Topic: Search Engine for Windows 7

[Palustris]

As anyone who has W7 will tell you the Search facility is rubbish. So, is there one I can download which is usable and of course free?

[davyw1]

This is not a recomendation i just happened to have it.

http://www.browserchoice.eu/BrowserChoice/browserchoice_en.htm

[Palustris]

Thanks, but I think you misunderstood what I was asking. I have a Browser(Firefox) already, what I want is a Search facility which will find things on my Hard drive. The one which comes with W7 is terrible. It often will not find things which I know are there. I have downloaded one called Search Everything, but I cannot figure out how to use it.
Anyone any experience of it?

[daveyboi]

In windows 7 where are you searching from ??

I find it works very well.

If you are searching from the documents screen or pictures screen for example it does limit your search but searching from the windows orb it searches the whole computer.

I found this out by chance as I was searching for a missing image file on a program I had installed when searching in pictures and the documents screen it returned nothing found but searching from the orb it not only found the file but the 8 or so emails I had referred to it in when trying to get the program writers to acknowledge the missing file.

[BarriedaleNick]

Windows 7 search is really very good. Very quick and I have never seen it produce inaccurate results.
It does rely on the indexing service working and indexing all drives plus what Daveyboi said.


Go to Indexing Options under Control Panel and check that all your drives are included in the indexing...

[Palustris]

You must be luckier than me then. I find it just does not return good results and it does not offer the opportunity to refine the search when it fails. Nor does it immediately offer the opportunity to refine the search before you begin, as it used to on XP.
The Index Service is set up to search all my drives and file contents too.
For instance I put on some new pictures yesterday morning, Search failed to even find the Folder in which I placed them this morning, even though I was looking at the folder in Libraries. 

[BarriedaleNick]

Very odd - maybe your index is corrupt.  As soon as I add a folder it shows up in my searches...
You can refine the search before you begin - you click in the search bar in any explorer window and you can filter by type - date etc before you start...

Anyway you are not alone!  http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/w7files/thread/c5e258e4-323a-40f2-b893-5c25b8dace0c

[Palustris]

Re-set up the Index and tried again. Still does not show up all the things which I know are on the hard disc. The Search Everything I downloaded now that I have worked out how to use it, found every file and folder which I was after. So, will use that in future. Very odd things these machines, minds of their own at times.
Ta.