Someone help me fix my Windows Explorer Search Please!

I made a post on the MSDN forums but I received no help. If you read it
though it will detail the steps I've already taken to correct the problem,
none of which worked. It'll help when you make suggestions that I might
already have tried.

http://forums.microsoft.com/msdn/Sho...09384&siteid=1

Anyway. A brief synopsis of my problem:

Using either the Windows Explorer Search box at the top right hand corner of
a Windows Explorer Folder or the Search box in the Start Menu I am unable to
find certain files. They are usually *.exe's or *.rar's or *.zip's which I
have downloaded. I can find some but not others.

Rebuilding the Index or restoring the defaults, in Control Panel => Indexing
Options => Advanced, does nothing to help. My setting for *.zip's, *.exe's
and *.rar's are "Index Properties Only" and yet it doesn't help. I can find
SOME *.exe's but not others. The same goes for the rest of the files.

I can't tell why it can find some and not others when it has all of them
indexed. It doesn't seem to matter what directory it's in but the majority of
the time I notice this problem in "C:\Users\[me]\Downloads".

Please will someone help! I don't want to have to pay Microsoft 70 euros for
customer support because of their defective product!

IllNeverHaveYouAgain;497827 Wrote:
> I made a post on the MSDN forums but I received no help. If you read it
> though it will detail the steps I've already taken to correct the
> problem,
> none of which worked. It'll help when you make suggestions that I might
> already have tried.
>
> 'Please help! Desktop search is completely broken - MSDN Forums'
> (http://forums.microsoft.com/msdn/Sho...09384&siteid=1)
>
> Anyway. A brief synopsis of my problem:
>
> Using either the Windows Explorer Search box at the top right hand
> corner of
> a Windows Explorer Folder or the Search box in the Start Menu I am
> unable to
> find certain files. They are usually *.exe's or *.rar's or *.zip's
> which I
> have downloaded. I can find some but not others.
>
> Rebuilding the Index or restoring the defaults, in Control Panel =>
> Indexing
> Options => Advanced, does nothing to help. My setting for *.zip's,
> *.exe's
> and *.rar's are "Index Properties Only" and yet it doesn't help. I can
> find
> SOME *.exe's but not others. The same goes for the rest of the files.
>
> I can't tell why it can find some and not others when it has all of
> them
> indexed. It doesn't seem to matter what directory it's in but the
> majority of
> the time I notice this problem in "C:\Users\[me]\Downloads".
>
> Please will someone help! I don't want to have to pay Microsoft 70
> euros for
> customer support because of their defective product!

Hi,

I would just disable the Search Index and let Vista default to using
the non-indexed search. It is accurate. Method One in this tutorial
will show you how.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/69...e-disable.html

Shawn


--
brink

*There are no dumb questions, just the people that do not ask them.*
OM\")
*Please post feedback to help others.*

Thanks but I was just wondering whether you've ever heard of this before or
could hazard a guess to why it's doing this. Any ideas?
Thanks for the tutorial but I hope you understand I want to leave turning
off the index until all other options are exhausted. It takes way too long
without the index to find files on my pc. There's like 300GB of stuff on it.

"brink" wrote:

>
> IllNeverHaveYouAgain;497827 Wrote:
> > I made a post on the MSDN forums but I received no help. If you read it
> > though it will detail the steps I've already taken to correct the
> > problem,
> > none of which worked. It'll help when you make suggestions that I might
> > already have tried.
> >
> > 'Please help! Desktop search is completely broken - MSDN Forums'
> > (http://forums.microsoft.com/msdn/Sho...09384&siteid=1)
> >
> > Anyway. A brief synopsis of my problem:
> >
> > Using either the Windows Explorer Search box at the top right hand
> > corner of
> > a Windows Explorer Folder or the Search box in the Start Menu I am
> > unable to
> > find certain files. They are usually *.exe's or *.rar's or *.zip's
> > which I
> > have downloaded. I can find some but not others.
> >
> > Rebuilding the Index or restoring the defaults, in Control Panel =>
> > Indexing
> > Options => Advanced, does nothing to help. My setting for *.zip's,
> > *.exe's
> > and *.rar's are "Index Properties Only" and yet it doesn't help. I can
> > find
> > SOME *.exe's but not others. The same goes for the rest of the files.
> >
> > I can't tell why it can find some and not others when it has all of
> > them
> > indexed. It doesn't seem to matter what directory it's in but the
> > majority of
> > the time I notice this problem in "C:\Users\[me]\Downloads".
> >
> > Please will someone help! I don't want to have to pay Microsoft 70
> > euros for
> > customer support because of their defective product!
>
> Hi,
>
> I would just disable the Search Index and let Vista default to using
> the non-indexed search. It is accurate. Method One in this tutorial
> will show you how.
>
> http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/69...e-disable.html
>
> Shawn
>
>
> --
> brink
>
> *There are no dumb questions, just the people that do not ask them.*
> OM\")
> *Please post feedback to help others.*
>

