Searching apparently non-indexed files

[Dzomlija]

Windows Search service (indexation) is turned off here and search always went fine for me. I also regret that an advanced search windows is missing in 7 though. I use Agent Ransack for my advanced search needs, it have a "Specifies NOT expression" search option that I sometimes need and include hidden files by default.

Agent Ransack - home

Actually, if you check the Advanced Searches tutorial in the Vista Forums, you'll find that Windows Search does indeed have a NOT operator (among others).

As an example, I tag the pictures in my library as "Source Images" and "Wallpapers", and variants thereof specifying the dominant backgrund color or style, such as "Black", "Yellow", "Indoors", etc.

Now, if I want to find all pictures that have a yellow background, but I don't want source images (For example, at a LAN and a buddy wants to see what wallpapers I have), I'll use the following search:

tag:yellow NOT tag:source AND (width:1600 OR width:1920)

The above snippet shows off 3 boolean operators (NOT, AND, OR) that can be used with Windows Search. There are literally hundreds of properties than can be combined in this manner, as you can see from the tutorial.

And the syntax of said searches hasn't changed much since Vista. Windows 7 just returns results much quicker and in a better to understand way, thanks to the new "Content" view...

 

[OEM]

I have done that - and the results that I get are "NO ITEMS MATCH YOUR SEARCH"

With 8GB worth of data on the backup DL DVD I have - which I know there are plenty of MP3's mixed among them - I get that kinda of result.

Do I have something turned off somewhere?

If you put a mixed DL DVD in your drive, and search this way do you get results??

Keeping in mind that I CAN use the explorer to manually navigate through the folders directly to whatever files are on the DVD...

I get the same results as you. With a DVD in the drive and an explorer window open of the dvd drive, it will only search whatever directory is currently shown. The drive never spins up to search the disk and all the folders on it.

example on dvd drive searching for "music.mp3" located at: D:\temp\greatest\

If I'm at the address in explorer "D:\temp\greatest\" and search "music.mp3" it will find it.

If I search from just "D:\" or "D:temp\" it will not spin up the drive to look in other directories and cannot find "music.mp3".

dunno

 

[BrandonLive]

Did you turn off the "include subdirectories" option in Organize -> Folder and Search Options on the Search tab?

 

[OEM]

Did you turn off the "include subdirectories" option in Organize -> Folder and Search Options on the Search tab?

No, its all the default settings. I've tried changing a few and get the same result.

View attachment 15166

 

[pominator]

Actually, if you check the Advanced Searches tutorial in the Vista Forums, you'll find that Windows Search does indeed have a NOT operator (among others).

thanks, bookmarked the link. No more need for Ransack

 

[OEM]

Noticed that the light grey text in the search box will read whatever directory I'm currently in, suggesting it's only going to search that directory. If I'm at the root (D:\) and it shows that in the search, it will only search that directory and not any sub directories contained there in.

Basically, its only searching the directory I'm currently in.

 

[OEM]

Update:

Got it. For whatever reason, it only works when starting the search from the "Computer" explorer. Then I clicked custom and ticked the DVD drive and it would search the entire dvd.

Click on "Computer" in the start menu

in the computer explorer window, type what you want to search for in the search box.

when the "custom" icon appears, click it, and tick the dvd drive and it will now spin-up and search the dvd.

Its strange that it wouldn't do this directly from the dvd drive explorer window.

 

[Tang]

I am on Build 7100 - the straight RC. I figured I would stick with it until release time, but keep an eye out here for you guys who have advanced with each leak.
When I search on the drive itself, just like in selecting a hard drive, I highlight the drive, and then enter info into the search box. I have tried "*.*" and even some of the specific commands that I saw on a tech webpage that someone provided to me that SHOULD list all of the files I select.
Sure enough, when I highlight a HDD and search, all is well - I get the expected results. it is just when I slap a disk in and try the same thing that there are no good results.
I am at work now, so I can't go through al lof my settings, but I am pretty sure I set search indexing ON at some point.

What are your settings and where? I'll mirror mine to yours in a heartbeat if I can get this to work!

 

[Tang]

Many thanks to you all- Yes indeed - this IS the only way I could get W7 to search and provide the results I was looking for. Strange - but maybe it's just the 7100 build?

 

[OEM]

Many thanks to you all- Yes indeed - this IS the only way I could get W7 to search and provide the results I was looking for. Strange - but maybe it's just the 7100 build?

Your Welcome, Glad it worked for you.

It should be considered a "work around" for 7100rc if proceeding builds don't have this problem, as this shouldn't be the only way to search. Users should be able to a search right from the drives explorer window, but for now this seems to work for all kinds of media.