Need a replacement for Search

[*Vanguard*]

The Start -> Search utility in Windows XP is flawed. It will not find files
that do exist. And, yes, I have the options to include system folders,
hidden files and folders, and search subfolders. It is just not one
particular file. I have discovered several existing files that it cannot
find although I can see the file in Explorer, a DOS shell, and when using
other file search utilities. So I am looking for a replacement search
utility, and preferably a free one.

I've already tried Agent Ransack. It's good but has one flaw (on my system
since other users don't report this problem). After listing the files found
that match my search criteria, I then right-click on the file with the
intention of using the Send To item in the context menu. As soon as I click
on the Sent To item, Agent Ransack crashes. The is very repeatable as it
will occur every time no matter what file is selected. The problem is not
with the items under my Sent To folder. They all look valid. If one was
invalid then it might be the cause. The Send To context menu works in every
other applicable program where it is available; that is, my Sent To works
for everything but Agent Ransack. So I uninstalled Agent Ransack. Then I
had to clean up the remnant install directory and many registry keys that
its uninstall (and subsequent reboot) left behind to pollute my system. It
uninstall is dirty.

I then tried InfoRapid's Search & Replace. I'm not fond of their interface
in that the search criteria is entered in a bottom pane instead of at the
top. I had heard that it was bannerware but didn't see any banners ...
until I actually did a search. Then their banner (about licensing the
program for non-personal use) shows up, but it shows up wthin the search
results pane! Instead of a graphic toolbar image to present their prompt to
pay if you use it for commercial or business use, it shows up in the search
result. No thanks. I'm not interesting in seeing their paranoid banner in
every search. So it got uninstalled.

Others have previously commented about some other search utilities but never
provided a link as to where to find them. One guy mentioned he uses
"Locate". Now do a Google search on "Locate" and let's see you find the
utility he meant out of the ten million matches found by Google. So if you
have a favorite other than Agent Ransack or InfoRapid, please also indicate
where I can find it. It would also be nice if someone other than the author
also reviewed the product.

 

[kurttrail]

The Start -> Search utility in Windows XP is flawed. It will not
find files that do exist. And, yes, I have the options to include
system folders, hidden files and folders, and search subfolders. It
is just not one particular file. I have discovered several existing
files that it cannot find although I can see the file in Explorer, a
DOS shell, and when using other file search utilities. So I am
looking for a replacement search utility, and preferably a free one.

I've already tried Agent Ransack. It's good but has one flaw (on my
system since other users don't report this problem). After listing
the files found that match my search criteria, I then right-click on
the file with the intention of using the Send To item in the context
menu. As soon as I click on the Sent To item, Agent Ransack crashes.
The is very repeatable as it will occur every time no matter what
file is selected. The problem is not with the items under my Sent To
folder. They all look valid. If one was invalid then it might be
the cause. The Send To context menu works in every other applicable
program where it is available; that is, my Sent To works for
everything but Agent Ransack. So I uninstalled Agent Ransack. Then
I had to clean up the remnant install directory and many registry
keys that its uninstall (and subsequent reboot) left behind to
pollute my system. It uninstall is dirty.

I then tried InfoRapid's Search & Replace. I'm not fond of their
interface in that the search criteria is entered in a bottom pane
instead of at the top. I had heard that it was bannerware but didn't
see any banners ... until I actually did a search. Then their banner
(about licensing the program for non-personal use) shows up, but it
shows up wthin the search results pane! Instead of a graphic toolbar
image to present their prompt to pay if you use it for commercial or
business use, it shows up in the search result. No thanks. I'm not
interesting in seeing their paranoid banner in every search. So it
got uninstalled.

Others have previously commented about some other search utilities
but never provided a link as to where to find them. One guy
mentioned he uses "Locate". Now do a Google search on "Locate" and
let's see you find the utility he meant out of the ten million
matches found by Google. So if you have a favorite other than Agent
Ransack or InfoRapid, please also indicate where I can find it. It
would also be nice if someone other than the author also reviewed the
product.

I just remember where I put my files, store them in one main location
called "My Documents," and put them in subfolders that are named
appropriately. I haven't had a need to use any find utility in ages.
<vbg>

You should really see someone about your writing diarrhea! It just runs
on & on & on . . . .

--
Peace!
Kurt
Self-anointed Moderator
microscum.pubic.windowsexp.gonorrhea
http://microscum.com
"Trustworthy Computing" is only another example of an Oxymoron!
"Produkt-Aktivierung macht frei!"

