XP Find In Files Doesn't find text in files

[Bill Baker]

I use a program which saves "collections", which are
basically text files with some extra tag characters. I
need to be able to serach these collection files for
text.

Previously with Windows 98SE and 2000, I could select to
search any file for text, and it would be found. Now with
Windows XP, I can no longer find text in these files.
These collection files are not hidden, and I even tried
removing the archive attributes on all the files.

Try this example:
Start menu, Search, For Files and Folders
All or part of the filename: *.bin (also tried blank)
A word or phrase in the file: computer (verified in file)
Look In/Browse: C:\
Advanced: Search Hidden Files/Folders (checked)

This should find the word "computer" in the drvspace.bin
file, but the XP search will not find it. Text can
successfully be found in an INI or other
recognized "text" file, but not in other file types.

Is there some setting I'm missing, or has Windows XP
turned the Search function into a piece of crap?

 

[Doug Knox MS-MVP]

See www.dougknox.com, Win XP Fixes, Windows XP Search Problems, Can't Find
Files..... Containing Text.

Some users are using Agent Ransack, www.agentransack.com to work around XP's
Search limitations.

 

[Bill Baker]

Excellent! Thanks for pointing this out. I tried several
MSDN searches, but I found the Q article through your
link.

Thanks again Doug!