Make Search in Windows 7 Search entire computer

Why can't I find certain files when I do a search in Windows 7? You need to tell Windows where to look when you tell it to search for something. By default it doesn't check your entire C drive, or a secondary partition. This video explains how to change your search indexing options

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• computer tricks
• Windows 7
• search

[Indupative]

HOW DO YOU SEARCH FOR SPECIFIC FILES??? ie. IF YOU WANT TO FIND ALL THE .FLV OR .WMV FILES ON YOUR PC ONLY...

AND DOES INDEXING ACTUALLY SEARCH HIDDEN FOLDERS AUTOMATICALLY?

[twinbytesinc]

@Indupative Just type in *.flv or *.wmv and it will find all files of that type. Indexing by default only searches documents and email. It doesn't search other folders you created outside of your documents folder. It will search hidden files and folders as long as they are included in the search indexing as explained in this video.

[skydiverbr]

It simply doesn't work for me. I can't understand how come windows xp search work so well (when we disable that stupid dog) but Vista's and 7 search don't work.

I can even be in the same folder where I KNOW the file is, and If I type it's name in IE it simply says there's nothing there. Its frustrating....

[twinbytesinc]

@skydiverbr If you follow the steps in the video it should work, unless there's some security settings that are preventing access to certain folders. In that case it would not show those files in a search. Double check you have permissions to view those files and that the initial indexing has completed.

[yootoobnoob1]

seems way to complicated compared to Windows Search Companion

[twinbytesinc]

@yootoobnoob1 Ya it kinda does, but Windows Search companion is based on the same concept. If you store a folder or file somewhere other than where WIndows expects you to put it, it won't find it. :(

[sabassabido]

i have ultimate... i don't even have a search button... i can't search for anything on start menu or file explorer. search option is just disabled somehow...

[djvasforever]

Thanks a lot for this.

[Qjemuse]

just use "everything" search. google it

its light and fast enough for me

[VictorAUlloa]

thank you dude, i dunno why windows 7 does it this way dumb! thank you

[jabrown45100]

@alelmnoor right, theres more time in inputing the search box many times with win 7, than going around the whole computer to find something manually

[jabrown45100]

The old saying: if it isn't broke, don't fix it (leave it alone). So they say "upgrades", newer versions of windows, the millenium, We are lightyears ahead-BA HUMBUG!!! Xp works better, PERIOD!. Everytime I get stuck on my brand new toshiba laptop with windows 7 that I bought last year, I fall back on my "trusty" 2003 HP with Xp OS. It is slow but a good work horse and always searches and finds everything. My brand new laptop with windows 7 is now being used as a paper weight due to the wind

[alelmnoor]

I hate searching in window 7, the XP was much better

[TheRyanneCruz]

Actually this computer is not Really windows 7 but now it is cause I transformed my XP into Windows 7 :) CustoPack(dot)com for transformation pack

[zooyourkman12345]

Thanks So much man! Really Helped and super simple!

[YaletownRealtor]

Thanks :)