Can someone please help me with searching for files???

faa77 · Nov 27, 2010

Someone should be shot for this search facility on windows 7!!

I've been trying to search for all pdf files on my external hard drive and its not finding them. I did this on XP32 and there's approximately 6,000. However, i need to copy all the PDFs to a folder and its not able to cope with that on 32bit so i tried doing it on Win 7. Win 7 wont find any of them. I tried to add an index to the external hard drive to no avail.

Could someone please help me?

mjf · Nov 27, 2010

I use this FileLocator Lite.

kword88 · Nov 27, 2010

click the start button. type "search" in the search box. select "change how windows searches" from the list. click "modify" button and add your external drive to the list of places to search.

DeaconFrost · Nov 27, 2010

You're external drive isn't automatically indexed. Just go to the drive in Explorer, and search within the Explore window (top right) for *.pdf. It's actually easier than XP.

Dzomlija · Nov 28, 2010

Windows Vista Forums - Advanced Searches
Windows Search Advanced Query Syntax
Windows Vista Team Blog - Advanced search techniques

The above links should be sufficient to get to started

mborner · Nov 28, 2010

DeaconFrost said:
You're external drive isn't automatically indexed. Just go to the drive in Explorer, and search within the Explore window (top right) for *.pdf. It's actually easier than XP.

This is how I would do it!

mjf · Nov 28, 2010

mborner said:
DeaconFrost said:

You're external drive isn't automatically indexed. Just go to the drive in Explorer, and search within the Explore window (top right) for *.pdf. It's actually easier than XP.

Click to expand...

This is how I would do it!

Yes indeed.
Now can you show me how to find files of the form *.pdf containing a specific string..... let's say 12x13 . Again on the external non indexed disk.

DeaconFrost · Nov 29, 2010

mjf said:
Now can you show me how to find files of the form *.pdf containing a specific string..... let's say 12x13 . Again on the external non indexed disk.

This isn't targeted just at you, but why are so many people having difficulty using the search? Aren't people trying it before they complain?

In your example, you would search the same way I suggested. You'd go to the drive, and then enter your search terms in the upper right. If I did a search for Seven.pdf, it would find documents called Seven.pdf, WindowsSeven.pdf, and Windows Seven.pdf. It works the very same way the search box does on the Start Menu. Honestly, I rarely search from the Start Menu. I do most of my searching from the specific locations in Explorer. Maybe that's why I'm so surprised when people struggle with non-indexed locations.

mjf · Nov 29, 2010

DeaconFrost said:
mjf said:

Now can you show me how to find files of the form *.pdf containing a specific string..... let's say 12x13 . Again on the external non indexed disk.

Click to expand...

This isn't targeted just at you, but why are so many people having difficulty using the search? Aren't people trying it before they complain?

In your example, you would search the same way I suggested. You'd go to the drive, and then enter your search terms in the upper right. If I did a search for Seven.pdf, it would find documents called Seven.pdf, WindowsSeven.pdf, and Windows Seven.pdf. It works the very same way the search box does on the Start Menu. Honestly, I rarely search from the Start Menu. I do most of my searching from the specific locations in Explorer. Maybe that's why I'm so surprised when people struggle with non-indexed locations.

I think you misunderstand what I was asking (maybe?)
On my unindexed drive. I have multiple .pdf files (~ 900MB worth). One file refers to the string 12x13 within it. What is the syntax in the search bar finding the file containing the string and it's location in the pdf file. This is for non indexed files/disk.

michaelst · Nov 29, 2010

post removed due to stupidity

Dzomlija · Nov 29, 2010

mjf said:
I think you misunderstand what I was asking (maybe?)

On my unindexed drive. I have multiple .pdf files (~ 900MB worth). One file refers to the string 12x13 within it. What is the syntax in the search bar finding the file containing the string and it's location in the pdf file. This is for non indexed files/disk.

Open "Indexing Options"
Click "Advanced"
Click the "File Types" tab in "Advanced Options"
Scroll the list of file types to show PDF, and select it. What options are selected for the PDF file type?

If, like me, PDF says "Registered IFilter is not found", then that explains why you cannot search the contents of PDF files. I never noticed this myself until now, because I only use PDF files when I need to print a Word or Excel document for emailing, and once that is done, I delete the PDF docment, so it never occured to me that there might be a problem.

I suppose I'll get around to fixing this at somepoint. Perhaps downloading and installing an updated version of Acrobat Reader will do the trick. Or perhaps the IFilter is there, except it's not working, because it's 32-bit, and I'm using 64-bit Windows 7. It's not an issue for me, but perhaps for you it may work.

EDIT:

If all you're looking for is the ability to search within PDF files, try this:
Adobe PDF iFilter 9 for 64-bit platforms
Adobe PDF IFilter v6.0

mborner · Nov 29, 2010

mjf said:
DeaconFrost said:

mjf said:

Now can you show me how to find files of the form *.pdf containing a specific string..... let's say 12x13 . Again on the external non indexed disk.

Click to expand...

This isn't targeted just at you, but why are so many people having difficulty using the search? Aren't people trying it before they complain?

In your example, you would search the same way I suggested. You'd go to the drive, and then enter your search terms in the upper right. If I did a search for Seven.pdf, it would find documents called Seven.pdf, WindowsSeven.pdf, and Windows Seven.pdf. It works the very same way the search box does on the Start Menu. Honestly, I rarely search from the Start Menu. I do most of my searching from the specific locations in Explorer. Maybe that's why I'm so surprised when people struggle with non-indexed locations.