 

[granny]

I use and love "Effective File Finder"

do a google search for it

granny

 

[*Vanguard*]

"kurttrail" said in news:[email protected]:

I just remember where I put my files, store them in one main location
called "My Documents," and put them in subfolders that are named
appropriately. I haven't had a need to use any find utility in ages.
<vbg>

You should really see someone about your writing diarrhea! It just
runs on & on & on . . . .

It is rare that I need to search for my documents. Like you said, their are
hierarchically organized under My Documents.

So what do you use when you want to find a file that you notice is listed in
Task Manager's Processes but which you don't recognize? What do you use
when you need to search on a file that is NOT any document you created, and
may not and probably is not a file you ever created or even touched?

True, kurt, I don't write orient my posts for reading by children.

 

[*Vanguard*]

"granny" said in news:[email protected]:

I use and love "Effective File Finder"

do a google search for it

granny

A Google search turns up nothing for "Effective File Finder". The search
found one hit which was for
http://members.cox.net/scotterpops/downloads/productivity.html. However,
that page did not have a description or location for this program but
instead was just the search string found in a sentence " ... I prefer its
simple, effective file finder utility." That was the only match that Google
returned. If I switch from the Google Web search to their Google Groups
search, again only one match was found and that was for this thread. So
Google cannot find this product.

If you open Effective File Finder and look under its Help -> About menu, do
they include a URL to their web site? Might they list their web or support
site in their Help, like in a troubleshooting section?

 

[kurttrail]

It is rare that I need to search for my documents. Like you said,
their are hierarchically organized under My Documents.

So what do you use when you want to find a file that you notice is
listed in Task Manager's Processes but which you don't recognize?

I don't have to worry about it since I practice Safe Computing. Rut on the
very rare occasion that I see a process running that I don't know what it's
for, I do a Google search on it.

What do you use when you need to search on a file that is NOT any
document you created, and may not and probably is not a file you ever
created or even touched?

I use the 2K find utility.

True, kurt, I don't write orient my posts for reading by children.

I don't know about that. One of your posts would put anybody, including
children, to sleep.

--
Peace!
Kurt
Self-anointed Moderator
microscum.pubic.windowsexp.gonorrhea
http://microscum.com
"Trustworthy Computing" is only another example of an Oxymoron!
"Produkt-Aktivierung macht frei!"

 

[Mythicsoft -- Do NOT use email address shown]

Please contact Mythicsoft tech support and they will attempt to
resolve the crash issue with Agent Ransack.
http://www.mythicsoft.com/support.aspx

Regards,
Mici.

 

[*Vanguard*]

"kurttrail" said in news:[email protected]:

I don't have to worry about it since I practice Safe Computing. Rut
on the very rare occasion that I see a process running that I don't
know what it's for, I do a Google search on it.

Won't help if you are the first person to encounter the problem. And it
still doesn't tell you *where* on your disk is the file.

I use the 2K find utility.

The "2K find utility"? What's that? Are you referring to the search
fromWindows 2000? Since I no longer have a legal license for Windows 2000
(it went with my old system that I sold off), I don't have Windows 2000
anymore to yank anything off it. Google didn't find it. If it is a real
utility available to Windows XP user (since that is the newsgroup in which
thread exists), could you give a URL to get it? Thanks.

 

[*Vanguard*]

"Mythicsoft -- Do NOT use email address shown" said in

Please contact Mythicsoft tech support and they will attempt to
resolve the crash issue with Agent Ransack.
http://www.mythicsoft.com/support.aspx

Already sent them a bug report using their feedback web form. The problem
was reported back on January 30. Haven't heard from them yet.

Some of the items in my Send To context menu are objects, like those for the
drives, defined in the registry and as such are not shortcuts in my Send To
folder. Others are shortcuts in my Send To folder but are also target
objects, like My Documents and Mail Recipient, so the properties for their
shortcuts do not point at a file. I don't know how to interrogate their
properties to ensure they are properly defined. Of the 3 shortcuts in my
Send To folder that point at files, they are properly defined to point at
the executable file and the file exists.

The problem with Agent Ransack is not with running anything under the Send
To context menu. The problem is that Agent Ransack crashes on just
selecting the Send To context menu to see the choices. I haven't
experienced problems anywhere else that the Send To context menu is
available.

