Windows 7 (advanced) search pane?

By default, Windows only searches inside files if the location is indexed (so it can return instant results). You can tell Windows to do an intensive search (just like XP would have done).

1. Open Folder Options (type 'folder' into the Start menu to find it).
2. On the Search tab, click the 2nd option ("Always search file names and contents"), then click OK.

After that, using quotes to phrase-search inside files should work, even in un-indexed locations.  Searches may take a while if the location isn't indexed (just like XP), but they'll be complete and should return the results you want.

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One more note:  If the location is indexed, but your phrase isn't being found.... do this to make sure the file type is getting indexed.  Do this, for example, if you are trying to find a phrase inside a non-standard file like a JavaScript or PHP file:

1. Type 'index' into your Start menu to find the Indexing Options, then click the Advanced button.
2. On the File Types tab, find the file type you want to be indexed (tip: click in the list, then type the file type letters like JS to jump to it).
3. With the file type selected, make sure the 2nd option is selected "Index properties and file contents", then click OK to close each box.

I believe these two setting changes would resolve about 90% of search frustrations people commonly have with Windows 7.  Please let me know if this helps for you.

Maybe it's just me, but how can you even get that far?

My "search" usually just stalls before it lets me even BEGIN to add a filter. Do you just initiate the initial search from a new explorer window? Or do you initiate the search from the start icon and then add a filter...or.....?

To me, Search is defunct...99% of my data is on a network share and it can't find it even if I am in the folder that I am searching for

I think rather than finding the filter, they'd rather you just type a few parts of the file and Windows will figure it out for you (whether you type the author or whatever).  I don't necessarily agree with that, lol.

You can see more filters if you expand the search box, but who would consider that an intuitive interface?  I think this could have been implemented much differently with better results.  Perhaps the 'search filters' could be checkboxes at the bottom of that menu, or even at the top similar to the library pane's links.  Perhaps Windows 8 will have more time spend on this area.


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You don't have to learn or know the syntax.  It's really easier than it may appear on the surface.

Instead of trying to figure out the syntax, simply type what you're looking for.  If you want to search a specific type of info (like Author or Date, anything that used to be in the Advanced pane), it appears for you.  Simply click it and you're done.

In this picture below, I didn't have to type any of that, I just clicked "Add a search filter".  It's the same options from Windows 7, but now they're blue links instead of a big bunch of text boxes.

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