IllNeverHaveYouAgain;499787 Wrote:
> Thanks but I was just wondering whether you've ever heard of this before
> or
> could hazard a guess to why it's doing this. Any ideas?
> Thanks for the tutorial but I hope you understand I want to leave
> turning
> off the index until all other options are exhausted. It takes way too
> long
> without the index to find files on my pc. There's like 300GB of stuff
> on it.
>
> "brink" wrote:
> Hi,
> >
> > I would just disable the Search Index and let Vista default to using
> > the non-indexed search. It is accurate. Method One in this tutorial
> > will show you how.
> >
> > 'Index - Enable or Disable'
> (http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/69...e-disable.html)
> >
> > Shawn
>

It looks like you tried everything else. You might try doing a Repair
Install. This will allow you to repair your Vista installation without
loosing your files, settings, and programs. You may have to reinstall
your drivers afterwards. This tutorial wil show you how.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/88...all-vista.html

Shawn


--
brink

*There are no dumb questions, just the people that do not ask them.*
OM\")
*Please post feedback to help others.*

Ok Thank you. I will try that at the weekend.

"brink" wrote:

>
> IllNeverHaveYouAgain;499787 Wrote:
> > Thanks but I was just wondering whether you've ever heard of this before
> > or
> > could hazard a guess to why it's doing this. Any ideas?
> > Thanks for the tutorial but I hope you understand I want to leave
> > turning
> > off the index until all other options are exhausted. It takes way too
> > long
> > without the index to find files on my pc. There's like 300GB of stuff
> > on it.
> >
> > "brink" wrote:
> > Hi,
> > >
> > > I would just disable the Search Index and let Vista default to using
> > > the non-indexed search. It is accurate. Method One in this tutorial
> > > will show you how.
> > >
> > > 'Index - Enable or Disable'
> > (http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/69...e-disable.html)
> > >
> > > Shawn
> >
>
> It looks like you tried everything else. You might try doing a Repair
> Install. This will allow you to repair your Vista installation without
> loosing your files, settings, and programs. You may have to reinstall
> your drivers afterwards. This tutorial wil show you how.
>
> http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/88...all-vista.html
>
> Shawn
>
>
> --
> brink
>
> *There are no dumb questions, just the people that do not ask them.*
> OM\")
> *Please post feedback to help others.*
>

IllNeverHaveYouAgain;501102 Wrote:
> Ok Thank you. I will try that at the weekend.
>
> "brink" wrote:
> I would just disable the Search Index and let Vista default to using
> > > > the non-indexed search. It is accurate. Method One in this
> tutorial
> > > > will show you how.
> > > >
> > > > 'Index - Enable or Disable' > > ('Index - Enable or Disable'
> (http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/69...e-disable.html))
>
> > > >
> > > > Shawn
> > > >
> > It looks like you tried everything else. You might try doing a Repair
> > Install. This will allow you to repair your Vista installation
> without
> > loosing your files, settings, and programs. You may have to reinstall
> > your drivers afterwards. This tutorial wil show you how.
> >
> > 'Repair Install For Vista'
> (http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/88...all-vista.html)
> >
> > Shawn
>

Your welcome. Let us know how it went for you.

