Instantly search files in Windows. Sleight of hand and no fraud

Youtube

Good afternoon friends! Today we will continue our lessons with operating system Windows 7 and learn another secret - how to properly configure and search for files in Windows 7.

It would seem, what’s wrong with that? A search engine is a search engine. I switched to seven about a year ago. And to be honest, in XP I tried not to use the built-in search engine. Absolutely inconvenient. And what you need is either not found, or found, but the process sometimes drags on for several hours.

I didn't expect much from 7. But just the other day, this OS pleasantly surprised me. I needed to search for one file in Windows 7, I didn’t remember its exact name, but I typed part of the name... and received my file in less than 2-3 seconds. Now I only use the built-in search engine.

Indexing service in windows 7

Microsoft developers did a good job. 7's search tool compares favorably with previous operating systems of this family not only in quality, but also in search speed.

My favorite browser is Chrome, and its search engine is very similar to the mechanism in Windows 7. The search begins its work as soon as you enter the first characters. In addition, there is a hint system based on the history of previous requests. If too many results are returned for a search query, the system suggests using dynamic filtering based on various criteria - date, file size, type, etc.

Based on this efficient work The OS search engine has a special indexing service. It launches along with the operating system, works in the background, and creates a special database of file information. Updating and restoring the index in the event of any failure also occurs automatically, without user intervention.

It should be noted that the OS allocates a certain system resource for the operation of this service. For the service to work effectively, but not to the detriment of other programs, it must be configured correctly. We will definitely talk about this today.

Instantly search for files in Windows 7

7 provides two ways to instantly search for files.

1. Search using the Start menu. Click on the “Start” button and enter the required search query in the search field below. For example, “Christmas tree”.

As you enter data, search results will be displayed directly in the Start window. It should be noted that the search is also carried out by the contents of the files.

If there are too many results and you want to get acquainted with them in more detail, click on the “View other results” button.

The “Search Results” window will open. The files here are already sorted by type and the search query is highlighted in yellow.

You can make your search more specific. To do this, scroll to the very bottom of the list of search results.

And in the “Repeat search in:” section, select the appropriate option.

If you assume that the file you are looking for is in the OS Library, then select this option.
If you know approximately which folder to look in, select the “Other...” option and specify specific folder For search.
If you want to search on the Internet, click the “Internet” button.
If you want to repeat the search on the entire computer, click on the “Computer” button. By default, the indexer goes through all files except OS system files and program files. This allows you to increase search speed and reduce the size of the indexer database. but it’s true how often we search system files? It's not often. By selecting the “Computer” option, the system will repeat its search, but only more thoroughly and, accordingly, will take a longer period of time.

2. The second option for instant search is searching in the “ Windows Explorer" The principle of operation is approximately the same.

Setting up the indexing service

1. Go to “Start” -> “Control Panel” -> then in the search area enter “indexing” -> select the “Indexing Options” section.

2. In the window that appears, you will see all the folders for which the indexing service works. If you want to exclude any folder from the search (for example, you know that one of the sections of your hard drive used for Reserve copy, then, in principle, it can be removed from this list), click the “Change” button.

And uncheck the box next to the folder that you want to remove from the search engine. Next, click the “OK” button.

3. Next, click on the “Advanced” button. In the window that opens, on the “Indexing Options” tab, uncheck all two boxes. In 99% of cases we do not need these functions, and therefore there is no need for additional load on the indexing service.

4. If you want to transfer the index base from system partition hard drive to another partition to free up free space on the disk, then for this you need to specify a new folder in the “Index location” section on the same tab.

To successfully change the index database location, be sure to restart the indexing service or simply restart your computer.

5. Next, go to the “File Types” tab and edit the list of file types, leaving only the most essential (with which you work). This will significantly reduce the load on the system. By default, the indexing service processes almost all file types in use.

6. Finally, decide how the indexing service will process files.

If you select “Index properties only,” the indexer will process only the file name and its metadata (size, type, creation date).

If you select the “Index properties and contents of files” option, the document will be completely processed, including its contents. This will take longer and require additional system resources, however, will increase the likelihood of search accuracy.

The choice is yours, my dear Reader.

Next, click “OK” and “Close”.

Today we looked at the capabilities of the Window 7 search service and how to configure it. In the next article I will share with you another interesting tool (though from third party developer), which allows you to search adapted to the Russian-speaking population, taking into account declensions and cases.