 

[kurttrail]

"kurttrail" said in news:[email protected]:

Won't help if you are the first person to encounter the problem. And
it still doesn't tell you *where* on your disk is the file.

Have yet to encounter that problem. I practice safe computing, so I'm
never been in the situation of encountering unknown processes.

The "2K find utility"? What's that? Are you referring to the search
fromWindows 2000?
Yep!

Since I no longer have a legal license for Windows
2000 (it went with my old system that I sold off), I don't have
Windows 2000 anymore to yank anything off it.

That would be your problem! I wasn't stupid enough to jump on the WinXP
bandwagon, following all the other lemmings!

Google didn't find it.
If it is a real utility available to Windows XP user (since that is
the newsgroup in which thread exists), could you give a URL to get
it? Thanks.

http://www.pricegrabber.com/search_...635/search=Windows%202000/ut=44d7467240aee996

It's available to all that have have the money to buy it. Just format
your hard drive and install a mature OS that actually isn't so weighed
down in useless middleware, and a year and a half of individual patches,
that it actually works!

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

--
Peace!
Kurt
Self-anointed Moderator
microscum.pubic.windowsexp.gonorrhea
http://microscum.com
"Trustworthy Computing" is only another example of an Oxymoron!
"Produkt-Aktivierung macht frei!"

 

[Torgeir Bakken (MVP)]

The Start -> Search utility in Windows XP is flawed. It will not find files
that do exist. And, yes, I have the options to include system folders,
hidden files and folders, and search subfolders. It is just not one
particular file. I have discovered several existing files that it cannot
find although I can see the file in Explorer, a DOS shell, and when using
other file search utilities. So I am looking for a replacement search
utility, and preferably a free one.
(snip info about Agent Ransack and InfoRapid's Search & Replace)

Hi

You might find something you like here:

http://www.soft411.com/software/find-file.html

or here:

http://www.soft411.com/software/file-search.html

 

[*Vanguard*]

"kurttrail" said in news:[email protected]:

Yep!

You use the Windows 2000 search utility (files of which you don't specify)
on Windows XP? You do realize that you are posting in Windows *XP*
newsgroup, right?

That would be your problem! I wasn't stupid enough to jump on the
WinXP bandwagon, following all the other lemmings!

I didn't want to go to Windows XP, either. I continued using Windows 2000
long after the release of XP. The buyer wanted Windows 2000 so I gave them
my copy with my old computer. The price for Windows 2000 and XP are near
identical so there was no point in spending money on an older version.
There is no bang for the buck (both in money and time) to switch from
Windows 2000 to XP, but if you have to buy a new copy of Windows then there
is little reason to spend the same money on an older version.
http://www.pricegrabber.com/search_...635/search=Windows%202000/ut=44d7467240aee996

Don't need another version of Windows. One is enough. One of these days
I'm going to start looking into Linux, Slackware, Redhat, or some Unix
replacement. Thanks, anyway.

It's available to all that have have the money to buy it. Just format
your hard drive and install a mature OS that actually isn't so weighed
down in useless middleware, and a year and a half of individual
patches, that it actually works!

I take it your "job" in this newsgroup is to proselytize a different
operating system than what this newsgroup is for. Bet you don't appreciate
when you ask a question about Windows, even for Windows 2000, and some joker
replies about the superiority of Linux. Stay on topic, and that is Windows
XP; else, leave and go over to the Windows 2000 newsgroups.

User "kurttrail" has been killfiled. Posts by kurttrail will be deleted and
not be seen by this user. Bye.

 

[*Vanguard*]

"Torgeir Bakken (MVP)" said in news:[email protected]:

Hi

You might find something you like here:

http://www.soft411.com/software/find-file.html

Kyboma File n Show
Download link but didn't mention if it was freeware or trialware
$20 (so it's probably trialware/shareware)

or here:

http://www.soft411.com/software/file-search.html

Effective File Search
$29.95
30-day trial

Thanks for the links. I'll check them out. I had seen Effective File
Search before while hunting around but forget why I didn't try it (probably
because I was first hunting for something free). I'm now rummaging through
www.sourceforge.net for freebies.

 

[kurttrail]

"kurttrail" said in news:[email protected]:

You use the Windows 2000 search utility (files of which you don't
specify) on Windows XP? You do realize that you are posting in
Windows *XP* newsgroup, right?

I've been posting here for over 2 1/4 years, I think I've figured out where
I'm posting by now.

