Need help, please: Searching network drive

I'm running Vista Home Premium, using (I think) Windows Search Ver 4.
(How do I find out which version is running?)

I've installed the Windows Search add-in (from Microsoft) for network
drives, I've added mapped shared folders on my MediaSmart home server as
indexed locations, and have re-built the index.

But, although the network drives are in the list of indexed locations,
Windows Search seems to have not indexed these locations, and does not
find files stored in them.

What am I doing wrong? Or do I misunderstand, and Windows Search cannot
search network drives??

(I do understand that I can go to Advanced Search, and then specify a
network drive and enter my search term ...and then search will find the
folder or file, but I thought the search results--including results from
network drives--would show up almost instantly as I type into the search
slot above the Start button.)

Thanks for any help.

Art

On Fri, 23 Jan 2009 17:05:19 GMT, Art
<> wrote:

>But, although the network drives are in the list of indexed locations,
>Windows Search seems to have not indexed these locations, and does not
>find files stored in them.

Do they support indexing non-Vista drives? News to me, but I don't
keep up. Your system would need to constantly watch the network drive
for additions from anywhere (not just you) and then re-index on the
fly. Seems like a serious waste of resources locally.

My suggestion would be more philosophical. First, decide if you really
need indexing at all. Do you spend a *lot* of time searching inside
files? If not, it's a waste of resources anyway.

My preference is to shut off the indexing service and dump MS's
convoluted Vista search tool. Install Agent Ransack. When you need to
search, it will be plenty fast. Probably not the answer you want to
hear though.

> But, although the network drives are in the list of indexed locations,
> Windows Search seems to have not indexed these locations, and does not
> find files stored in them.

I might be wrong, but I don't think Vista (or Windows Search) indexes
network drives.

SteveT

Thanks for the ideas, Bob.

The files are on a home server, HP MediaSmart, accessed only by me & my
wife. It is a convenient place to keep them, and, also, it makes them
accessible from anywhere we happen to be. Once the search index is
built, relatively little in the way of resources is consumed maintaining it.

Microsoft Search is supposed to index network drives if a specific
add-in is installed ...which it is on our machines. I just can seem to
get it to work.

Another search engine might be the way to go.

Art

+Bob+ wrote:
> On Fri, 23 Jan 2009 17:05:19 GMT, Art
> <> wrote:
>
>> But, although the network drives are in the list of indexed locations,
>> Windows Search seems to have not indexed these locations, and does not
>> find files stored in them.
>
> Do they support indexing non-Vista drives? News to me, but I don't
> keep up. Your system would need to constantly watch the network drive
> for additions from anywhere (not just you) and then re-index on the
> fly. Seems like a serious waste of resources locally.
>
> My suggestion would be more philosophical. First, decide if you really
> need indexing at all. Do you spend a *lot* of time searching inside
> files? If not, it's a waste of resources anyway.
>
> My preference is to shut off the indexing service and dump MS's
> convoluted Vista search tool. Install Agent Ransack. When you need to
> search, it will be plenty fast. Probably not the answer you want to
> hear though.
>

Hi Steve,

This is what I'm going on:
- http://support.microsoft.com/kb/918996

I have Vista 32, and a MediaSmart home server running Microsoft's home
server software, in a Windows network. So it should index network
drives, I think.

Steve Thackery wrote:
>> But, although the network drives are in the list of indexed locations,
>> Windows Search seems to have not indexed these locations, and does not
>> find files stored in them.
>
> I might be wrong, but I don't think Vista (or Windows Search) indexes
> network drives.
>
> SteveT

> This is what I'm going on:
> - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/918996

Ah! Sorry, Art, you are right. I didn't know about this add-on.

I'm currently testing W7 so I can't pursue this any further. Sorry I can't
be of more help. Hopefully someone else will join in shortly.

SteveT