When switching from Windows Vista search in Windows 7 it just becomes more convenient and does not contain any special surprises. This can't be said about many people. Windows users XP, just discovering everyday work in a system with such convenient means, How instant search. Searching in Windows 7 is really very simple. But, as in any search, the goal is to find what you need, and sometimes difficulties arise with this. With this article I begin a story about how search works in Windows 7, how to configure it, how to search, and most importantly, how to find.

How search works

You've most likely heard about an index - a set of files that contain various information about files and documents stored on disk. When you use search, it is the index files that allow you to quickly display results. The index includes various file properties, and this is not just the path, name or size. For example, all tags of MP3 files are indexed - from the author to the bit rate. U office documents data is indexed, which can be seen in the file properties on the tab Details, document content, and so on. If this search is new to you, I recommend reading a couple of help articles to get background information and search. Minimize all windows, click F1 and in the field Search Help enter... Search.

Indexing happens constantly - if you add, delete or change a file in a folder, it will immediately be reflected in the index.

The screenshot shows the locations that are indexed by default. Therefore, if you store your documents somewhere in F:\Documents, they will not be included in the index and will not be found by a quick search - they must be added to the index separately. Setting up the search will be discussed below.

Search and indexing settings

Honestly, standard settings searches are quite successful, and most users do not need to change anything in them, especially if documents and files are stored in standard folders. To configure settings, open the Start menu and type search options into the search box.

So casually we used one of the search options Windows 7- quick access to control panel elements from the Start menu.

Change search options for files and folders

I will not duplicate the parameters that are clearly visible in the screenshot.

Please note the following points:

By default, search within a folder searches all subfolders

in non-indexed locations, the search is carried out only by file names, and compressed files ignored

you can use language search, i.e. make up search queries in a more fluent language - for example, last week's video (there will be a lot of unexpected results mixed in here, especially in localized versions)

Indexing options and Windows Search services

Here you can configure many more settings. To add folders to the index, click Change.

It is no coincidence that the Windows and Program Files folders are excluded from the search - they will greatly increase the size of the index, and will be of little practical use. Programs can already be found by searching in the Start menu - after all, the main menu is indexed by default.

Clicking Additionally, you get access to two groups of settings:

indexing technical parameters

indexing options for file types

In the first of them, you can add encrypted files to the index, rebuild the index (which may be necessary in case of problems) and set a new location for it.

For file type (extension) you can:

include or exclude it from the index

determine whether only properties or content will be indexed

add new extension

For example, if suddenly your exchange client instant messages saves history in text files with the LOG extension or you just need to parse logs, their contents will not be indexed by default. But you can easily customize the search - just type log on your keyboard to move through the list of extensions and enable content search.

How to search

When starting a search, it is advisable to immediately imagine whether the search object is included in the index. As I said above, the index covers the user's profile - libraries, files, etc. Here you can find the files you need relatively easily.

But if you open the main search window and expect to find something in the Program Files or Windows folder, you may generally get the impression that “the search finds nothing” because only the results from the index are displayed. We’ll talk about searching in non-indexed places later, but now we’ll look at general methods search in Windows 7. You can search:

from the Start menu

in the main search window

in libraries

in other Explorer windows - folders, "Open" and "Save As" dialogs

Search in the Start menu

When you search from the Start menu, the search results show not only files and documents, but also programs and Control Panel items. Now you can safely give up the Windows XP habit of carefully sorting applications in the menu Programs. It is enough to enter the first few letters of the program name to find it. This is much more convenient, especially if you have many programs installed.

Advice. If you use portable applications, simply add their shortcuts to the %appdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs folder (you can create a subfolder for them). They will appear in a group in search results Programs.

In Windows 7, search results in the Start menu are very conveniently grouped, and the number of results in each group is immediately visible - this point has been improved compared to Windows Vista. As you can see in the screenshot, search by word word finds not only applications Microsoft Word and WordPad, but also offers results in other groups.

The Start menu displays multiple results for each group, and clicking on the group name opens a search box with all the search results for the group.

Searching in the Start menu is good when you have an idea of the file name or its contents - the first 5 - 10 results are visible immediately, and you don’t have to look far. In addition, the Start menu is indispensable for quick access to programs and control panel items using search.

