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when I run a search in Windows 7, only one folder at a time is searched. How do I broaden a search to a folder and all of its subfolders? Vista did that automatically; Windows 7 does not seem to do so.
Thanks!
Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.
I had the same prob & none of the answers on this page helped. I mucked around a bit & ticked a box in the search options folder Called "Don't use the index when searching in file folders for system files" Problem fixed... although the title of the tick box has nothing to do with searching sub folders, whenever it's not ticked I can't search any subfolders.
Ok here is the scoop. If you are searching in a folder selected from underneath the "Libraries" folder (Documents, Videos, Music, Pictures, Etc.) it does not search subfolders. I do not know why, but if you go to your "C:\Users'username'" and open the needed folder (or even just in your UN folder), it will search subfolders. I think it is either a glitch, or because Libraries is just a phantom name for a grouping, the search doesnt work. You have to be directly in the folder, or the folder directly above it, not in a windows "cloud" version of it like the ones in Libraries.
Sorry if this is hard to follow, i'm a better techy than a teacher. Hope this helps
Rick Flach
Live Out Loud Media & Design
Hi Rick
Open Windows Explorer.
Select Organize / Folder and Search options.
Select the Search Tab.
In the How to search section, select the Include subfolders in search results when searching in file folders option.
Regards
Hello,
Entering an asterisk (*) in the search box immediately returns all files in the current folder and all its subfolders.
Lisa
Microsoft Answers Support Engineer
Visit our Microsoft Answers Feedback Forum and let us know what you think.
Ok here is the scoop. If you are searching in a folder selected from underneath the "Libraries" folder (Documents, Videos, Music, Pictures, Etc.) it does not search subfolders. I do not know why, but if you go to your "C:\Users'username'" and open the needed folder (or even just in your UN folder), it will search subfolders. I think it is either a glitch, or because Libraries is just a phantom name for a grouping, the search doesnt work. You have to be directly in the folder, or the folder directly above it, not in a windows "cloud" version of it like the ones in Libraries.
Sorry if this is hard to follow, i'm a better techy than a teacher. Hope this helps
Rick Flach
Live Out Loud Media & Design
This is the only thing that has worked for me (including every other "fix" on the 4 pages before my post). Clearly the search functionality is borked if you start your journey by clicking on one the the "Library" folders.
I am having the same problem. I am in a folder called "C:\Users[Username]\Documents\SD Cards\4gb Academy etc\DCIM". I traversed to that path by going down, folder by folder, from C:\ . I am trying to simultaneously search the DCIM folder, which has two sub-folders but is otherwise empty. In Windows Explorer in the upper right corner has a search box. Before I enter text in it, there is gray text in italics saying "Search DCIM". When I enter my search terms, no matter what I try, the annoying result is "No items match your search." I have tried the following search terms: [avi], [.avi], [avi, jpg], [.avi, .jpg], [jpg], [.jpg], [*.avi], [*.jpg], and [*.avi, *.jpg]. None of the above patterns are returning a match. It should not be so hard to find a file. What gives, MS?! Given how important it is to be able to do recursive searches, I want to learn how and I'm really wasting a lot of time getting nowhere. It is also making me feel unappreciated as an MS customer, given how unnecessarily hard this has been. I have programmed in many languages and used many OSes and application interfaces. I am not the world's top programmer but I "get it", and I'm pretty smart, too, believe it or not. None of that seems to matter. I believe this search should be INTUITIVE. From my perspective, it is not even close, otherwise I would already have results. I have not had time to learn the intricacies that Microsoft decided to put in the way of Windows functionality for existing users of older versions. Without explicit knowledge of exactly how all of the unpredictably-varied search algorithms work in Windows (i.e., to find your files, if it is Tuesday and your name is Bob and you are in your pictures directory, hop on one foot and recite an incantation to find your file), I am relying on intuition and my experience with Unix shells, Perl, various proprietary "JCL" languages, JavaScript, VBA, DOS, old Windows interfaces, PowerShell, Macintosh interfaces, etc. All of that experience is worthless. Windows has been programmed so 'cleverly' that MS has figured out a way to proudly prove that nearly everyone can be befuddled their software, "proving" their software is a work of genius. --Or not.-- PLEASE, will somebody who actually understands windows explorer please explain how to do this in Windows 7. As for those who don't know all the details, stop posting like you have the answer when you don't.
