Search finds matching filenames but not files with matching content

[Richard]

Hi All,

I'm running WinXP-Pro/SP2. I started a search in Windows Explorer
specifying:
- no filename
- a string, say "xyz" without quotes
- a starting directory
- when modified: Don't remember
- size: Don't remember
- advanced options: system, hidden and subfolders

Search returns files buried in subfolders with "xyx" in the filename,
but not other files containing "xyz"

This weird behavior has been going on for a month or more.

I checked Indexing Services under Local Services and found it was
stopped. I started it, but that didn't seem to make any difference. I
recall there was someplace where I could check which volumes were
running Indexing Services but couldn't find in now.

Any ideas?

Regards,
Richard

 

[Guest]

Open control panel,file types,view tab,in hidden files-folders,uncheck,
"Do not show" uncheck "Hide extensions" uncheck "Hide protected OS files"
close out,try search again...Once search is thru,reset folder options.

 

[Richard]

Hi Andrew,

I don't think Control Panel offers "File Types" settings. However,
Windows Explorer offers them under Tools | Folder Options and then in
the View tab. I do keep my system "wide open" in the manner you
suggest.

Any other ideas?

Regards,
Richard

 

[frodo]

xp's built-in search is lousy at "content" searches; sp2 made it a bit
better, but it still lacks. leave indexing service off, it's of no real
value.

try a free third party tool for this, such as google desktop search or
yahoo desktop search; there are others too, google for "desktop search".
GDS specializes in content searches, and isn't so great at filename
searches; YDS does both well, but w/ a more cluttered user interface.
that google search will also turn up "reviewer's" opinions of these tools,
read those to decide which might be best for you; you can always switch if
you're not happy. free is good...

 

[Richard]

Hi Frodo,

Thanks for your input.

xp's built-in search is lousy at "content" searches

Wow, that didn't seem to be the case until a month or so back for me.
As I mentioned, at that time I found someplace that allowed me to
allow/suppress indexing at my various partitions, I discovered only my
"system drive" was activated for indexing. I made them all eligible
for indexing, but that never seemed to fix my problem.

I've just started to look at grep to see if it's up to the job. If
that doesn't pan out, I'll check out Google and Yahoo.

Again, thanks for weighing in on this issue.

Regards,
Richard