Main search window

A blank search window can be opened by pressing the keyboard shortcut WIN+F. It, in my opinion, has somewhat lost its meaning, since it no longer contains advanced file search capabilities. Searching in Explorer windows practically forces it out of the system. It seems to me that links to help on using search or a link to this article could brighten up its dull appearance.

However, the main search window still carries a payload. It opens with search results if you enter a query in the Start menu and click on the name of the search result group, or on View more results right above the search field.

Libraries

Now I will explain why I separated the search in libraries and other Explorer windows. Notice how library search results are displayed. They correspond to the type of files in it and are very well perceived visually. For example, for music files, the album cover is displayed, large name compositions, size, and there are also “musical” options for arranging the results. This is a property of all libraries, which confirms the thesis - Windows features 7 are best used together. IN in this case is a library search that has other advantages.

This is what a simple library search will suggest: Music.

While in File Explorer, you can organize your search results by available file properties. The default display order is top scores , but, for example, you can organize music files by album or genre. This feature is available along with the traditional Explorer tools of sorting and grouping (although the latter may be new to Windows XP migrants).

In this case, the results will display several tracks from each album. You can view all the songs on an album, and then “fold” it if the one you need is not there.

If you don't find the file you need in the current folder, you can search again:

Other Explorer windows

In folders and libraries, the search field is the same as in the main window. But we must not forget that the same option is available in the “Open” and “Save As” windows, which are used even by those who prefer alternative file managers.

It is more convenient to search in folders when you know the approximate location of the file or document - in this case you will not get lost in the results. In addition, this method is useful when it is known for sure that the file is not included in the index. Finally, in the Open and Save As windows, you can quickly filter the contents of a folder using search.

I'm sure you've already tried it simple queries search and, perhaps, they are completely satisfied with you. However, sooner or later you will need to find the file, and a simple query will not help with this. Next I'll tell you how to use advanced features Windows search 7 to find the files you need.

New advanced search features in Windows 7

To master search, of course, you need to practice using its capabilities. In articles about Windows 7 search, I will give a number of examples that you can easily reproduce in your own home.

If you're upgrading from Windows XP, absolutely everything in your Windows 7 search will be new. Compared to Windows Vista, Windows 7 looks:

have changed search filters

Search filters

When you roughly know the name of the file or the topic of the document, finding the desired file is usually not difficult - you just enter a partial or full request to the Start menu search. But this information is not always stored in random access memory brain, and simply often need to set special search conditions - size, date of modification or author of the file. Windows XP had a search assistant, Windows Vista had filters.

At first glance, there is nothing that stands out visually in Windows 7. In fact, filters are still there - they just become visible when you place your cursor in the search field.

Advice. To see more filters, expand the search field - place the cursor on the separator between the field and address bar and pull left.

In the screenshot you see standard set filters in the main search window.

Hints

Your search queries are remembered if they were entered:

to the search window

in explorer folder or library

in the Start menu (assuming you navigated to results and didn't just open the file)

These prompts annoy some users, and they tend to turn them off immediately. And, in my opinion, they are doing it in vain. The tips remember not only search queries as such, but also filters searches that you specified - for example, the size or modification date of the file. Suggestions are very useful if you want to use the full power of Windows 7 search. It's easy to change the old condition to the current query, and it's faster than entering it again. And you can always delete an unnecessary hint - just select it (with the mouse or cursor) and press Delete on the keyboard.

As I said above, the new features of Windows 7 are best used together. The connection between search and libraries is not only in the display of results, but also in the formation of search conditions. In the next part of the article I will look at:

using filters to search libraries and mail

search in Internet Explorer 8

search in non-indexed places

search operators

operating room Windows system provides several ways to search for files and folders. To search for files, folders, programs and messages Email On a computer, you can use the search box in the Start menu. But when I try to search for something in the Start menu, the search field is missing.

There are several options to return everything to its place.

First option

The easiest way is to try to return the search field using Windows. Open Control Panel - Programs and Features. Select a tab "Turn Windows features on or off". Finding the component Windows Search . If the component is not selected, check the box.

Click OK. Now we check whether the service is enabled or not Windows Search. To do this, open Control Panel - Administration - Services. Checking the service mode Windows Search. Must stand Automatically.

