Is there a bug in XP's Search feature?

[Guest]

I'm using XP's Search feature to find files containing some given text. The problem is that it just doesn't work accurately

It misses out some files which contain the search string, and brings back some files that it don't (apparently because the file name contains my search string)

Is ther
a) something I'm doing wron
b) a fi
c) a work-aroun
d) a known issue

Incidentally, the search feature works fine in Windows 2000

Thanks for your help

 

[Ramesh [MVP]]

Bill,

Windows XP search for All files and folders does NOT find all files when you use a word or phrase?
http://www.jsiinc.com/SUBJ/tip4600/rh4627.htm

More about Windows XP search for All files and folders does NOT find all files when you use a word or phrase?
http://www.jsiinc.com/SUBJ/tip4600/rh4689.htm

--
Ramesh - Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k


I'm using XP's Search feature to find files containing some given text. The problem is that it just doesn't work accurately.

It misses out some files which contain the search string, and brings back some files that it don't (apparently because the file name contains my search string).

Is there
a) something I'm doing wrong
b) a fix
c) a work-around
d) a known issue?

Incidentally, the search feature works fine in Windows 2000.

Thanks for your help

 

[Tom Porterfield]

I'm using XP's Search feature to find files containing some given
text. The problem is that it just doesn't work accurately.

It misses out some files which contain the search string, and brings
back some files that it don't (apparently because the file name
contains my search string).

Is there
a) something I'm doing wrong
b) a fix
c) a work-around
d) a known issue?

Incidentally, the search feature works fine in Windows 2000.

It is a known issue. One option, which is what I do, is to use a
different search tool. I like Agent Ransack, a free download from
http://www.mythicsoft.com/agentransack/default.aspx.

You can get the XP search utility to search in all files for text. To do
this click on Start, select Run and enter the following:

mmc %windir%\system32\ciadv.msc

This will bring up the Indexing Service properties. In there select the
Action menu, Properties. On the Generation tab place a check in "Index
files with unknown extensions." Apply your changes and OK your way out.
Note that you do not need to have indexing turned on in order for this to
allow XP search to look in all files when searching for text in a file.
--
Tom Porterfield
MS-MVP MCE
http://support.telop.org

Please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup only.

 

[Fuzzy Logic]

It is a known issue. One option, which is what I do, is to use a
different search tool. I like Agent Ransack, a free download from
http://www.mythicsoft.com/agentransack/default.aspx.

You can get the XP search utility to search in all files for text. To do
this click on Start, select Run and enter the following:

mmc %windir%\system32\ciadv.msc

This will bring up the Indexing Service properties. In there select the
Action menu, Properties. On the Generation tab place a check in "Index
files with unknown extensions." Apply your changes and OK your way out.
Note that you do not need to have indexing turned on in order for this to
allow XP search to look in all files when searching for text in a file.

Sadly this doesn't help if you are attempting to search files on another
computer (ie. network share).

I really hope Microsoft changes this behavior in SP2 as it's a step
backwards IMO as I now need to use a Win2K box to do realiable searches.

 

[Sid Bord]

For what it's worth, I've found that the simple search for
files or folders with a given word in the title misses
sometimes a lot of them. I thought maybe I had done
something wrong.

-----Original Message-----
Bill,

Windows XP search for All files and folders does NOT find

all files when you use a word or phrase?

http://www.jsiinc.com/SUBJ/tip4600/rh4627.htm

More about Windows XP search for All files and folders

does NOT find all files when you use a word or phrase?

http://www.jsiinc.com/SUBJ/tip4600/rh4689.htm

--
Ramesh - Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k


I'm using XP's Search feature to find files containing

some given text. The problem is that it just doesn't work
accurately.

It misses out some files which contain the search string,

and brings back some files that it don't (apparently
because the file name contains my search string).