Shawn


--
brink

*There are no dumb questions, just the people that do not ask them.*
OM\")
*Please post feedback to help others.*

It does the same thing on my brother's pc which has Vista as well. I just
checked. It can't find the same files mine can't find. Stupid Vista. I like
it better than XP but the search is buggy. Unlike other companies I doubt
Microsoft will ever listen to me when I tell them there's a problem with the
search.
Is there any way to tell them? Even dishing out €70 for support they'll
probably just tell me to reinstall Vista. But me and my brother have the OEM
Vista on our Dell PCs so it'll destroy all our files. Ugh.


"brink" wrote:

>
> IllNeverHaveYouAgain;501102 Wrote:
> > Ok Thank you. I will try that at the weekend.
> >
> > "brink" wrote:
> > I would just disable the Search Index and let Vista default to using
> > > > > the non-indexed search. It is accurate. Method One in this
> > tutorial
> > > > > will show you how.
> > > > >
> > > > > 'Index - Enable or Disable' > > ('Index - Enable or Disable'
> > (http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/69...e-disable.html))
> >
> > > > >
> > > > > Shawn
> > > > >
> > > It looks like you tried everything else. You might try doing a Repair
> > > Install. This will allow you to repair your Vista installation
> > without
> > > loosing your files, settings, and programs. You may have to reinstall
> > > your drivers afterwards. This tutorial wil show you how.
> > >
> > > 'Repair Install For Vista'
> > (http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/88...all-vista.html)
> > >
> > > Shawn
> >
>
> Your welcome. Let us know how it went for you.
>
> Shawn
>
>
> --
> brink
>
> *There are no dumb questions, just the people that do not ask them.*
> OM\")
> *Please post feedback to help others.*
>

IllNeverHaveYouAgain;503796 Wrote:
> It does the same thing on my brother's pc which has Vista as well. I
> just
> checked. It can't find the same files mine can't find. Stupid Vista. I
> like
> it better than XP but the search is buggy. Unlike other companies I
> doubt
> Microsoft will ever listen to me when I tell them there's a problem
> with the
> search.
> Is there any way to tell them? Even dishing out €70 for support
> they'll
> probably just tell me to reinstall Vista. But me and my brother have
> the OEM
> Vista on our Dell PCs so it'll destroy all our files. Ugh.
>

Hi,

You can try to contact MS through here.

https://support.microsoft.com/contac...214&ws=support

Shawn


--
brink

*There are no dumb questions, just the people that do not ask them.*
OM\")
*Please post feedback to help others.*

I am having same issue, as are many others - so we are not alone

However, I have checked the box to run search on both indexed and
non-indexed files - it does NOT NOT NOT find all the files that contain
certain words - bottom line Vista has trouble with context searches for some
reason - either that or we are all missing some trick to it.

"IllNeverHaveYouAgain" wrote:

> Thanks but I was just wondering whether you've ever heard of this before or
> could hazard a guess to why it's doing this. Any ideas?
> Thanks for the tutorial but I hope you understand I want to leave turning
> off the index until all other options are exhausted. It takes way too long
> without the index to find files on my pc. There's like 300GB of stuff on it.
>
> "brink" wrote:
>
> >
> > IllNeverHaveYouAgain;497827 Wrote:
> > > I made a post on the MSDN forums but I received no help. If you read it
> > > though it will detail the steps I've already taken to correct the
> > > problem,
> > > none of which worked. It'll help when you make suggestions that I might
> > > already have tried.
> > >
> > > 'Please help! Desktop search is completely broken - MSDN Forums'
> > > (http://forums.microsoft.com/msdn/Sho...09384&siteid=1)
> > >
> > > Anyway. A brief synopsis of my problem:
> > >
> > > Using either the Windows Explorer Search box at the top right hand
> > > corner of
> > > a Windows Explorer Folder or the Search box in the Start Menu I am
> > > unable to
> > > find certain files. They are usually *.exe's or *.rar's or *.zip's
> > > which I
> > > have downloaded. I can find some but not others.
> > >
> > > Rebuilding the Index or restoring the defaults, in Control Panel =>
> > > Indexing
> > > Options => Advanced, does nothing to help. My setting for *.zip's,
> > > *.exe's
> > > and *.rar's are "Index Properties Only" and yet it doesn't help. I can
> > > find
> > > SOME *.exe's but not others. The same goes for the rest of the files.
> > >
> > > I can't tell why it can find some and not others when it has all of
> > > them
> > > indexed. It doesn't seem to matter what directory it's in but the
> > > majority of
> > > the time I notice this problem in "C:\Users\[me]\Downloads".
> > >
> > > Please will someone help! I don't want to have to pay Microsoft 70
> > > euros for
> > > customer support because of their defective product!
> >
> > Hi,
> >
> > I would just disable the Search Index and let Vista default to using
> > the non-indexed search. It is accurate. Method One in this tutorial
> > will show you how.
> >
> > http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/69...e-disable.html
> >
> > Shawn
> >
> >
> > --
> > brink
> >
> > *There are no dumb questions, just the people that do not ask them.*
> > OM\")
> > *Please post feedback to help others.*
> >

