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General discussion

How do you search on select multiple drives ?

Feb 23, 2004 9:39AM PST

Recently upgraded from W98 to WXP. In W98, to search on multiple drives, all that was required was to separate each drive by a comma or semicolon; eg. e:;f:
When using the same syntax with XP, it says e:;f: is not a valid folder even though the default is displayed as Local Hard Drives (C:;E:;F:;G: )
Please advise.

Discussion is locked

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Re:How do you search on select multiple drives ?
Feb 23, 2004 10:53AM PST

Use the drop down arrow under "Search in".

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Re:Re:How do you search on select multiple drives ?
Apr 11, 2004 3:41PM PDT

The drop down doesn't allow for multiple drives to be searched simultaneously.

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Re:Re:Re:How do you search on select multiple drives ?
Apr 11, 2004 4:47PM PDT

if you do a "search all files" there should be a "look in" window, click there and you should see "local hard drives"

if your're looking for a certain type of file e.g. *.doc, click the "use advanced search options to get to the same "local hard drives"

just one thing, as far as i know, if you have 2 HDs each with 3 partions, you can't do a multiple search on 2 or 3 of the partions, it's either 1 or all....

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Re:Re:Re:Re:How do you search on select multiple drives ?
Apr 12, 2004 5:06AM PDT

Don't have a problem selecting one drive/folder to search. Don't have a problem selecting all drives. My problem is how to select more than one location but not all locations simultaneously. Assume that all drive letters are being used. My objective is not to search 26 drives nor is to search one drive; but, rather to search a subset, let's say the F:,G:,H: drives.

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Re:as i said before
Apr 12, 2004 5:09AM PDT

as far as i know, if you have 2 HDs each with 3 partions, you can't do a multiple search on 2 or 3 of the partions, it's either 1 or all....

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Re:Re:as i said before
Apr 12, 2004 11:52AM PDT

In my case, there is *one* HD with multiple partitions (6 or so); it's virtually identical to my W98 HD set up due to my migration from W98 to WXP.

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Re:How do you search on select multiple drives ?
Apr 11, 2004 4:01PM PDT

Try C: ;D: ;E: ;F: etc. (Note the spaces) When you first launch "Search" all files....did not it give all drives preselected ? If not, try launching again.

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addendum...
Apr 11, 2004 4:06PM PDT

Remember to put the search string within brackets- try yours and mine.

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Re:Re:How do you search on select multiple drives ?
Apr 12, 2004 5:17AM PDT

Sorry for not being clear. My objective is *not* to search all drives but, rather a _subset_ of all drives; e.g. only the E and F drives

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your question was as clear as the answers
Apr 12, 2004 12:21PM PDT

it's one OR all...

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Re:your question was as clear as the answers
Apr 12, 2004 12:54PM PDT

The trick is to use a semi-colon ";" between entries and be sure to put a back-slash "\" after a drive letter & colon.
So if you want to search drives E: and F: you enter, in the "Look in" field "E:\;F:\"
Notice you do not need to enter a space before or after the semi-colon - but it doesn't hurt.
If you want to search multiple folders and/or drives then you spell out the path and still use the semi-colon. Such as this:
"C:\windows\system32;H:\Download"
(Your folder and path names may vary)

One more thing, you can also search for multiple file names by also using the semi-colon in the "File name" field. Such as if I were looking for all my text and doc files I would search for "*.txt;*.doc"

Have fun.

Curiously, in W95, W98, WNT, and W2k you didn't need to use a semi-colon in the filename field, a space acted as a valid delimiter. But that has been fixed in WXP, and not you need to use the semi-colon.

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Re:Re:your question was as clear as the answers
Apr 12, 2004 3:29PM PDT

chuckthom, is this documented anywhere ?

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Re:Re:Re:your question was as clear as the answers
Apr 13, 2004 3:15AM PDT

I would assume so, but upon just looking for it (for just a couple minutes) I wasn't able to find it. I believe any info in the Help pages that takes longer than about one minute, to find, is pretty useless anyway.

