Why doesn't search really SEARCH?!

Running Vista Home Premium on Compaq Presario notebook


This is my first Vista machine and I find its inability to do a "proper"
search a stunning shortcoming. Or am I missing some secret setting?

Scenario- I want to do a search of my entire hard drive for a file. I only
know the extension so I enter .snf and the results are 1 file found. Wrong!

First of all, the results don't show me the complete path to the file.
Instead of displaying C:\Users\owner\Documents, it displays C:\Users\owner.
That's it. I either have to flail around and manually check all the owner
folders or right click and look at the file's properties. Why won't Vista
display the FULL path to the file?

Secondly, and this is really disappointing, is that I KNOW there are at
least 70 more .snf files on my C drive that Vista apparently can't locate! !

I never had this search problem with XP. You ask XP and it tells all.
Simple. So what gives with Vista?

Is there some way to make Vista do a COMPLETE search and display ALL found
files with FULL PATHS?? Isn't this what computers were designed to help us
do?

Hello RW,

You can disable the Index to have Vista default to doing non-index
searches for better search results.

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

Next, be sure to set your search options to include the same areas
shown in the tutorial below to have Vista search everywhere.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/75...h-options.html

This may also help with searching as well.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/75...ed-search.html


You can also add the "Path" column to the search window to have it
display the full path instead.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/10...customize.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

RW;1067939 Wrote:
> Running Vista Home Premium on Compaq Presario notebook
>
>
> This is my first Vista machine and I find its inability to do a
> "proper"
> search a stunning shortcoming. Or am I missing some secret setting?
>
> Scenario- I want to do a search of my entire hard drive for a file. I
> only
> know the extension so I enter .snf and the results are 1 file found.
> Wrong!
>
> First of all, the results don't show me the complete path to the file.
> Instead of displaying C:\Users\owner\Documents, it displays
> C:\Users\owner.
> That's it. I either have to flail around and manually check all the
> owner
> folders or right click and look at the file's properties. Why won't
> Vista
> display the FULL path to the file?
>
> Secondly, and this is really disappointing, is that I KNOW there are at
> least 70 more .snf files on my C drive that Vista apparently can't
> locate! !
>
> I never had this search problem with XP. You ask XP and it tells all.
> Simple. So what gives with Vista?
>
> Is there some way to make Vista do a COMPLETE search and display ALL
> found
> files with FULL PATHS?? Isn't this what computers were designed to help
> us
> do?


--
Brink

'*MS MVP - Windows Desktop Experience*'
(https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/pr...5-AD617AF3D511)
*There are no dumb questions, just the people that do not ask
them.*
'*::Windows 7 Forums::*' *and*

*Please post feedback to help others.*

Shawn,

You are the man!

Thanks a million,

R






"Brink" <> wrote in message
news:...
>
> Hello RW,
>
> You can disable the Index to have Vista default to doing non-index
> searches for better search results.
>
> http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/69...e-disable.html
>
> Next, be sure to set your search options to include the same areas
> shown in the tutorial below to have Vista search everywhere.
>
> http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/75...h-options.html
>
> This may also help with searching as well.
>
> http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/75...ed-search.html
>
>
> You can also add the "Path" column to the search window to have it
> display the full path instead.
>
> http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/10...customize.html
>
> Hope this helps,
> Shawn
>
> RW;1067939 Wrote:
>> Running Vista Home Premium on Compaq Presario notebook
>>
>>
>> This is my first Vista machine and I find its inability to do a
>> "proper"
>> search a stunning shortcoming. Or am I missing some secret setting?
>>
>> Scenario- I want to do a search of my entire hard drive for a file. I
>> only
>> know the extension so I enter .snf and the results are 1 file found.
>> Wrong!
>>
>> First of all, the results don't show me the complete path to the file.
>> Instead of displaying C:\Users\owner\Documents, it displays
>> C:\Users\owner.
>> That's it. I either have to flail around and manually check all the
>> owner
>> folders or right click and look at the file's properties. Why won't
>> Vista
>> display the FULL path to the file?
>>
>> Secondly, and this is really disappointing, is that I KNOW there are at
>> least 70 more .snf files on my C drive that Vista apparently can't
>> locate! !
>>
>> I never had this search problem with XP. You ask XP and it tells all.
>> Simple. So what gives with Vista?
>>
>> Is there some way to make Vista do a COMPLETE search and display ALL
>> found
>> files with FULL PATHS?? Isn't this what computers were designed to help
>> us
>> do?
>
>
> --
> Brink
>
> '*MS MVP - Windows Desktop Experience*'
> (https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/pr...5-AD617AF3D511)
> *There are no dumb questions, just the people that do not ask
> them.*
> '*::Windows 7 Forums::*' *and*
>
> *Please post feedback to help others.*

