Windows 7: Windows Search in Windows 7

I am just wondering after going through the forums thoroughly - I am very confused.

I am only a new starter in trying to search the different items and some of my files are not coming in the search.

I am just wondering if the properties of some of the folders or files would change (such as read only and sharing) would affect if they do not come up in the search.

I have tried indexing. I have tried unhiding files.

I have tried everything prior to coming to here.

I also wish to include most of the files on my external hard drives - some files come up - some do not.

If someone could assist an old person like me - thank you

Welcome to SF Melissa!

Please check out this post and especially first link in it.

For external hard drivers I would use some 3rd party search tools like XSearch - Search files on your computer
It does not have indexing. And since it is a good old classic, it shouldn't let you down.

How do you include everything in a search and how do you know it is working.

I also have some external hard drives and some files are missed.

I just need basic instructions as I am not that computer savvy

Thank you for this forum

Hi Melissa, welcome to the Seven Forums.

Please give us some more information, an example what you are searching for instance pictures from last holiuday on external drive E: or a video you know you have it but do not know on which drive called Party.

Kari

I was never satisfied with the built-in Windows 7 search feature; I use Agent Ransack software instead. You can download the free version from the following site;

Agent Ransack - Free File Searching Utility

The above choice is a personal preference and there are many users that have no issue with the built-in search.

HTH

I am currently having issues with indexing and now receiving advice that my 500GB Hard Drive requires formatting before I can use it - I have never had any issues prior to re-indexing.

I am also submitting what I mean by the properties of the folders and if that may be affecting the search.

I am trying to incorporate all hard drives that can be included.

My Hard Drive which is E: - that is the one that keeps on coming up that it requires formatting. But I do not wish to loose any information.

I hope that my screenshots are alright.

I just wish to know that I have the right properties with all the sharing etc.

I have used the portable hard drives on a couple machines - so a couple of documents may have sharing issues. I am not too sure

It looks you have some issues with your E: drive. Before getting to your search issue we need to solve it.

Please tell is this E: drive an internal hard drive or external?

Kari

It is an external hard dive. I am very sorry for not clarifying.

I am new to asking for virtual assistance.

OK, thank you.

Occasionally these read / write issues with an external drive can be caused by a problematic connection, malfunctioning USB port or cable. However, mostly it is because of a hardware failure. My recommendation for that would be to backup all data located on that drive, format it and try again. If it still gives the same error message, I would use the drive as shotgun practice target and buy a new one.

Back to your search issue. Could you please do a test and tell us how it went? If it's OK for you, here's what I would like you to do. It looks complicated but it really is a simple test, you'll manage it without problems:

• Create a new folder on both E: and F:. The name of the folder is not important, you can leave them having the default New Folder name
• Open Notepad, type thisisatest ("this is a test" written without spaces, we need a text string that is most probably not found on your PC)
• Save this file with name SearchTest on both of your newly created folders, E:\New Folder and F:\New folder
• Open Windows Explorer in Computer view showing all your drives:
  .
  
  .
• Type ext:txt content:thisisatest (exactly as written here!)on search field (highlighted in above screenshot) and hit Enter (ext:txt means search is looking for files with extension txt, which is the default Notepad extension, and content:thisisatest means search should only look for those txt files that contain a text string thisisatest)
• Tell us if your search found both SearchTest files, the one on E: and one on F:
  .
  

This test tells us if your non-indexed location search is working as it should, and if your search is also set to search file content. Let's go further after this simple test.

Kari

I might be way off base but this is what I do.
1. Windows Explorer and on the left side select the drive you want to search and tick on it.
2. In the upper right hand Search type in you search (in my case ins).
3. Select Computer, Enter. If it's not indexed it will inform you but still do the search.