So, how do I know what I've stated works?
I tried it. If it doesn't work as I've stated, give me a chance to help you.

I have been using Find (or now called Search) since the early days of Windows 3.0. I've seen some features come and go. In its current incantantation I think it is a very good tool, and one of the built-in Windows things I rely on. I would like to see some things improved but, as it is, it is very workable. Besides, if I wanted a better search tool there is always share-and-especially-FREE ware.I just like to use the tools at hand, the ones that come with Windows, when I can. When it makes sense.

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nt:it doesn't work for me
Apr 12, 2004 8:43PM PDT

.

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Re:nt:it doesn't work for me
Apr 13, 2004 3:17AM PDT

Give me a little more info. I'm willing to assist; but I have to know what sort of search, and what you entered and where.

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Re:more info?
Apr 13, 2004 4:43AM PDT

#The trick is to use a semi-colon ";" between entries and be sure to put a back-slash "\" after a drive letter & colon.
So if you want to search drives E: and F: you enter, in the "Look in" field "E:\;F:\"#

it doesn't work on either the PC or the laptop with XP pro

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Re:nt:it doesn't work for me
Apr 13, 2004 6:21AM PDT

Jonah, (the forum is not letting me reply in the same thread as your response, so I had to back up this one level)
sorry if I am appearing "anal" about this, I'm just trying to understand what it is that you have entered and where you entered it.
Just saying something like "it doesn't work" does not give me specifically what you tried, and where, as in what field, you entered it.

I know what I have mentioned does work because I have been using these syntaxes for years. I support many dozens of people here at a major corporation (call it company X - hint, hint) and I show those people how to use the tools, the PCs and software, at hand.

I have seen, sometimes, a person will tell me something like "oh I tried EXACTLY what you said, and I didn't get xxx to work."
And then I check what it is that they actually tried and I find that they left a "little" part out, or entered a quote when they shouldn't have or not entered a quote when they should have, or they just used the wrong character entirely.

So, if you can tell me what exactly you entered, and what window and what field you entered it, along with any other pertinent information, I am sure we can resolve this.

And like someone else said, in a parallel thread, sure there are better search tools, but I know that Windows Explorer Find/Search will do what it is you want to do.
Using another tool, some share or freeware, will bring its own syntax and particulars to the game, and you'd have to learn them as well.

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Re:i'll keep it simple
Apr 13, 2004 3:37PM PDT

you suggested a solution:
#The trick is to use a semi-colon ";" between entries and be sure to put a back-slash "\" after a drive letter & colon.
So if you want to search drives E: and F: you enter, in the "Look in" field "E:\;F:\"#

to a problem:
# it says e:;f: is not a valid folder even though the default is displayed as Local Hard Drives (C:;E:;F:;G: )#

i tried it (your solution)
it didn't work for me (1 or all, not selective)

but thanks anyway

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Eureka
Apr 14, 2004 9:27AM PDT

Semicolon backslash is the delimiter ?
Wow ! It works Happy
BTW - Where is this documented ?

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Re: Eureka - a correction for you
Apr 15, 2004 6:58AM PDT

It is not "Semicolon backslash" as the delimiter pair, the pair is colon backslash. (i.e. :\)

A semi-colon (the ;) is used as a separator for multiple entries, either in the File name field (when looking for multiple file names), or in the Look in field (when looking through multiple paths, folders or drives).

Where is any of this documented?
I have no idea. I just know it because that has been the syntax used for years, since way back in the "old DOS daze Wink". (I've been using DOS since its inception, even prior to DOS 1.0)

(History lesson: Did you know that before it was known as DOS, it was named QDOS? Quick and Dirty Operating System.)