Thanks Propman. The "problem" is now solved!

"propman" <> wrote in message
news:h19rgi$sla$...
> RW wrote:
>> Running Vista Home Premium on Compaq Presario notebook
>>
>>
>> This is my first Vista machine and I find its inability to do a "proper"
>> search a stunning shortcoming. Or am I missing some secret setting?
>>
>> Scenario- I want to do a search of my entire hard drive for a file. I
>> only know the extension so I enter .snf and the results are 1 file found.
>> Wrong!
>>
>> First of all, the results don't show me the complete path to the file.
>> Instead of displaying C:\Users\owner\Documents, it displays
>> C:\Users\owner. That's it. I either have to flail around and manually
>> check all the owner folders or right click and look at the file's
>> properties.
>
> Right click on file name - Open File Location
>
>> Why won't Vista display the FULL path to the file?
>
> Start --> Help and Support --> Search "Search Everywhere" for suggestions
> on tweaking search/display options.
>
> Start --> Search --> .snf --> Click on "Search Everywhere"
>
>>
>> Secondly, and this is really disappointing, is that I KNOW there are at
>> least 70 more .snf files on my C drive that Vista apparently can't
>> locate! !
>>
>
> Locates .* files on my Vista systems just fine....probably have to tweak
> your settings a bit using the information provided through the "Help and
> Support" center.

I second that! Great info there! Normally I just let it do it's dud
search first then choose advanced search and select "search non indexed
items" and finally the search results appear. Works the way it should
now.

RW wrote:
> Shawn,
>
> You are the man!
>
> Thanks a million,
>
> R
>
>
>
>
>
>
> "Brink" <> wrote in message
> news:...
>>
>> Hello RW,
>>
>> You can disable the Index to have Vista default to doing non-index
>> searches for better search results.
>>
>> http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/69...e-disable.html
>>
>> Next, be sure to set your search options to include the same areas
>> shown in the tutorial below to have Vista search everywhere.
>>
>> http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/75...h-options.html
>>
>> This may also help with searching as well.
>>
>> http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/75...ed-search.html
>>
>>
>> You can also add the "Path" column to the search window to have it
>> display the full path instead.
>>
>> http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/10...customize.html
>>
>> Hope this helps,
>> Shawn
>>
>> RW;1067939 Wrote:
>>> Running Vista Home Premium on Compaq Presario notebook
>>>
>>>
>>> This is my first Vista machine and I find its inability to do a
>>> "proper"
>>> search a stunning shortcoming. Or am I missing some secret setting?
>>>
>>> Scenario- I want to do a search of my entire hard drive for a file. I
>>> only
>>> know the extension so I enter .snf and the results are 1 file found.
>>> Wrong!
>>>
>>> First of all, the results don't show me the complete path to the file.
>>> Instead of displaying C:\Users\owner\Documents, it displays
>>> C:\Users\owner.
>>> That's it. I either have to flail around and manually check all the
>>> owner
>>> folders or right click and look at the file's properties. Why won't
>>> Vista
>>> display the FULL path to the file?
>>>
>>> Secondly, and this is really disappointing, is that I KNOW there are at
>>> least 70 more .snf files on my C drive that Vista apparently can't
>>> locate! !
>>>
>>> I never had this search problem with XP. You ask XP and it tells all.
>>> Simple. So what gives with Vista?
>>>
>>> Is there some way to make Vista do a COMPLETE search and display ALL
>>> found
>>> files with FULL PATHS?? Isn't this what computers were designed to help
>>> us
>>> do?
>>
>>
>> --
>> Brink
>>
>> '*MS MVP - Windows Desktop Experience*'
>> (https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/pr...5-AD617AF3D511)
>>
>> *There are no dumb questions, just the people that do not ask
>> them.*
>> '*::Windows 7 Forums::*' *and*
>>
>> *Please post feedback to help others.*
>

