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Windows 7 Search Doesn’t Work Properly – Yet Again!
I realise this subject has just about been done to death, e.g. by Lithium on 07-06-2011, but I just have to let off steam somehow - it really doesn't seem to work! Let me explain.
I recently acquired an HP Pavilion dv7 laptop computer, with Windows 7 64-bit Home Premium pre-installed. While I was excitedly making my first investigations of Windows 7, I created another partition, labelled A:, and moved all my documents to it from C:, using the Location tab of My Documents Properties. I do this in order to have data in a different partition from the system files, in case the OS partition gets trashed for any reason.
Eventually, I needed to find a file which I knew existed amongst a certain group of folders. I was astonished when Search failed to find it, and I eventually had to track it down by hand. Since then I have established that Search will not find any files on my A: partition, no matter what folders I specify in the Included Locations on the Indexing Options dialog box. Indeed, if I select Advanced, to go to where I can force a Rebuild of the index, when I come out again Indexing Options will remove any additions I made to the search locations, and reinstate the original (not very useful now) defaults of Start Menu and Users. Even if I do a search from Windows Explorer while sitting in a folder on A: just above where I know a specific file is, Search will fail to find that file.
I have looked through stacks of forums and other help sources giving information and advice to people with similar problems, and I have gone through detailed tutorials on how to make indexing work, with no result. A lot of people seem to have this problem, and yet others say Search is the best thing since sliced bread. My system is brand-new, with pre-installed Windows – how come I have this problem? And how come Search finds lots of files that appear to have nothing to do with the search condition I set? – the number of files on the C: drive with the search word “color” somewhere in them is literally unbelievable.
I think this is a big step back from Windows XP, which was at least reliable even if it took some time, and with Windows Desktop Search installed was pretty quick. It looks to me as though Windows 7 Search is based on Windows Desktop Search, only with all the capability carefully ripped out.
The Windows 7 operating system is unique in my experience in providing no certain way of making a search, not even a slow way. I have never before been unable to locate a known file on any system, going right back to the old Unix/MS-DOS days.
I would be grateful if anyone could please suggest a way of enabling Search to work properly, with the following provisos:
1) There is no way I am going to start fiddling around in the registry, altering innumerable keys for an uncertain result, even if I do count myself an expert user. Life is too short to spend it trying to do something under the bonnet (hood if you’re American) which should have been done properly by the manufacturer in the first place.
2) I have already tried just about every combination of rebuilding the search index, relocating it, and modifying it that can be devised. It always finishes up having indexed a different number of files from last time – by thousands! Also I have checked all the security permissions on the folders in question, and SYSTEM has full access; and I have made sure all the folders are within Libraries.
And if anyone says “Ah, but it’s only designed to search the C: drive” I shall scream. Otherwise why provide the ability to specify indexing locations? And no-one uses floppies any more, so why shouldn’t I have an A: partition?
In the meantime, I shall continue with the free version of Agent Ransack (MythicSoft Ltd.) which is a very fast substitute. And I shall continue to fume at MS Corp., which seems to specialise in retailing glossy new products with major flaws in them to customers who have no way of seeking redress for the inadequacies of the product that has been forced on them when they bought a new computer – had any good conversations with Microsoft Customer Support recently, anyone?
Regards,
JMW