How to make Vista's search work properly?

Joined
Dec 4, 2008
Messages
37
Hi,

Anyone knows how to make Vista's search function actually work? It is the most retarded thing I've ever seen...
For example, when I search for mp3, it returns nothing (it should return 1025 files...).
It just NEVER returns the results it should.
I've tried with Indexing on, indexing off... and I just can't get it to work properly (like XP!)

Any ideas?

If it weren't for the 4GB RAM and DX10, I'd just take this piece of crap out of my hd.
 
just to verify, when you are searching for mp3 files you are typing in this as the search:

*.mp3
 
mp3 should work:

windows7search.png
 
Works the same using '*.mp3' or just 'mp3'

I was giving the mp3 as an example.

If I search for the band name or whatever, it still doesn't return any result. Same as xvid movies...
 
Ok, I got it working now. I disabled every single Indexing option that I could find...

I was in a hurry to search for something and it didn't find me any result. I got so mad...!

Still, it is ultra slow searching.

EDIT: it stopped working again! wtf... it doesn't find me anything again.
 
Strange. Took me under a second to search for 4000 files on a network share when searching "*".
 
Make sure you're searching the correct location. Try searching Computer. Should include all devices/network locations/etc. I know for a fact Vista can search places other than your main partition.
 
Make sure you're searching the correct location. Try searching Computer. Should include all devices/network locations/etc. I know for a fact Vista can search places other than your main partition.

I selected 'Everywhere' on the places to search. I also tried to add C: and D: to the Index, but it doesn't let me select the whole drives. Only some folders.

How can I select 'Everywhere' as the default place to search?
 
Click Advanced search or something like that and include non-indexed locations and system files/folders.
 
The problem is that the default searching location is "Indexed Locations" and not "Computer" and I can't find out how to change that.

 
I think thats the default for Vista in general. You'll just have to click Everywhere and the checkbox below the dropdown list each time.
 
Right click My Computer
Properties
Performance (lower left)
Adjust Indexing
Modify
Add the location of your MP3 folder on the 2nd drive, close
Advanced -> Rebuild index.
 
Right click My Computer
Properties
Performance (lower left)
Adjust Indexing
Modify
Add the location of your MP3 folder on the 2nd drive, close
Advanced -> Rebuild index.

That did not work. :mad: Thank you for your help anyway. :)
I'm giving up from Vista.
 
This is one of those you-should-know-this but did you actually tell the indexer to index the other partitions? By default only the OS partition is indexed.

I told vista to index my entire E: and right now it tells me it's indexed 61000+ items. Remember if you just set it to start indexing those places they wont show up on search just yet. give it a few hours. and than check on the index size.
 
Yeah, right click on the drive, properties and make sure "index this drive" is checked.
 
Make sure that you have indexed the locations you want to search. Then search "ext:mp3" without the quotes.
 
search is useless on vista

its a great tool to find common used files, but anything else it just plain sucks.

actually I gave up on vista search and use a XP vm for all searches it finds everything and its fast in non indexed drives.
 
Vista search works just fine, if you want to search non-indexed locations, simply check "Include non-indexed, hidden, and systems files (might be slow)". Look up how to do advanced search queries in Vista. With a bit of practice you'll find Vista search is a lot faster and a lot more powerful than Windows XP search.
 
Guys, I added every single folder to the Index and the whole C: and D:. I turned off Indexing, I rebuilt the Index 10x... it still doesn't work like I want it too. It doesn't find the files I want too. You guys were focusing on the mp3, but that was just an example.

Anyway, I formatted and installed XP and now everything works just fine. :)

Vista, never again. :mad:

Thank you all for your help. :)
 
I prefer Google Desktop regardless unfortunately it doesn't work on Vista x64 yet.
 
If you were using the PC, it wouldn't be indexing. It's only going to be doing the indexing when the PC is at idle, so generally only at night for most people.
 
Guys, I added every single folder to the Index and the whole C: and D:. I turned off Indexing, I rebuilt the Index 10x... it still doesn't work like I want it too. It doesn't find the files I want too. You guys were focusing on the mp3, but that was just an example.

Anyway, I formatted and installed XP and now everything works just fine. :)

Vista, never again. :mad:

Thank you all for your help. :)

I'm sorry to be a jerk, but this isn't all Vista's fault. In fact what I find funny is that at the end you say you installed XP and everything is fine which is ironic since XP can use the same desktop indexing technology.

If you ever decide to try Vista/7 again PM, I'll get your searches working.
 
I'm sorry to be a jerk, but this isn't all Vista's fault. In fact what I find funny is that at the end you say you installed XP and everything is fine which is ironic since XP can use the same desktop indexing technology.

If you ever decide to try Vista/7 again PM, I'll get your searches working.

I know nothing about how the SO works or nothing about the tech stuff. All I know is that now, at XP, I search for a thing and I instantly find it. I'm talking about the exact same file, on the same folder. XP finds it, Vista doesn't.

But, since you're offering your help, I'll surely accept it.

Please do tell how can I get my search working properly. I thank you very much.
 
On a Vista machine, type "Indexing Options" then click on the "Modify" button then click on the "Show all locations" button.

Vista's indexed search by default will only do indexed searches in these places. The User directory is setup for indexed searches. Searching on files names in the User directory should work with no intervention in the User directory.
 
I know nothing about how the SO works or nothing about the tech stuff. All I know is that now, at XP, I search for a thing and I instantly find it. I'm talking about the exact same file, on the same folder. XP finds it, Vista doesn't.

But, since you're offering your help, I'll surely accept it.

Please do tell how can I get my search working properly. I thank you very much.

I've used XP search for years with indexing disabled . Its not instant but its orders of magnitude faster than vista on non-indexed searches and it finds anything I throw at it.

Vista either can't find it or takes forever.

I'm even starting to like the damn dog.
 
And search will find me any file I search for? system files, program files, mp3, whatever?
Yes, that's how it works on every Vista system I've ever used. Vista's search blows away XP's in several ways. In fact, Vista's search is one reason why I can't stand going back to XP when I work on someone else's computer.
 
On a Vista machine, type "Indexing Options" then click on the "Modify" button then click on the "Show all locations" button.

Vista's indexed search by default will only do indexed searches in these places. The User directory is setup for indexed searches. Searching on files names in the User directory should work with no intervention in the User directory.

It doesn't let me click on 'Show all locations'.
 
I disabled the Indexing and I still can't find all the files.

New example:

I have a file 'qkey' with no extension that is placed in C:\Program Files (x86). I go to search (with Indexing on or off) and it returns no results.

While I was at XP SP3, it instantly found that exact same file.

Why?
 
Can you be more specific? Do you not see a "Show all locations" button?

I did see. It just wouldn't let me click it. I googled and realized that button is to elevate the user to admin privileges, in order to enable the other button on the right.

Any comments about my last post?

Thanks.
 
I just did a search for various exe files and they all seemed to work fine. What concerns me is that you say you have been turning indexing on and off and changes other settings so it would be nice to know what exactly is the state of your Desktop Search.

You could try installing WDS 4.0: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...7F-C51B-49CD-B505-95B91B453284&displaylang=en

This 32bit version, there is a link to the 64bit version at the bottom of the page. You may already have it installed which in that case you would get the message that this update is already installed.

Let me know how that goes and then we can take a look at some other settings.
 
While trying to install it: "The update does not apply to your system"

In the meanwhile, I restored all defaults and rebuilt the index. (Yes, I did let it do it's slow thingy)

About the "Show all locations":


UAC is off and my account has Administrator privileges.
 
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