Windows Explorer Search Does NOT Find Files On My Hard Drive

[juanantoniod]

Hello,

I am using Windows 7 Home Premium, Service Pack 1. This is a problem that I am having with Windows Explorer (the file manager Explorer, NOT the Internet Explorer).

When I open Windows Explorer and use the Search Files input box located in the upper right of the display, it does not find files that I know are on my hard drive.

On the other end of the spectrum, Windows Explorer sometimes finds too many files. But my problem is mainly concerned with NOT finding files that exist on my hard drive.

With respect to not finding files, Windows Explorer will have one of the following 2 behaviors, which are both quite frustrating.

• I will type a search term in the Windows Explorer Search Files box and it will instantaneously return, telling me that NO files were found with my terms. Under normal circumstances, this would be a good thing, and you would just say that it has a good index of the files and that it is super fast. But it is NOT that! When I look for the files that I was trying to find by manually going through my directories and subdirectories, I find the files that Windows Explorer said were NOT there!
  

• The second behavior is that Windows Explorer Search Files will return only a partial subset of the files with my search term. Again, if I look manually, I can then find the files myself, so I know that the other files exist on my HDD as well.

Incidentally, most often my query is only a one or two word search term, and I am almost always searching for a word within the file name.

I appreciate your kind consideration of my frustrating problem, and would be very grateful for any help that you can give me. Thanks!

 

[Ztruker]

Here is a good article on setting up and using Windows search: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/129437-windows-search-configure-use.html?ltr=W

Maybe it will help.

 

[juanantoniod]

Thanks, that is a big help!!

~Antonio

 

[Sir George]

Hello,

I am using Windows 7 Home Premium, Service Pack 1. This is a problem that I am having with Windows Explorer (the file manager Explorer, NOT the Internet Explorer).

When I open Windows Explorer and use the Search Files input box located in the upper right of the display, it does not find files that I know are on my hard drive.

On the other end of the spectrum, Windows Explorer sometimes finds too many files. But my problem is mainly concerned with NOT finding files that exist on my hard drive.

With respect to not finding files, Windows Explorer will have one of the following 2 behaviors, which are both quite frustrating.

• I will type a search term in the Windows Explorer Search Files box and it will instantaneously return, telling me that NO files were found with my terms. Under normal circumstances, this would be a good thing, and you would just say that it has a good index of the files and that it is super fast. But it is NOT that! When I look for the files that I was trying to find by manually going through my directories and subdirectories, I find the files that Windows Explorer said were NOT there!
  

• The second behavior is that Windows Explorer Search Files will return only a partial subset of the files with my search term. Again, if I look manually, I can then find the files myself, so I know that the other files exist on my HDD as well.

Incidentally, most often my query is only a one or two word search term, and I am almost always searching for a word within the file name.

I appreciate your kind consideration of my frustrating problem, and would be very grateful for any help that you can give me. Thanks!

I find that the built in Windows 7 search feature is not that good. I use Agent Ransack from Mythicsoft, which is free and has better functionality. If you are interested in checking it out, visit the following site;

http://www.mythicsoft.com/page.aspx?type=agentransack&page=home

There are many people who have no issue with the built in search, but I like Agent Ransack as a replacement.

HTH

 

[Ztruker]

I use a program called Everything for finding files but not for searching for content inside files.

 

[juanantoniod]

Sir George and Ztrucker,

Thank you both for the incredible referrals. Now that I think about it, I never even really liked the Windows Explorer Search function when it was 'working'!

Take good care,

 

[condoghost]

It might be because of the security settings for that folder.

It might be because of the security settings for that folder. For a folder and its content to be indexed, it must be configured with the System permission. Most folders already have this, but there are some cases where a folder might be missing the System permission.
To add the System permission to a folder

1. Right-click the folder, click Properties, and then click the Security tab.
2. If you don't see System listed under Group or user names, click Edit.
3. Click Add, type System in the box that appears, and then click Check Names.
4. Under Matching names, click System, and then click OK until all of the open dialog boxes you've opened are closed.

You'll need to rebuild the index once you've made this change.