I didn't want to go to Windows XP, either. I continued using Windows
2000 long after the release of XP. The buyer wanted Windows 2000 so
I gave them my copy with my old computer. The price for Windows 2000
and XP are near identical so there was no point in spending money on
an older version. There is no bang for the buck (both in money and
time) to switch from Windows 2000 to XP, but if you have to buy a new
copy of Windows then there is little reason to spend the same money
on an older version.

At least that older version can find files

http://www.pricegrabber.com/search_...635/search=Windows%202000/ut=44d7467240aee996

Don't need another version of Windows. One is enough. One of these
days I'm going to start looking into Linux, Slackware, Redhat, or
some Unix replacement. Thanks, anyway.


I take it your "job" in this newsgroup is to proselytize a different
operating system than what this newsgroup is for. Bet you don't
appreciate when you ask a question about Windows, even for Windows
2000, and some joker replies about the superiority of Linux.

I don't ask questions about Windows, I find the answers on my own.

Stay on
topic, and that is Windows XP; else, leave and go over to the Windows
2000 newsgroups.

Make me!

User "kurttrail" has been killfiled. Posts by kurttrail will be
deleted and not be seen by this user. Bye.

There is a God! Thank you Allah!

Of course he'll see every post of mine that someone not in his kill file
responds to! You can run, but you can't hide!

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

--
Peace!
Kurt
Self-anointed Moderator
microscum.pubic.windowsexp.gonorrhea
http://microscum.com
"Trustworthy Computing" is only another example of an Oxymoron!
"Produkt-Aktivierung macht frei!"

 

[*Vantard*]

-----Original Message-----


I've been posting here for over 2 1/4 years, I think I've figured out where
I'm posting by now.


At least that older version can find files

7635/search=Windows%25202000/ut=44d7467240aee996 Linux.

I don't ask questions about Windows, I find the answers on my own.


Make me!


There is a God! Thank you Allah!

Of course he'll see every post of mine that someone not in his kill file
responds to! You can run, but you can't hide!

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

I agree with this poast!

 

[Trent©]

The Start -> Search utility in Windows XP is flawed. It will not find files
that do exist. And, yes, I have the options to include system folders,
hidden files and folders, and search subfolders. It is just not one
particular file. I have discovered several existing files that it cannot
find although I can see the file in Explorer, a DOS shell, and when using
other file search utilities.

Which files?


Have a nice week...

Trent

What do you call a smart blonde?
A golden retriever.

 

[*Vanguard*]

"Trent©" said in news:[email protected]:

Which files?


Have a nice week...

Trent

What do you call a smart blonde?
A golden retriever.

See the other thread I opened before at
in this newsgroup titled "Search
is flaky - Sometimes it finds, sometimes not". A couple files were
mentioned there because those were the ones I hit at that time when Search
couldn't find them and I asked about the deficiency. Since then, there have
been several files that Search cannot find. I don't bother recording what
Search can't do but instead continue my work by finding some other solution,
like just using "dir <filename> /s". It's a crap shoot whether or not
Search will find a file. If it finds a file then you know it exists and
where it is at. If Search shows no matches, you don't know if the file
doesn't exist or if Search was too stupid to find it.

It's a pretty bad Search program that cannot find 26 "*.cpl" files in
C:\Windows\System32 which are what you see listed in Control Panel (and the
18 other .cpl file copies under C:\Windows\System32\DLLcache). "Search
sysytem folders", "Search hidden files", and "Search Subfolders" options
were all enabled (and they are always enabled). 'dir' command, Agent
Ransack, InfoRapid Search & Replace, and other tools can find the files just
fine, as can just using Explorer to browse around to then see the files,
that Windows XP's Search cannot find.

The files are there. Search just has a problem finding some of them.

 

[Bob Dietz]

"Trent©" said in


See the other thread I opened before at
in this newsgroup titled "Search
is flaky - Sometimes it finds, sometimes not". A couple files were
mentioned there because those were the ones I hit at that time when Search
couldn't find them and I asked about the deficiency. Since then, there have
been several files that Search cannot find. I don't bother recording what
Search can't do but instead continue my work by finding some other solution,
like just using "dir <filename> /s". It's a crap shoot whether or not
Search will find a file. If it finds a file then you know it exists and
where it is at. If Search shows no matches, you don't know if the file
doesn't exist or if Search was too stupid to find it.

