In windows 7 - I want to search for all files containing "A word or phrase in the file". The standard XP search box.

Anonymous
2009-12-06T19:24:59+00:00

In Windows 7 - I want to search/find all files containing "A word or phrase in the file".  The old standard XP search box.

I do NOT supply: file name; file type; drive letter; etc. - nothing.  

I tried searching for this - just can't find any discussion.  And of course, not having this search would be insane. It is precisely what we have a computer for. 

And no 3rd party programs are allowed.

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

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Anonymous
2010-08-19T18:11:15+00:00

I've been looking into this because I know the search has been failing for me.  I think the difference in whether Windows search works or not depends on the FILE EXTENSION which contains your search text.  For example, if you look for the word "spam", it will be found if it is in a whatever.doc file, or whatever.txt file.  However, if you were to rename the file to whatever.xyz, it will no longer find the word.

Here are all the steps I think you need to follow to actually search:

  1. Make sure that Windows 7 is actually going to search files with your extension, and it appears that using this list properly is important *whether or not you are looking in an indexed location*!!

    a.  Hit the start button and type "search" in the search box.

    b.  Select "Change How Windows Searches"

    c.  Hit "Advanced"

    d.  Select the "File Types" tab.

    e.  Make sure the file extension for the files you want to search in is on the list *and* is set to "Index Properties and File Contents" (yes, pick your jaw up off the floor).  I know this appears to be for file indexing, but it does seem to make a difference on whether you find the file in non-indexed locations as well.

    f.  Say "Ok" and exit all the dialog boxes

2.  Actually perform your search on the folder in question.  Depending on some other settings you may have to type "content: spam" to find "spam" *in* the files instead of files with the word "spam" in the name.  Alternately, if you press the "Alt" key when you're exploring in the folder, you can choose "Tools / Folder Options" go to the "Search" tab and select "Always search file names and contents".

If what I have written is actually correct, then IMHO Microsoft has coughed up the ball bigtime on this one.  Personally, I now recognize that I can't use the search feature, and I'm installing Cygwin so I can use "grep" to search the contents of files.  Not cool and not amused.

Good luck to all the searchers.

~Pete

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@CmdrKeene 90,631 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
2010-09-19T13:39:48+00:00

There is an option that seems to match what you're looking for:

If this was helpful, please vote by clicking the green triangle. If it solves the issue, click Propose as Answer. Thanks!

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Anonymous
2009-12-09T00:08:07+00:00

To find "phrase in the file" type content:"phrase in the file" in the searchbox.

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  1. Anonymous
    2012-10-15T09:00:35+00:00

    yes, there are some issues with multiple keyword searches.

    since nothing is officially documented, I had to do a lot of trial and error to figure out whats its actually trying to do with the supplied search criteria.

    try content:goose?pimple

    without quotes, thats what works for me

    I found a bit of a breakthrough that always seems to work.

    content:~="goose pimple"  will find that specific phrase in that specific order of words exclusively with the specific number of spaces between.  (However, it does not exclude files containing for example, bgoose pimpleq, as the ~= symbols mean to search anywhere.)

    I tried content:$="goose pimple" but instead of restricting to that phrase in isolation, it would find files that had pimple and  goose together or not, although only instances in isolation as desired.  As a work-around, to search for "goose pimple" in isolation as a phrase, enter all together:

    content:~="goose pimple" content:($=goose $=pimple)

    I have also found that text with non-alphanumeric symbols are searchable with the use of special syntax:

    content:~="t>hay" would find t>hay anywhere within other text as well as in isolation.

    To search for a quotation mark requires that the searched mark needs to be doubled:

    content:~="k""os" would find k"os anywhere.

    Concerning special symbol syntax in general, with the content property, the syntax symbols that work are ~=, ~<, ~>, $=, and $<.  Of those, only ~=, ~<, and ~> search symbols such as & properly (and many symbols require the search text to be within quotes), and only those three search quoted phrases as single units instead of as lists of separate units.  ($< behaves as the default searching for words that begin with entered text, ~< is for searching at very start of content, and ~> is for searching at very end of content, end-of-line carriage returns included.)

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