Windows 7 - Windows Desktop Search Replacement?

Hello, I'm running Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit and Outlook 2007. Once upon a time when I was running Windows XP and Office 2003 I stumbled upon a search utility called Lookout, which I loved. Microsoft acquired them and made the utility available as Windows Desktop Search. When I installed Office 2007 for th first time I was still on Windows XP. I installed Windows Desktop Search and loved it. Since I have been running Windows 7 I have been severely stymied when it comes to searching through PST databases for past email correspondence. Sadly, Windows Desktop Search will not run on Windows 7.

I try to use the search facility built into Windows 7 and into Outlook 2007. I'm having a terrible time routinely finding recent and old email messages. Is there a utility out there that provides the functionality of Windows Desktop Search? I've been holding off asking, but now I'm desperate.

Here are some of my settings and observations:

I realize that Windows Desktop Search is built into the Windows 7 OS, but it's not as robust for me as the stand-alone version was.

In Tools > Options > Preferences > Search > Search Options > Indexing I have check boxes checked for both the PST and an archive PST present in the "Index messages in these data files:" box. The "Prompt me" check box is checked as well, but I never have been prompted due to files still being indexed. In the Search section of Search Options I have the three check boxes unchecked. In the Outlook search box drop down menu in Indexing Status, the status is "Outlook has finished indexing all of your items."

I have an SSD boot drive and have "Allow files on this drive to have contents indexed in addition to file properties" unchecked as advised in literature I've read on the care and feeding of SSDs.

When I want to find all instances of an email address in the data files I first choose Search All Outlook Items from the drop-down menu in Outlook's search box. Then I paste the address into the search box and click on the Search icon. In the results pane I see "searching" which can display from 5 to 10 seconds (seems much longer) before results start showing up. Sometimes no results at all show up for a search on a known email address. I can paste the address into Windows Start Menu search and sometimes it finds results Outlook search doesn't find.

I'll appreciate any suggestions. I sure do miss the standalone search utility!

Thanks, - Dave McKeen

Dave I am not sure about all of your requirements but there is a 3rd party app called search everything that does a decent enough job.

Good Luck Mate

Ken

read post # 7


A Windows 7 search alternative ?

Hi gang, thanks for the leads. After reading the threads I think I'd better do some learnin' ) There's a tutorial right here in this forum I will devour and any others I can find. Then if I'm still not happy I can try the 3rd party solutions. - Dave