Second option

Apply. To do this, in the Start menu - Run, enter the command gpedit.msc and OK. Now we are looking for User Configuration - Administrative Templates - Start Menu and Taskbar. In the right half of the window, look for the item Remove “Search” link from the “Start” menu. Let's check the value of this parameter. Must be Not specified.

Third option

This option will be useful for those users who have a version of Windows other than Pro, Enterprise and Ultimate. Only these versions support Local Group Policy Editor.

Open the registry editor: Press the Win key + R and enter the command regedit And OK. Finding the section

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

if there is a parameter in this section NoFind- it must be removed.

After understanding the extension of the lost file, for example, “.zip”, all that remains is to enter it in the “Search” field and press Enter. A search on your computer will immediately display a list of files with this extension. From them we already select the one we need.

Rules for searching files on a computer by size

Many users may object - video files can have many extensions, what should you do to search in this case? One of our clients once lost a missing film and asked for advice on this issue.

We noticed that on the user’s computer all films were in the “.avi” format. It would seem that you just need to enter the extension into the search, and everything will work out right away. But not everything turned out to be not so simple; finding the file on the computer was not so easy. Therefore, it was decided to search the desired file by volume.

The client's total video files were approximately 1.45 GB in size. Therefore, it was quite reasonable to assume that the lost file had a similar size. Therefore, it was enough to do simple procedure System.Size:>1000MB, to search the computer memory for files larger than 1 GB.

Based on the search results, a list of 20 video files appeared, including a file without an extension at all. But just by the title itself one could guess that this was exactly the missing film. All that remained was to add the “.avi” extension to the file – and again you could enjoy watching the video. Later we managed to understand that our client’s acquaintances were just making a joke and removed the extension.

How to find hidden files in Windows OS

Sometimes Windows assigns the “Hidden” attribute to some files - as a result virus attacks or system failure. Because of this, files cannot be seen or found even through “Search”, if opposite the item “Show hidden files and folders" is not checked. Although nothing will happen to the files themselves.

To make hidden files visible, open the “Control Panel”, then go to “Folder Options” - “View”. Next to the “Show hidden files and folders” item, check the box and click OK. After that sometimes lost file is immediately on the desktop. Or you can find it by searching by extension or name, as we discussed earlier.

Search files by their content

For example, if you lose text documents from Microsoft Office Word, Notepad, OpenOffice or other programs. When working with text, some of the content is still stored in the user’s memory. Therefore, in the search, enter part of the text, press Enter and find the desired document.

Although it should be borne in mind that on the old and slow computer The search process may take a long time. Upgrading your PC is something you can think about while you wait for the results.

Total Commander for easy search of necessary files

Popular and convenient file manager, with which you can quickly search for files on your computer using several parameters simultaneously - extension, name, content. To do this, you need to set the search location in the program (for example, C:), then go to “Commands” and “Search files” (or press the hotkey combination Alt+F7).

If in Windows XP the file search was, although slow, still workable, then in Windows 7 it turned into something completely incomprehensible. Many people successfully use search in Far or Total Commander"e instead standard means Windows. When there are a lot of files on disks, this search is also slow. I would hardly have believed if I had not tried it myself that files can be found instantly (!), right when entering the file name into the search bar. Interested?

A miracle program that saved me a lot of time and continues to help me every day is called Everything. This free mini-application (portable version size is 272 KB) does just one simple thing- it searches for files on disks based on part of the file name. The magic is that the search happens instantly as you type the letters of the file name into the search bar (like Google's "live search"). This opens up much greater possibilities for searching files. For example, if you have forgotten the exact name of the file, you can quickly try typing different variants titles. With a “classic” search, you would have to wait a long time each time for the search to complete, but here you can immediately see whether something was found or not:

How it works?

When the program is first launched, it scans the file distribution table (NTFS MFT) and saves the scan result to a small cache file. Disk scanning is very fast - even with several terabytes of data, scanning will take no more than one minute. Based full list files on all disks Everything builds an in-memory data structure for quick search. During subsequent launches, repeated scanning of all disks will no longer occur: the program will take information from the cache file and only update it. To track file changes, the program uses information from the USN log of the NTFS partition.

Program limitations:

The program searches only for NTFS partitions.
The search is performed only by file names (it is not possible to search by attributes, dates and contents of files).

I'm sure Everything will become your reliable assistant and save many, many hours. And for Microsoft, this is a reason to think about how search should actually work;)