Windows 7: Search on Folders Stopped Working

Search has stopped working from the folder right click menu - see attached error message. Works OK from disk drive right click

I'm sure Search was working from folder right click - can't say when it stopped as I don't using often, but I'm sure I would have used in the past month

Hello pjd,

This sounds like an association issue. As a test, download and merge the .reg files for the listed Directory and folder options in the tutorial below. They will restore their default associations, and hopefully fix this for you.

Default File Type Associations - Restore

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Thanks brink - but no luck

I had a look at my settings they were exactly the same as the fix, but I did the merge anyway in case I missed something

I put some folders into Libraries recently to see what it felt like, my understanding is that Windows 7 will index Library contents automatically. I wonder if that's broken something. it would have been indexing things already indexed.

I'm loathe to rebuild the index because a) I don't see why that should fix it, because Drive->Search is OK; b) and I'm "scared" I might also lose Drive->Search.

That shouldn't have broke this.

Just to be sure, when you say "Search has stopped working from the folder right click menu", exactly what are you doing? There's not a search option in the context menu by default.

I know..... thats what threw me when he first posted. I assumed it had something to do with a third party program so I didn't try to answer. The "Calibre" referenced (picture) has something to do with e-books so I'm GUESSING that ITS search function is messing up. If this is the case then a reinstall of the program might help.

Thanks guys - no, I'm definitely talking about Windows 7 Search.

I was searching the Calibre folder because I knew it had some PDFs containing the phrase 'debt buy back'. I found the pdfs I was looking for by doing a search on the e: drive.

I get the Search... item on all folders, 1st attachment shows it on c:\Program Files

Its quite possible that I installed a 3rd party widget to provide Search... on folders. I drive everything from the 'right click' menu key, so if I saw such a thing I would have grabbed it immediately. I've had windows 7 since the last beta and I sometimes forget what's native and what I've added.

And I've been doing some 'tidying up' recently so its conceivable I tidied it away permanently

Which begs the question - do you guys know of anything that will add Search... to folders.

I've attached a shot of the shell extensions I have on folders - the ones I've marked I cant readily explain - perhaps someone else can ?

Thanks pjd

Contmenu definitely looks like it might have something to do with it, but I'm not familiar enough to give you any solid advice about that particular thing.

Have you tried a system restore to maybe get whatever program you used to get this search feature on your system back? I've used a few different context menu editors, but don't recall one that added a search.

A quick web search just found 2 or 3 hacks/programs that will do it. Most seem to be for Vista but most things that work for Vista seem to apply to 7 too. I'm not going to post a link but if you just search for what you want ..... its there.

This looks familiar - it definitely puts Search... into the folder context menu - I undid the patch and there was no Search..., redid the patch and there was Search... back again - didn't work though :lol:

Restore the "Search…" Item to the Folder Context Menu in Windows Vista SP1 - How-To Geek

Maybe an MS update rendered it useless

ContMenu was pointing at something related to ACDSee which went ages ago - so its gone too.

I am pretty sure it was that patch - bummer - why wouldn't MS want Search on folder right click to work - looks like they deliberately crippled it. Surely not to force Library's down our throats - had Library's existed 15 years ago I might have used them - meantime...

thanks guys

Could be, thats one of the results I found. You're on your own now though.... . Unless something else goes wrong.Then we're always here to help. Good luck and Happy Holidays!