Windows 7's hideous local search

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Crid
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Joined: Mon Nov 02, 2009 1:16 am

Windows 7's hideous local search

#1 Post by Crid »

Searching local files in Windows 7 is much, much clumsier than xp. On my computer, only two "search filters" ("Date Modified:" and "Size") are available for quick-clicking. Any other parameters must be typed in (for example "Ext:", "Filename:", etc.). Furthermore, the onscreen search panel on the top right of the folder is so skinny that it's impossible to compose a reasonable search without pesky scrolling.


All I want is local search with no indexing! I want to supply a filename fragment and maybe one or two words from within the files.


I'm playing around with Snowbird, but would like to hear from other PFC users about their favorite search utilities.


—Crid

jxf011
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Joined: Mon Nov 02, 2009 7:24 am

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#2 Post by jxf011 »

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Last edited by jxf011 on Mon May 27, 2013 4:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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webfork
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Re: Windows 7's hideous local search

#3 Post by webfork »

Everything is fantastic as jxf011 points out but it only works on NTFS drives and doesn't do much beyond file name. My power search tool of choice is SearchMyFiles http://www.portablefreeware.com/index.php?id=1485. Its a little strange when you first use it, but the odd interface rapidly gives way to an maybe the best search tool I've used.

I haven't tested it on Windows 7.

Crid
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Joined: Mon Nov 02, 2009 1:16 am

Re: Windows 7's hideous local search

#4 Post by Crid »

Men, thanks for the reply! I think the SearchMyFiles software works best here (once I figured out how to get the Comodo firewall to stay out of its way).

I'd like to be on board with Microsoft's plans for this OS, but this new search scheme for Windows 7 is intolerably clumsy.... They're just too eager to tie everything (internet, media, files types) into one little package with a ribbon. And it was remarkable how little there was to read about this on the internet at this point. (Of course XP's been out for 9 years or something, so it's been completely exposed.)

Per the first comment: Turns out the search input line can be easily lengthened by dragging (at the expense of the file address field to the immediate left). That's my goof. But the problem of not having the clickable "breadcrumbs" for the desired search parameters is a Microsoft problem. I suspect a re-install would fix it, but who wants to give an afternoon to that?



I'm really grateful to the users of Portable Freeware dotcom and to the people who actually write this stuff!

Crid
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Re: Windows 7's hideous local search

#5 Post by Crid »

One last time —

I really think Andrew's doing the Lord's work with this site. Portable Freeware for Windows computers isn't just a convenient workaround for the technical limitations of the most popular platform. It speaks directly to the vision giving users direct control of their own freely-manipulable information, the dream that made the microcomputer revolution happen just thirty years ago.

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webfork
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Re: Windows 7's hideous local search

#6 Post by webfork »

Please ignore/delete markakleive (spammer).

> I really think Andrew's doing the Lord's work with this site.

I couldn't agree more. There's so many things happening here that put people back in control of their machines. I'm hoping sometime soon to do some kind of writeup on how software testers of any ilk want and need portable software. When you have to reimage computer after computer, reinstalling software is not just inconvenient, its tedious and even torturous. You need software that works RIGHT NOW. Configure it once and then let me do what I want.

Its saved me a lot of time and money and that's a savings I intend on repaying the developers of the software I use most.

donald
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Re: Windows 7's hideous local search

#7 Post by donald »

jacinthey wrote:I have a acer aspire m1640 e4600 but when update to window 7 rc there is a driver for coprocessor are lost.? Where can i download this driver. What driver actually it is?
Try this web site Acer_Download

This is the America specific site found from that site above Acer_Download_PanAmerica

You will be forced to select all of the following: Desktop, Aspire, Aspire M1640, then you must confirm Aspire M1640.

Windows Xp, Vista, and 7 are all represented.

And I found it all on google, though I could have just tried looking for Acer.com and found it that way.

I hope this helps, but this was a freeware discussion thread in the correct forum for that, your question would at best belong in a forum for ChitChat in its own thread.

garbanzo
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Joined: Thu May 15, 2008 3:00 am

Re: Windows 7's hideous local search

#8 Post by garbanzo »

hrmm. i came here to recomend Everything and SearchMyFiles.

i guess i'm too late!

both are fantastic tools. i actually have Everything running in the background, and have even mapped CTRL+F in my file manager to bring it up in place of its integrated search. it's a fantastic tool.

but on the rare occasion that i need something a little more, SearchMyFiles offers that extra kick :)

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