How to search for an exact string?

Marty McFly · 23 Mar 2016

I have often found the Windows search frustrating because it basically seems to ignore anything that isn't alphanumeric. So for example, I can't search things like "08 r" or "m((" or "#PD". This is annoying as I use all kinds of characters to tag my files and it would be great if I could use Windows to search these tags.

Does anyone know a way to search for an exact string?

Or does anyone know of any good way of tagging files so that Windows can search the tags? (I mostly tag text files, audio files, video files, and image files.)

RolandJS · 23 Mar 2016

I used to use FileSeek free version, now I'm using FileSeekPro [pay-for version]. It really does the job very well!
And, it does not need to build and maintain an index of the hard-drive.

ignatzatsonic · 24 Mar 2016

Are you referring to searching in file names or in file content?

If the former, try Everything search engine from Voidtools.com

Near instantaneous results.

As far as I know, it will search any keyboard character that is found in the file name, with the possible exception of *, which it regards as a universal wild card.

Using it, I just found out that I had 5 items on my hard drive that contained )) in the file name.

4wd · 24 Mar 2016

Agent Ransack here, a quick demo: .jpg tagged find me now

murky · 24 Mar 2016

Search for and download a free app called Everything
It really can find everything and very quickly.