Windows 7: Search does not find files that it should, directory is indexed, and *.php included on the extension list

Anonymous
2009-11-27T05:51:54+00:00

Windows 7: Search does not find files that it should. I have the directory indexed, and *.php included on the extension list but search does not find files for searches for words that that I know there are files with those words in them.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Files, folders, and storage

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Anonymous
2009-11-27T14:10:58+00:00

If you're frustrated with Search (a.k.a. Desktop Search), you are not alone. Click the Start button and type in Search and click on the command "Change how Windows searches". Now click on the Advanced button and select File types tab. Scroll down and locate your file type (in your case **.php)**and make sure that the radio button "Index Properties and File Contents" is selected for the file type.

Come out of the form by clicking the OK button but do not yet close the form where you clicked the Advanced button.

Next, you may need to modify the indexing locations. If the folder wherein your files are located is not known to the search indexing, then search doesn't even bother to look there (a source of frustration for many users). Perhaps your files are on a different disk or partition unbeknown to the indexing engine. Using the expand icon and select/deselect options, make sure that at least the folders of interest are included to the Indexed Locations. Hope this helps.

samc1

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  1. Anonymous
    2010-12-18T18:52:56+00:00

    For me, the inability to search .php files makes explorer search almost totally useless. My solution was to install grep for Windows. You can get it here: http://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/packages/grep.htm. I run it from a command prompt (aka DOS window).

    It's much faster than Search and it has all the cool regex features that Unix users love. Unlike the Unix/Linux versions I've seen it also has a recursive flag (-R), which is handy.

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  2. Anonymous
    2010-12-01T17:18:04+00:00

    The fix for the bitdefender blocking the search apparently according to Bitdefender UK Support is the following

    Open bitdefender panel

    Click Options

    Select Expert View

    Select Antivirus

    Select Advanced Settings

    Disable Active Virus Control

    This is apparently only an issue with Vista & 7

    Hope this helps

    Will

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  3. Anonymous
    2010-11-27T00:44:50+00:00

    I think Win search does work, just that you have to jump through hoops and spend time to know all the ins and outs of it. It seems like it was designed for MS employees rather than the average Joe who may mistakenly assume it works right off the bat. I simply decided to do without it in favor of a free 3rd part search program (Agent Ransack) which works right away with no fiddling or messing about. No indexing either, yet its lightening fast. I need absolute reliability that when I search for something it is there when I need it. I cant trust Windows search to provide that reliability.

    THANK YOU, amuzeini.

    I just downloaded and tried the free Agent Ransack program.  Worked perfectly on my SD card.  Fast (except on huge Outlook archive files).  But that's easy to take care of because you can choose the directories you want to search in.

    The whole interface design is easy common sense and exactly what any reasonable person expects from a good search program.

    How a 3rd party can offer a free 'Lite' utility that works perfectly, while Microsoft has not been able to get its act together for as long as I can recall, regarding basic search functionality, is really a mystery to me.

    Sometimes I think Microsoft attempts to make things so simple to use, it ultimately makes them non-functional. 

    Somebody there at Microsoft should fix Search.  They'd get lots of thanks from users.

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  4. Anonymous
    2010-11-26T23:59:28+00:00

    I have a problem which is basically the same, but it only happens for files on my SD card.  Windows won't index them.  Neither will Google Desktop Search.

    I've tried all of the index config and rebuild suggestions above (except fiddling with the Registry -- which I have a philosophical objection to... I don't think I should have to do it), but nothing works.

    Yet files on a proper external hard drive do get indexed.

    Should I not expect my SD card to get indexed, for some good reason?  The OS sees it as a disc, even in the index select locations dialogs.

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