and then have the system slow down while it re-indexes the folder again. but have to tolerate it to use Vista.



(e-mail address removed)



no, i won't get over it. I frequently download tons of files and expand them. I don't want to wait until they are indexed before i search them.
search NO longer works as it did in previous OS. get over it, quit fighting it.
the MOST efficient way to search with VISTA is to ALLOW it to INDEX.

you can change the items (folders/disks) that are indexed,
once it is done, search is super fast.
mine is set to index 3 hard drives took about 3 days to finally get done. but can now search for almost anything in turbo speed.



(e-mail address removed)



I don't understand why searching in vista is so slow.
I have a folder filled with a bunch of subfolders with about 1000 mp3s. I
right click the folder and select search and type in "name:*.mp3". This list
should be done in 2 seconds. But instead it takes minutes. What is it
looking for? I purposely specified the "name:" part so it wouldn't look
inside of the files in the folders.

Another thing I hate: I want to search for all txt files with the name john
in it (once again non-indexed). I search for "john name:*.txt". The problem
with this is that not only will it bring up all txt files with the name john
in it, it will also bring up all txt files with john in the title of the
file. I dont want to see the files with the name in the title, just the
contents.

In xp, either scenario would not exit.

 

[mikeyhsd]

hardly ever do much searching. usually know generally the folder where things are expected to be.
the indexing to make the search work is what I have most complaints about.
it kicks in at the most inopportune times.



(e-mail address removed)



You might look for a file search utility called Agent Ransack or FileLocator
Pro from Mythicsoft. The pro version is more full-featured, but the frewware
version is no slouch. The guy who wrote that software really knows his stuff.
Super-fast classic search capability. I've been a happy paying customer for a
long time.

To tell you the truth, though, I've adapted nicely to the search
funcitonality built in to Vista RTM. I just keep the old one around for when
I want to do a search the old way -- and because I'm in awe of the quality of
the buy's product.

 

[Night Trains]

auser
Set the search options you want. Go to EXPLORER > TOOLS > FOLDER OPTIONS >
SEARCH and select whatever works best for you.

Night Trains

 

[Ray]

Not sure if you have already done this or not, but...
There are search settings on the Organize Menu > Folder & Search Options >
Search Tab
One of these is "Always Search File Names & Contents" - make sure you have
this turned off because leaving it on will try & search content even in the
unindexed files sections of your hard disk which will make the search VERY
slow. Look at the other settings there also.

Ray