Why does the search function suck so much in W7??

Hi,

The search function used to be really straightforward back in XP, but ever since Vista its pretty much useless. I have a folder with so many files and sub-folders and I want to find all the files that have "client" in the name. So I type "client" without the quotes in the search field and absolutely ALL the files and sub-folders appear in the results!! So now I type it with the quotes and again all files and sub-folders appear, like if all files contained that word and I guarantee, THEY DONT. This happens with some other keywords I cant remember right now.

Why is that and what can I do to go around it?

Thank you.

If I need to find folders in Documents I open Documents and search within that search bar and find everything I need and the same in Downloads and Pictures and in Music etc etc.

I find the Search function to work the same in Windows XP and in Windows Vista and in Windows 7.

I think it may have to do with how I categorized my files / folders.

I have no complaints with the search function in Windows 7.

Thats some useful information. Thank you. But why does the keyword "client" return all those results (even images) despite the word is nowhere present in those files at all?

I gave up on Windows Search some time ago. Is very slow here, maybe due to old hardware or being misconfigured.

I now use "Everything" and get instant results. https://www.voidtools.com/

Riley7 said:

I now use "Everything" and get instant results. https://www.voidtools.com/

I'm totally convinced that the Windows search function is irreparably broken by design. The reason is pretty simple, it relies on a completely unreliable "feature": the so called index.

In theory, the index is supposed to keep track of everything you index, properly arranged for quick retrieval and searches. That's very nice in theory, an optimized search area from where files could be drawn instantly.

But here is the catch: it doesn't updates when it needs to be updated.
Basically, every time you create a new file, remove an existing one, modify or rename something, the index become out of date. The search service is supposed to keep it updated periodically, but it doesn't happens instantly, so if we search in the meanwhile we'll get older results or something different.
The solution to this schema could be something like "transactions", ie, the index gets updated together with the underlying files, but that carries some performance penalties (not to mention integrity if the index fails).

Another unrelated trouble is that the index only cover specific locations within the filesystem, not the entire computer.
We have to decide what we'll be able to search and what will suffer. That's a serious problem. Searching implies that we don't know where something is, but the Windows search engine requires us to know where to look........

I no longer use it, it's simply too broken for any practical use. Many programs out there do a much better job and actually return correct results.

poorguy said:

I find the Search function to work the same in Windows XP and in Windows Vista and in Windows 7.

I think it may have to do with how I categorized my files / folders.

In XP the search is completely different and works 100% of the time, for every single user out there, just like external programs do. Since Vista, the index ruined it, it's a completely different beast.
If it only works just because you have categorized your data in some specific way it means that it doesn't works and it's broken. Any search must be able to find proper results no matter where it's searching or how you've structured your files.