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
    2012-10-04T03:34:40+00:00

    I've been spending a few months myself collecting notes and have pretty much found out all I can (takes up 16 pages in MS Word).  I was wondering if you happened to figure/find anything regarding what I have not seen doable yet:

    It can not search for anything in a case-sensitive way.  So, ABC, Abc, and abc are equivalent.

    There is no way to stop the search from starting automatically before you finish typing what you are searching for.

    You can not easily specify whether or not you want to include hidden files and folders (a setting deep in a menu).

    It can not search for specific phrases (words separated by spaces) in the contents of files, isolated.

    It can not search the contents of extensionless files.

    Heck, I may as well dump this set here too (mostly picked every nit that came up):

    General usability deficiencies:

    The help file does not give any detail on how to use Search beyond the most basic usage.

    There is no special separate search graphical interface, but instead only the small Search box found in the upper right corner of a window.  There may be search properties to choose from beneath that box, but several may be hidden and remain undiscovered unless the user adjusts the size of the search box by dragging its left edge.

    Instead of a dialog box with checkboxes to set parameters, a special syntax must be used for anything more than a basic search, and that syntax is not described in the help file.

    Special search syntax does not turn a special colour in the Start menu’s search box, unlike in windows’ Search boxes (the colour, blue by default,  is a signal to the user that text is being interpreted as special search syntax).

    The minus sign has an inconsistent effectiveness depending on use with or without a space, for different search properties that are supposed to be the same (filename versus name).  More generally, supposed equivalent search properties (filename, file, and name) vary in ability to use special search symbols.

    The familiar wildcard symbols * and ? do not work with most of the special search syntax.

    There is no integration into the shell such that when you rightclick on a folder, there is no menu option to do a search within that folder.  (An adjustment can be done to Windows Registry as explained later in these notes.)

    Searching with terms containing any non-alphanumeric symbols requires knowing some special syntax.

    The attribute property is not searchable by the letters that show in the Attributes column of a window in Details view, but instead uses the unwieldy number system for the attributes.

    If an item in the search results has been clicked and highlighted, then the number of items found in the search is not shown anywhere.  It would have been shown at the bottom, but file properties of the highlighted item show in that space instead.  If there is no blank area in the window to click in, then the number can not be made to display.  [edit:  Click in a blank area or press and hold Ctrl while clicking the highlighted item to deselect it.  The number of items becomes visible.]

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