Click to expand...

I think you misunderstand what I was asking (maybe?)
On my unindexed drive. I have multiple .pdf files (~ 900MB worth). One file refers to the string 12x13 within it. What is the syntax in the search bar finding the file containing the string and it's location in the pdf file. This is for non indexed files/disk.

mjf, will this help you?
Windows Search Advanced Query Syntax

Kari · Nov 29, 2010

Typing this:

Code:

type:pdf

on search field of Explorer window finds all PDF-files on that folder and its subfolders.

Using type parameter you can easily search about everything. Some examples:

type:image finds all images
type:jpg finds all JPG images
type:video finds all video files
type:avi finds all AVI video files
type:mp3 finds all MP3 files
type:document finds all document files (doc, txt, PDF and so on)
type:XYZ finds all files with extension XYZ

Kari

thehappyman · Nov 29, 2010

Or you might like to try "Agent Ransack", a very fast 64 bit File Search utility. You can look at it here Agent Ransack - Free File Searching Utility

And you can also see it offered in the "Free 64 Bit Native Software" Post in the Software Section on SevenForums here.

I cant believe how fast it is !!!!! And it works just like XP's search (but better - more options) You can quickly check any drive in your system for specific Files (not the File Contents). I find it so useful it has a permanent place pinned to my Taskbar.

Kari · Nov 29, 2010

thehappyman said:
I cant believe how fast it is !!!!!

More about the "speed" of Agent Ransack / File Locator here: http://www.sevenforums.com/general-discussion/126321-more-search-hell-6.html#post1098141

Kari

mjf · Nov 29, 2010

thehappyman said:
Or you might like to try "Agent Ransack", a very fast 64 bit File Search utility. You can look at it here Agent Ransack - Free File Searching Utility

And you can also see it offered in the "Free 64 Bit Native Software" Post in the Software Section on SevenForums here.

View attachment 118896

I cant believe how fast it is !!!!! And it works just like XP's search (but better - more options) You can quickly check any drive in your system for specific Files (not the File Contents). I find it so useful it has a permanent place pinned to my Taskbar.

thehappyman,
I've been using Agent Ransack (now called FileLocator Lite) for some time. In my testing it is fast, for a reliable Non indexed search program with a very good user interface.
All I do now is point people in it's direction, suggest they try it and they may be very pleasantly surprised.

mjf · Nov 29, 2010

Dzomlija said:
mjf said:

I think you misunderstand what I was asking (maybe?)

On my unindexed drive. I have multiple .pdf files (~ 900MB worth). One file refers to the string 12x13 within it. What is the syntax in the search bar finding the file containing the string and it's location in the pdf file. This is for non indexed files/disk.

Click to expand...

Open "Indexing Options"

Click "Advanced"

Click the "File Types" tab in "Advanced Options"

Scroll the list of file types to show PDF, and select it. What options are selected for the PDF file type?

If, like me, PDF says "Registered IFilter is not found", then that explains why you cannot search the contents of PDF files. I never noticed this myself until now, because I only use PDF files when I need to print a Word or Excel document for emailing, and once that is done, I delete the PDF docment, so it never occured to me that there might be a problem.

I suppose I'll get around to fixing this at somepoint. Perhaps downloading and installing an updated version of Acrobat Reader will do the trick. Or perhaps the IFilter is there, except it's not working, because it's 32-bit, and I'm using 64-bit Windows 7. It's not an issue for me, but perhaps for you it may work.

View attachment 118857

EDIT:

If all you're looking for is the ability to search within PDF files, try this:
Adobe PDF iFilter 9 for 64-bit platforms
Adobe PDF IFilter v6.0

With the program I now use Agent Ransack (now FileLocator Lite) it does everything I need.

I'm from a technical background and an AQS type search is a concept I can grasp.
What I've been asking is:
Consider the scenario
(1) A friend brings over an external HDD full of say .PDF or program source files .f95.
(2) The HDD is not indexed. I do not want to index it.
(3) I want to search all files that contain inside them say "modified by Bill"
(4) How can I do that immediately with Windows.

I think the answer is I cannot.

Finally if because of my problems with indexing I choose not to index user locations, the above scenario applies.

Kari · Nov 29, 2010

mjf said:
Consider the scenario
(1) A friend brings over an external HDD full of say .PDF or program source files .f95.
(2) The HDD is not indexed. I do not want to index it.
(3) I want to search all files that contain inside them say "modified by Bill"
(4) How can I do that immediately with Windows.

I think the answer is I cannot.

I'm getting a bit tired continuously correcting the disinformation spread regarding Windows Search, but OK, let's do it one more time

To demonstrate my point, I created two Word documents. The file Test_File_1 has a line saying "This is a test file, created by Kari", and the file Test_File_2 has a line saying "This is a test file, created by someone else".

First I search file contents only for words test + file, the search syntax beeing contents:test+file. Both test files are found:

Then I search words created + by + Kari, syntax is contents:created+by+Kari. Only one file, the correct one, of those test files is found:

Finally I search words created + by + someone, syntax is contents:created+by+someone. Again only one file, the correct one, of those test files is found:

Nothing more to say.

Kari

Can someone please help me with searching for files???

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