It's a pretty bad Search program that cannot find 26 "*.cpl" files in
C:\Windows\System32 which are what you see listed in Control Panel (and the
18 other .cpl file copies under C:\Windows\System32\DLLcache). "Search
sysytem folders", "Search hidden files", and "Search Subfolders" options
were all enabled (and they are always enabled). 'dir' command, Agent
Ransack, InfoRapid Search & Replace, and other tools can find the files just
fine, as can just using Explorer to browse around to then see the files,
that Windows XP's Search cannot find.

The files are there. Search just has a problem finding some of them.

You're right it's worthless if you're trying to confirm something
ain't there. However ...

If you want to find something quickly; are willing to take a chance; and
don't know where to begin looking.

And if Indexing service is turned on!

You can get almost instant results, by using the Querying Language in
the "Containing text:" portion of Win XP Search.

@filename myfile Finds filenames with the word "myfile" in
in them.

#filename *test*top*.txt Finds these filenames:
Test of top performing.txt
A Simple Testtop.txt
But will not find:
Top Test.txt
Test.txt
Top.txt

!bogus Finds 'bogus' in the content of any of
the files in the index

!"Quick brown fox" Finds files containing the exact phrase.

!Quick & brown & fox Finds files containing all of the words
in any order.
For instance a file containing -
Brown said, "Quick, shoot the fox!"
would be found.

See: http://www.aimingtech.com/file_searching.htm

Bob

 

[Trent©]

See the other thread I opened before at
in this newsgroup titled "Search
is flaky - Sometimes it finds, sometimes not". A couple files were
mentioned there because those were the ones I hit at that time when Search
couldn't find them and I asked about the deficiency. Since then, there have
been several files that Search cannot find. I don't bother recording what
Search can't do but instead continue my work by finding some other solution,
like just using "dir <filename> /s". It's a crap shoot whether or not
Search will find a file. If it finds a file then you know it exists and
where it is at. If Search shows no matches, you don't know if the file
doesn't exist or if Search was too stupid to find it.

I just did a search for *.cpl in both xp and Powerdesk. Found the
exact same files.

The files are there. Search just has a problem finding some of them.

Again...send us a file name the next time you have a problem. I'd
like to see what it looks like on my end.

I've never noticed a problem. But that's not to say that there ISN'T
a problem. XP has a lot to be desired.


Have a nice week...

Trent

What do you call a smart blonde?
A golden retriever.

 

[Trent©]

See the other thread I opened before at
in this newsgroup titled "Search
is flaky - Sometimes it finds, sometimes not". A couple files were
mentioned there because those were the ones I hit at that time when Search
couldn't find them and I asked about the deficiency.

Here's yer post...and my inline comments...

I use Start -> Search -> Files and Folders to find a file. In the last
instance, I noticed jusched.exe was running in Task Manager and wanted to
see what it was. A search on the filename resulted in no finds of it. Yet
it is running in Task Manager so I know the file exists. So I redo the same
search (just by clicking on the Search button again) and now it finds it.

Don't know about this, of course. But just based on your other
searches below, I'd say it was a simple searching error. Was it
running as an application?...or as a process?

Previously in another instance I was searching on .cpl files (Control Panel
applets) and it found nothing.

That because yer searching for the string .cpl which includes the
dot. There are no files with that name. Yer not searching for
*.cpl...or cpl If you do a search for either of my examples, you'll
find the cpl files.

With the first search, you'll get all files that end in cpl. With the
second search, you'll get all files that have cpl in the file
name...which will include all the cpl extension files.

Redoing the search still found nothing. I
opened a DOS shell and entered "dir C:\Windows\*.cpl /s" which found the
.cpl files under the System32 subdirectory.

No...it didn't find the .cpl files. It found the cpl files. In DOS,
the dot is not a search parameter in this case. Its simply a divider.

Then I clicked the Search
button again in the Search dialog and now it found the files.

You found files with the cpl extension. You didn't find the .cpl
files...which is what you were searching for in your Windows example.
These are 2 different kinds of searches.

And searches are case sensitive. You had another example
(sorry...lost it) where you did a search for OWES...or something like
that. Couldn't find it. But when you did a search in DOS...in LOWER
case, of course...you found it.

Those 2 searches are entirely different.

If you would've done a search in xp in lower case, you probably
would've found it.

I think yer only probably with searches is the way you input the data.

Anyway...good luck.


Have a nice week...

Trent

What do you call a smart blonde?
A golden retriever.