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Re:Re: Eureka - a correction for you
Apr 15, 2004 9:07AM PDT

pardon my juxtaposition ... meant backslash semicolon. Was so overcome that it worked that my mind was ahead of my typing. With W98, the consistency was my strength: ability to search on multiple filenames using a comma or semicolon as the delimiter and also able to search multiple drives using comma or semicolon as the delimiter. An upgrade to XP and my tried and true had gone and went. Now, even knowing what the syntax is problematic; i.e., since it's not documented, there's nowhere for me to find it or store it or bookmark it. Will have to rely on the ole memory <sigh>

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Thanks for the answer to multiple drive search criteria
Apr 11, 2008 6:03AM PDT

This was driving me crazy as I knew there was a way to do this which I had forgotten.
Only one small correction to your specification for multiple file names.
Your example is correct, but file names use a comma rather than a semi-colon.
Examples:
All or part of the file name:
*.txt,*.doc
Look in:
E:\;F:\
Again, thanks - I had been looking all over for an answer but could not find. Your reply on this post is most appreciated.

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Selecting Multiple search criteria
Apr 11, 2008 6:19AM PDT

I jumped the gun.
In the all or part of the file name:
you can use either a comma or semi-colon to separate criteria
However a semi-colon is required in the Look in:
to separate different drive letters.
Again thanks,

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Re:How do you search on select multiple drives ? Answer= Not with Microsoft's supplied tool.
Apr 13, 2004 3:30AM PDT

There are far too many other search tools to choose from.

The short answer is the best here. Go find a better tool.

Bob

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Re: search multiple drives? Answer= Not with Microsoft's supplied tool. NOT
Apr 13, 2004 6:30AM PDT

yes, that is a double negative, meaning yes.
Yes, Windows Explorer can search multiple drives.

And I know there are better search tools, but if all you want to do is something simple, that the tools at hand (already present on everybody's Windows PC) can already do, why find another tool?

It is only a simple matter to learn the, sometimes elusive, syntax. And once you learn it, it becomes your friend. If ever you step over to someone elses's PC, you don't have to bring your special tools with you, since everybody's PC has the basic tools already there.

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Why I voted no.
Apr 13, 2004 6:41AM PDT

I found that the supplied search in the gui ignores many directories without any apparent controls to tell you that it is going to do so.

The gui "search" as supplied has failed me too often.

If I'm on another machine I just open up a command prompt and use DIR. Hopefully, they don't remove that.

Bob

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Re:Why I voted no.
Apr 13, 2004 7:15AM PDT

Yup, I know what you mean. I have seen the folder search do some "weird" things too. but then, both you and I probably need to do searches a little more involved than the casual user. Like looking through the various system folders.

Whereas the casual user just needs to do more general searches. I always find these general need searches very competently handled by Windows Explorer.

But I will give you that point for odd behavior, at times. I just don't say multiple drives can't be searched.

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Re:Why I voted no.
Apr 13, 2004 9:08AM PDT

Yup, I know what you mean. I have seen the folder search do some "weird" things too. but then, both you and I probably need to do searches a little more involved than the casual user. Like looking through the various system folders.

Whereas the casual user just needs to do more general searches. I always find these general need searches very competently handled by Windows Explorer.

But I will give you that point for odd behavior, at times. I just don't say multiple drives can't be searched.

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Re:Why I voted no.
Apr 13, 2004 9:56AM PDT

Yup, I know what you mean. I have seen the folder search do some "weird" things too. but then, both you and I probably need to do searches a little more involved than the casual user. Like looking through the various system folders.

Whereas the casual user just needs to do more general searches. I always find these general need searches very competently handled by Windows Explorer.

But I will give you that point for odd behavior, at times. I just don't say multiple drives can't be searched.

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Re: why the multiple answers
Apr 13, 2004 10:02AM PDT

Sorry, the net here was acting funny, and I just left the window with my reply, already sent, still open. So, later I just did a refresh of the page, and that must have done the 2nd and 3rd sending.

Moderator: If you can, you can delete these other two copies of the same reply.
Again, I'm really sorry. Sad