Windows search function failed to find my file

07
2014-07
  • Gigili

    I have a file named "Form_MS" on my hard disk somewhere in drive D. When I search for it, windows fails to find it. I even copy-pasted its name in case I'm typing it wrongly. Which files and folders is it able to find and why it fails to find my document (MS Word)?

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    • Answers
  • enter image description here noloader

    I don't think that the drive D:\ is indexed.

    Search control panel for indexing options and index D:\ this might take more space but it should solve the issue. This also will take some time, depending on the number of files on D:\

    By default not many places are indexed

    Screen Shot of Indexing Options

    Click Modify and then add D:\

    Or you can try for a third party search program.


    • Related Question

    Windows desktop search fails to search inside .SQL files
  • Dan Blanchard

    I've set the index options for the .SQL extension to use "Plain Text filter" with "Index Properties and File Contents" selected, and ensure that the directories containing the SQL files are in the "Included Locations".

    Unfortunately, Windows desktop search still fails to find anything in the .SQL files. Other file types such as .cs, .docx etc are searched successfully.

    I'm running Windows XP SP2 - and it's a work machine where I can't easily install alternative search engines so I'm stuck with Windows Desktop search for indexed searching.

    Obviously I can search the .SQL files using other (non-indexed) techniques, but I prefer the speed of Desktop Search - if I could get it to work.

    Update: Having copied a couple of .SQL files to .SQL.TXT files in the same directory as suggested by ~quack, added .SQL.TXT as a file extension to the indexing options (using the plain text filter, with "Index Properties and File Contents" selected) and re-indexing, Desktop Search still fails to find strings in either the .SQL or .SQL.TXT files.

    Additional info: after re-indexing, I checked the file types in the Desktop Search advanced options and noted that the .SQL.TXT file extension no longer appears in the list of file types.


    • Related Answers
  • quack quixote

    This would obviously be suboptimal, but have you tried copying the .SQL files to .TXT files?

    I don't mean simply rename, since you are presumably using the SQL files as SQL files somewhere. But if you have the space, make copies and rename those to .SQL.TXT or so. If your SQL files change frequently, schedule a task to re-create the copies.

    This would be worthwhile as an experiment -- if Windows Desktop Search can successfully index a .SQL.TXT file, there's something about the .SQL extension that it's failing on. If it can't, something about the file's format is confusing it.

  • 8088

    Just use Qytec's free Portable File Seeker instead of Windows Desktop Search. It can successfully search within files with provided extensions. You don't need to install it since it's portable. I tried it on my .SQL files and it works without any problems. Here is a screeny from my PC:

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  • Gcoupe

    I think (but I'm not sure) you'll need to install an iFilter for SQL into the Windows Desktop Search engine. Take a look here.

  • Seasoned Advice (cooking)

    There are two approaches listed on this page: Link

    or just Google the Windows Registry key used to specify additional Windows search keys and you will see lots of sites discussing this issue: {5e941d80-bf96-11cd-b579-08002b30bfeb}