Problem in searching a file containing a word or phrase

[Guest]

I wanted to find files in a folder containing a word.

I have selected "Start" -> "Search" -> "For Files or Folders"
In the search window I selected "All files and folders" for "What do you
want to search for?"
For the Search criteria, I have left "All or part of the file name" as
blank, since I want to search all files
I have entered the word I wanted to search for, in "A word or phrase in the
file".
I have selected the folder I want to search, in "Look in", by using "Browse"
option
Then I clicked on "Search"

Eventhough there are files in the folder I have selected, which contains the
word I entered, I get the message "Search is complete. There are no results
to display."

The funny thing is that for some words it displays only one file, even when
there are more files which qualifies the criteria.

Did any one experienced this problem and have a solution for this?

 

[Guest]

Give Google Desktop Search a try. It works a whole lot better then the built
in windows searching.

 

[Doug Kanter]

Google desktop search poses security risks if users don't adjust its default
settings. Unless they're prepared to research recent news on this issue, it
shouldn't be installed.

 

[Torgeir Bakken \(MVP\)]

Hi,

Add Files to Containing text Searches
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/scripts_desc/xp_fix_search.htm

and

Using the "A Word or Phrase in the File" Search Criterion May Not Work
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;309173


An alternative is to use a 3rd party search tool (free ):

Install the free Agent Ransack, it searches for text strings in *all*
types of files, and not just in a selection of "approved" file
extensions as the built-in search does. In my opinion it is a better
search tool as well...

Download it from here:
http://www.mythicsoft.com/agentransack/default.aspx

Agent Ransack can save the search result to a file (or clipboard), as
text, comma separated text or tab separated text. E.g. Excel reads
comma separated text (csv) very well.

When searching for text inside files, Agent Ransack is also able to do
a preview of the lines the text was found in (just do a single click on
the found file).
Also, you can use regular expression on both the file name part and the
find text in files part.

 

[Malke]

Google desktop search poses security risks if users don't adjust its
default settings. Unless they're prepared to research recent news on
this issue, it shouldn't be installed.

Also, I've seen Google Desktop Search cause some really unpleasant
problems with applications like MS Office. I prefer Agent Ransack
(free) instead of using XP's Search function (not really very good).

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

Malke

 

[Steve Hawkins]

I find that XP's own indexing service works pretty well at finding things
that Google Desktop misses. It may slow down your system a little while it
is building the index, but once done, the 'Query the Catalogue' function
finds things pretty well instantly, and searches across users too. (I
actually use it as a quicker way of accessing information than 'fast' user
switching.) It does require learning some syntax, but since discovering it,
I have remained puzzled as to why MS keeps it so well hidden away - Computer
Management/Services and Applications/Indexing Service/System/Query the
Catalogue !

I have asked before, why it seems to be impossible to make a shortcut to the
Query box, but don't recall any answers. On the face of it, this makes the
basic search function redundant so why the secrecy?

Regards,

Steve_H

 

[Guest]

I have exactly the same problem,
the "search" facility is sometimes uncapable to find words in certain file
types.
For example, it will find the word in files with the extensions .c or .cpp ,
but it fails if the extension is .a

In previous versions ( windows 2000 ) it was working well.
How to submit this bug to Microsoft so that they fix it ?

 

[Bob I]

It's not a bug. It's intentional, as it's designed to save time by
skipping over files that are not recognized as having text. Use Agent
Ransack or another program if you wish to search files with "odd"
extensions.

 

[Phil Robyn]

I wanted to find files in a folder containing a word.

I have selected "Start" -> "Search" -> "For Files or Folders"
In the search window I selected "All files and folders" for "What do you
want to search for?"
For the Search criteria, I have left "All or part of the file name" as
blank, since I want to search all files

Instead of leaving "All or part of the file name" as blank, try entering
'*.*' or '*.cmd' or '*.txt' or *some* relevant part of a file name ....

 

[Rock]

I have exactly the same problem,
the "search" facility is sometimes uncapable to find words in certain file
types.
For example, it will find the word in files with the extensions .c or .cpp ,
but it fails if the extension is .a

In previous versions ( windows 2000 ) it was working well.
How to submit this bug to Microsoft so that they fix it ?


:

It's working by design, not a bug. See this link:

Using the "A word or phrase in the file" search criterion may not work
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/309173/en-us

Another option is use the free search tool Agent Ransack:
http://www.mythicsoft.com/agentransack/