Missing search results

[mweinstock]

I have a problem that I thought SP2 was supposed to fix, but does not seem to have.

I frequently do text searches within files. Windows rarely comes back with the correct results. For example, I just copied some text from a plaintext file in a directory. I then pasted that same text into the Windows search, in the "A word or phrase in the file:" section. When I ran the search, Windows told me there were no results to display. I am certain the directory to search is set properly, and the file (and thus the text) exist in that directory.

Any idea why Windows refuses to find the correct result set for these searches?

Thanks,

Mark

--
How can you be in two places at once when you're not anywhere at all?

 

[bcastner]

Several ideas:

. If the file is from a non-MSFT product, it may well be that there is not a handler defined for Search. The remarkable Kelly Theriot MS-MVP notes:

Windows® XP has a known issue for not finding a number of File Types when you do a Search for Files "containing text" or using the "A word or phrase in the file" option. This can be remedied for many file types, but not all.

Download the VBS file below. Double click the file you just saved. You'll be prompted to enter a file extension. If the PersistentHandler value is correct, no changes will be made. If the PersistentHandler value exists, but is different, no changes will be made. If no PersistentHandler value exists, then it will be created.

Enable XP's Search to find text in files:

http://www.dougknox.com/xp/scripts/xp_persisthandler.vbs

Rather than fool too much with this, I use this excellent freeware (as, by the way others such as the above mentioned Kelly and Doug Knox):

http://www.mythicsoft.com/agentransack/default.aspx

 

[mweinstock]

Thanks. I guess it's an issue of what "type" means. From a content pespective, it's a plain text file. But it appears Windows doesn't care what the content of a file is, just its extenstion.

Thanks for the software tip. I'll check it out.

Mark

--
How can you be in two places at once when you're not anywhere at all?

 

[bcastner]

The file extension means everything in this instance.

You will like Ransack. Do the download and forget about the native Search utility for finding text within files. It does not care about file type.