Like search engines it searches through an index. The classic way of
searching files is to list the file directories and search through them.
This was slower and the index method is nicer. However you may still add
items to your index and then search will be faster.

--

http://www.jewelerslounge.com/

"RW" <> wrote in message
news:#9V8K$...
> Running Vista Home Premium on Compaq Presario notebook
>
>
> This is my first Vista machine and I find its inability to do a "proper"
> search a stunning shortcoming. Or am I missing some secret setting?
>
> Scenario- I want to do a search of my entire hard drive for a file. I
> only know the extension so I enter .snf and the results are 1 file found.
> Wrong!
>
> First of all, the results don't show me the complete path to the file.
> Instead of displaying C:\Users\owner\Documents, it displays
> C:\Users\owner. That's it. I either have to flail around and manually
> check all the owner folders or right click and look at the file's
> properties. Why won't Vista display the FULL path to the file?
>
> Secondly, and this is really disappointing, is that I KNOW there are at
> least 70 more .snf files on my C drive that Vista apparently can't locate!
> !
>
> I never had this search problem with XP. You ask XP and it tells all.
> Simple. So what gives with Vista?
>
> Is there some way to make Vista do a COMPLETE search and display ALL found
> files with FULL PATHS?? Isn't this what computers were designed to help us
> do?
>
>
>
>

You're welcome R.

RW;1067983 Wrote:
> Shawn,
>
> You are the man!
>
> Thanks a million,
>
> R
>
>
>
>
>
>
> "Brink" <> wrote in message
> news:...> > >
> > >
> > > Hello RW,
> > >
> > > You can disable the Index to have Vista default to doing non-index
> > > searches for better search results.
> > >
> > > http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/69...e-disable.html
> > >
> > > Next, be sure to set your search options to include the same areas
> > > shown in the tutorial below to have Vista search everywhere.
> > >
> > > http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/75...h-options.html
> > >
> > > This may also help with searching as well.
> > >
> > > http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/75...ed-search.html
> > >
> > >
> > > You can also add the "Path" column to the search window to have it
> > > display the full path instead.
> > >
> > > http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/10...customize.html
> > >
> > > Hope this helps,
> > > Shawn
> > >
> > > RW;1067939 Wrote:> > > > >
> > > >> Running Vista Home Premium on Compaq Presario notebook
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >> This is my first Vista machine and I find its inability to do a
> > > >> "proper"
> > > >> search a stunning shortcoming. Or am I missing some secret setting?
> > > >>
> > > >> Scenario- I want to do a search of my entire hard drive for a file.
> > > I
> > > >> only
> > > >> know the extension so I enter .snf and the results are 1 file found.
> > > >> Wrong!
> > > >>
> > > >> First of all, the results don't show me the complete path to the
> > > file.
> > > >> Instead of displaying C:\Users\owner\Documents, it displays
> > > >> C:\Users\owner.
> > > >> That's it. I either have to flail around and manually check all the
> > > >> owner
> > > >> folders or right click and look at the file's properties. Why won't
> > > >> Vista
> > > >> display the FULL path to the file?
> > > >>
> > > >> Secondly, and this is really disappointing, is that I KNOW there are
> > > at
> > > >> least 70 more .snf files on my C drive that Vista apparently can't
> > > >> locate! !
> > > >>
> > > >> I never had this search problem with XP. You ask XP and it tells
> > > all.
> > > >> Simple. So what gives with Vista?
> > > >>
> > > >> Is there some way to make Vista do a COMPLETE search and display ALL
> > > >> found
> > > >> files with FULL PATHS?? Isn't this what computers were designed to
> > > help
> > > >> us
> > > >> do?> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > Brink
> > >
> > > '*MS MVP - Windows Desktop Experience*'
> > >
> > (https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/pr...5-AD617AF3D511)
> > > *There are no dumb questions, just the people that do not ask
> > > them.*
> > > '*::Windows 7 Forums::*' ('Windows 7 Forums'
> > ) *and*
> > >
> > > *Please post feedback to help others.* > >


