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Question

Windows 7 file search is incredibly frustrating for me!

by Sep 7, 2012 10:04AM PDT

Hello to all! As you can tell by my screen name, MS dragged me kicking and screaming away from XP. My new Windows 7 machine has a lot of interesting stuff, but IMHO the file search function is useless when compared to the search capability in XP. I dutifully went to the MS website and looked through their search tips, but... no. So here's my 2-part question:

Part One: Can I copy files from XP that would allow me to use XP's search function in Windows 7?

Part Two: Assuming the answer above is No... has any shareware/freeware producer created a useful substitute? I don't need the dog thing, I need a search engine that allows me to limit the results - and then choose my answer and head to that folder.

Thanks in advance!

Discussion is locked

5 Posts
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Answer
One no.
by Forum moderator Sep 7, 2012 11:01AM PDT

Two, use other search tools. There are too many to look at so let's find the top ones at ... CNET's download.com

http://download.cnet.com/windows/search-tools/ lists them but I'd shy away from Copernic due to posts about it here. Try -> "Everything."
Bob

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Just what I need!
by Love_XP-Pro Sep 7, 2012 12:20PM PDT

Bob,

Thanks for the help. That phrase is just what I needed - I was looking using "file find" "file search" and so on. Did NOT consider "search-tools"

Thanks again.

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Answer
FileSearchEX might be what you're looking for
by Sep 20, 2012 7:01AM PDT

FileSearchEX is a new one that is pretty nice. Does not need admin rights ...

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Answer
Windows 7 file search
by Sep 20, 2012 5:07PM PDT

Part One: No, you can't use XP's search function in Win7. However you can transfer files from XP to 7 using Windows Easy Transfer.

Part Two: You can manually narrow down your search by typing the exact name of the file in Start Search bar. Windows 7 will quickly present you with options. However if you want to use a freeware then visit the CNET link given by R. Proffitt. Click Windows 7 box to make sure that you search for Windows tools. Most of them are freeware so you can download the desired one.

There are various other tools available on other sites as well.

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Answer
Did you look into ...
by Sep 21, 2012 2:31AM PDT

advanced file search techniques similar to web searches?

Read through this page:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Advanced-tips-for-searching-in-Windows

Near the bottom of that page it tells you how to turn on "natural search" if you don't feel up to using the colons and without the need to enter AND and OR in capital letters. (NOTE: turning natural search on does not remove the ability to go ahead and make use of the operators)

As per this link you will see too that often the search is best conducted from Windows Explorer rather than from the Start Menu:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Find-a-file-or-folder

Back to Windows 7 forum

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