Windows Search does search the contents of excel and other files. If
possible, can you send me one of the Excel or other files you are having
trouble with {and the terms you are searching for and not finding and I will
take a look}? Send to "davewood at microsoft dot com" and I will see if I
can track anything down ...

Dave

"Teri" <> wrote in message
news:2D70E0A1-52A0-4E75-9716-...
>I am having same issue, as are many others - so we are not alone
>
> However, I have checked the box to run search on both indexed and
> non-indexed files - it does NOT NOT NOT find all the files that contain
> certain words - bottom line Vista has trouble with context searches for
> some
> reason - either that or we are all missing some trick to it.
>
> "IllNeverHaveYouAgain" wrote:
>
>> Thanks but I was just wondering whether you've ever heard of this before
>> or
>> could hazard a guess to why it's doing this. Any ideas?
>> Thanks for the tutorial but I hope you understand I want to leave turning
>> off the index until all other options are exhausted. It takes way too
>> long
>> without the index to find files on my pc. There's like 300GB of stuff on
>> it.
>>
>> "brink" wrote:
>>
>> >
>> > IllNeverHaveYouAgain;497827 Wrote:
>> > > I made a post on the MSDN forums but I received no help. If you read
>> > > it
>> > > though it will detail the steps I've already taken to correct the
>> > > problem,
>> > > none of which worked. It'll help when you make suggestions that I
>> > > might
>> > > already have tried.
>> > >
>> > > 'Please help! Desktop search is completely broken - MSDN Forums'
>> > > (http://forums.microsoft.com/msdn/Sho...09384&siteid=1)
>> > >
>> > > Anyway. A brief synopsis of my problem:
>> > >
>> > > Using either the Windows Explorer Search box at the top right hand
>> > > corner of
>> > > a Windows Explorer Folder or the Search box in the Start Menu I am
>> > > unable to
>> > > find certain files. They are usually *.exe's or *.rar's or *.zip's
>> > > which I
>> > > have downloaded. I can find some but not others.
>> > >
>> > > Rebuilding the Index or restoring the defaults, in Control Panel =>
>> > > Indexing
>> > > Options => Advanced, does nothing to help. My setting for *.zip's,
>> > > *.exe's
>> > > and *.rar's are "Index Properties Only" and yet it doesn't help. I
>> > > can
>> > > find
>> > > SOME *.exe's but not others. The same goes for the rest of the files.
>> > >
>> > > I can't tell why it can find some and not others when it has all of
>> > > them
>> > > indexed. It doesn't seem to matter what directory it's in but the
>> > > majority of
>> > > the time I notice this problem in "C:\Users\[me]\Downloads".
>> > >
>> > > Please will someone help! I don't want to have to pay Microsoft 70
>> > > euros for
>> > > customer support because of their defective product!
>> >
>> > Hi,
>> >
>> > I would just disable the Search Index and let Vista default to using
>> > the non-indexed search. It is accurate. Method One in this tutorial
>> > will show you how.
>> >
>> > http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/69...e-disable.html
>> >
>> > Shawn
>> >
>> >
>> > --
>> > brink
>> >
>> > *There are no dumb questions, just the people that do not ask them.*
>> > OM\")
>> > *Please post feedback to help others.*
>> >