How to Search in Windows 7 for text within a document?

Anonymous
2010-06-28T02:30:00+00:00

How do you search for a document by using searching specific text in the document? (Word or other searchable doc.) Other forum answers suggest that this will happen with the general search box that appears in the upper right corner of explorer - but this does not seem to be the case.

I have searched for known words, and documents do not come up.

Is there a default? Is there a way turn on the search within document? (formerly, the detailed search option for any folder would prompt you to select 'search within document.')

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

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Anonymous
2010-07-06T20:15:26+00:00

Try just typing the phrase into the search box. If this doesn’t work, try content: “words in phrase”

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  2. Anonymous
    2012-01-12T17:38:45+00:00

    I hate Windows 7 Search, too!  What can we do to get a better product from Microsoft???

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  3. Anonymous
    2012-01-07T23:54:03+00:00

    I have experienced the same frustrations expressed here. MS Desktop Search works fine in XP but the searching in Windows 7 can charitably be described as quirky at best. I did try, honestly I did, but eventually gave up and bought an X1 license. X1 works for me. In fact it might be too good and encourage filing laziness. Currently I file stuff pretty rigorously (who needs or wants Win7 libraries, but that is another issue) but if you can find your files with a great search program anyway, why bother filing.

    That's my 2cents worth.

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  4. Anonymous
    2012-01-07T17:28:58+00:00

    I am having this same problem, and would like to add a parameter to the search.

    I want to search for files with a certain text within a specified folder.

    This feature was a godsend in XP.  I never was searching for specific text unless I was searching within a particular folder.

    For example, I am trying to find a journal entry about a particular subject; so I only want to search in the folder with my journal entries.  I don't want to be bogged down with any other document that happens to mention the same word.

    For another example, I want to search some ini files for a project I am working on for some particular element I have coded in.  I only want to search the ini files in a particular folder.  I do not want search results that include ini files from some application I'm not building.

    Don't get me wrong, I am thoroughly amazed at how fast and easily this new search can find files I have on my hard drive.  But there are times when I would do better with the old-style searching that gives me the power I need, even if not the amazing speed that this new system offers.

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