--
Brink

'*MS MVP - Windows Desktop Experience*'
(https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/pr...5-AD617AF3D511)
*There are no dumb questions, just the people that do not ask
them.*
'*::Windows 7 Forums::*' *and*

*Please post feedback to help others.*

Yeah it's widely known

Goto Mythicsoft's website and get either free AgentRansack or FileLocatorPro
($40).

Free things aren't too advanced & AgentRansack developmen tstopped in 2003,
it's still better than Vista BUT for $40 you would get truly great
FileLocatorPro used by FBI, CIA, Shipping companies which do a lot of
packages tracking, Airlines, etc. A great company.

I am an Electrical Engineer, having NOTHING todo w/MythicSoft in case you
start imagining I have a stock in the company.... NO, just sharing facts I
found after being frustrated with Vista's search a month ago when I first
started using reatrded OS after WIndowsXP....

Vista search is great in appearance, sleek, find smultimedia files, etc,
search syntax is the first thing you notice after WinXP; but it fails to
find special strings WITHIN FILE contents of uncommon files e.g. exe, dll,
bin, iso, ipt, iam, other CAD formats or arbitrary binary file.
has nothing todo with my ability to use it, you dont know who I am... too
long to explain, it was admitted by Microsoft that Search is well.... great
for multimedia, byut not fo rmy type of technical work.

SO I got FileLocator Pro, a company xisting since 1980's to fix expand every
Windows search abilities. since Windows95 thru Windows7.

All the suggestions WIndows-obsessed man gave you don't work and NOT needed
to bea heard about here. I knew it all.
I've been doing computer for longer than you'v ebeen alive!

Vista search simply fails to find rare, esoteric type of targets. I can
find pioctures, oK fine, go play in the next sandbox. I am searching
technical stuff - drawings, CAD models, binaries, executables - for strings
enbedded in them, WIndowsXP could do tha twith a registry patch or no patch
in SP2 (alredy included), but Vista can't!
So if you find things with Vista, I assure you coul dbe other thigns it
didn't show you.

NCan't be trusted for mission-critical searches like criminal suspects,
shipments, spacecraft data, etc.
That's where FileLocator Pro works.

On Wed, 17 Jun 2009 13:54:37 +0300, "James Matthews"
<> wrote:

>Like search engines it searches through an index. The classic way of
>searching files is to list the file directories and search through them.
>This was slower and the index method is nicer. However you may still add
>items to your index and then search will be faster.

Search engines like Google have to visit over 50 million distributed
servers on a world wide network of unknown proportions and collect
hundreds of millions of pages of content, then provide a tool that
will allow users to quickly search through them. A search database
(index) is not only warranted, it's required.

On your own computer you have a dedicated processor searching a known
set of drives (rarely more than 2). Unless you spend gobs of your time
searching every day, an index is totally unnecessary. Real time
searching is more accurate and doesn't waste system time indexing
content you'll never need to look at.

Add to that the fact that Vista's search tool has a convoluted, overly
complex interface that only works properly when you study its "hidden"
features, and that it specifically excludes certain file types and
folders that MS decided you didn't need to search (all without
exposure to the user)... and you have Vista's absolute worst
"feature".

http://www.mythicsoft.com/agentransack/