Search function in WinXP

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jack B
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J

Jack B

Today I did a Windows Explore search for nero. the search came up with the
shortcut files in Start Menu\Programs, but it did not list the nero files
which are in the Program Files directory!!! Is the search function buggy or
what?!

Jack
 
Jack said:
Today I did a Windows Explore search for nero. the search came up
with the shortcut files in Start Menu\Programs, but it did not list
the nero files which are in the Program Files directory!!! Is the
search function buggy or what?!
Click to expand...

I think it's awful, but in the specific case of your question the answer
is "or what". It isn't a bug; unless you choose some very particular
options the search will ignore program files and windows system files.

The reason for this is that the majority of people who search their
computer are searching for data not programs, and this actually is a valid
point, especially when you consider the amount of people we get posting in
these groups with variations of "I just found this, I don't understand it
so I deleted it, now my computer isn't working, please help me fix it so I
can delete more things I don't understand".

Anyway, if you want a good decent search in Windows XP you'll want a 3rd
party search tool. I quite like the copernic one -
http://www.copernic.com/ (and by default, it only searches for data, too,
btw).


--
--
Rob Moir, Microsoft MVP for Security
Blog Site - http://www.robertmoir.com
Virtual PC 2004 FAQ -
http://www.robertmoir.co.uk/win/VirtualPC2004FAQ.html
I'm always surprised at "professionals" who STILL have to be asked:
"Have you checked (event viewer / syslog)".
 
Seems strange - I just did a search for "Nero" files or folders from Windows
Explorer on my C: drive and got over 40 hits!

XP Home, fully patched.


: Today I did a Windows Explore search for nero. the search came up with
the
: shortcut files in Start Menu\Programs, but it did not list the nero files
: which are in the Program Files directory!!! Is the search function buggy
or
: what?!
:
: Jack
:
:
 
Jack said:
Today I did a Windows Explore search for nero. the search came up with the
shortcut files in Start Menu\Programs, but it did not list the nero files
which are in the Program Files directory!!! Is the search function buggy or
what?!

Jack
Click to expand...

Windows search is a well known frequently used feature , if you can't
find some files like that then you're doing something wrong.
maybe you somehow managed to only search within your profile
(c:\documents and settings\jackb)
Try right click C and click search and type nero* and include
subfolders.
Type that nero* into the box that says "All or part of the filename"
Leave the box that says "A word or phrase in the file" blank.

outline exactly what you clicked and typed to do that search.

you should test a bit more, and then you may find your mistake. I doubt
it's only nero that you can't find - or perhaps it is.
Also
Consider a GUI alternative to (GUI) window search. "Agent Ransack" <--
google that.
 
Well, the only thing I hadn't done was check "search system folders" -- that
made the difference.


Jack




Jack said:
Today I did a Windows Explore search for nero. the search came up with
the
shortcut files in Start Menu\Programs, but it did not list the nero files
which are in the Program Files directory!!! Is the search function buggy
or
what?!

Jack
Click to expand...

Windows search is a well known frequently used feature , if you can't
find some files like that then you're doing something wrong.
maybe you somehow managed to only search within your profile
(c:\documents and settings\jackb)
Try right click C and click search and type nero* and include
subfolders.
Type that nero* into the box that says "All or part of the filename"
Leave the box that says "A word or phrase in the file" blank.

outline exactly what you clicked and typed to do that search.

you should test a bit more, and then you may find your mistake. I doubt
it's only nero that you can't find - or perhaps it is.
Also
Consider a GUI alternative to (GUI) window search. "Agent Ransack" <--
google that.
 
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