WinXP SP2 Search utility not working properly

[Geoff]

Search does not work properly. For example a search on <my documents>
only results in finding two folders entitled <my documents copy a> and
<mydocuments copy b> on an external USB2 drive where I had copied the
My documents folder. Even a search for <temp> results in no files or
folders. Whereas my laptop finds 125 files and folers named <temp>
Never mind tryng to find text within a file! I am also having trouble
getting MS updates to download and install. I have downloaded Office
SP3 but can't install it. Whether there is a correlation between
these two problems or not I don't know.

I am bracing myself for seeking aid from MS on the update problem.
But would appreciate some advice as to whether the Search utility is
corrupt or not.

 

[Elmo]

Search does not work properly. For example a search on <my documents>
only results in finding two folders entitled <my documents copy a> and
<My Documents copy b> on an external USB2 drive where I had copied the
My documents folder. Even a search for <temp> results in no files or
folders. Whereas my laptop finds 125 files and folders named <temp>
Never mind trying to find text within a file! I am also having trouble
getting MS updates to download and install. I have downloaded Office
SP3 but can't install it. Whether there is a correlation between
these two problems or not I don't know.

I am bracing myself for seeking aid from MS on the update problem.
But would appreciate some advice as to whether the Search utility is
corrupt or not.

Windows XP Search Problems
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/xp_search_probs.htm

[Courtesy of MS-MVP Doug Knox]

 

[Geoff]

Search does not work properly. For example a search on <my documents>
only results in finding two folders entitled <my documents copy a> and
<My Documents copy b> on an external USB2 drive where I had copied the
My documents folder. Even a search for <temp> results in no files or
folders. Whereas my laptop finds 125 files and folders named <temp>
Never mind trying to find text within a file! I am also having trouble
getting MS updates to download and install. I have downloaded Office
SP3 but can't install it. Whether there is a correlation between
these two problems or not I don't know.

I am bracing myself for seeking aid from MS on the update problem.
But would appreciate some advice as to whether the Search utility is
corrupt or not.

Windows XP Search Problemshttp://www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/xp_search_probs.htm

[Courtesy of MS-MVP Doug Knox]

Thanks Doug
your vbs program improved the search results. The Search companion
still won't find <temp> so I took your other advice and downloaded
Agent Ransack; it found over 1700 files with <temp> in the file or
folder name!