Search

I want to find a Microsoft Word document on an external hard drive. In Windows XP this was easy with the Search function. Why has Microsoft gradually reduced this function through Vista to Windows 7? I know that there is a search box at the bottom of the start menu, however, I want to run an advanced search like I was able to do in XP. Can I do this in Windows 7? If yes, how can I do it?

 

Take a read here.....

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...rch-pane/b182ea87-0764-474a-8fb3-f188e0840ff5

and here.....

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/36599-search-windows-7-a.html

iain.t :major

 

I'm afraid that I didn't find those links that helpful; which is not your fault of course. Why have Microsoft decided to make searching for something so riduculously difficult when it used to be so straightforward.

 

I am having real problems getting to grips with searching in Windows 7.

I cannot understand why Microsoft has gone from having a very good search functionality in Windows XP. A worse one in Windows Vista. Now, it is even more diificult to use (if at all) in Windows 7.

It might help if someone can talk me through the steps. I know my document is on an external hard drive which is given the drive letter G when I connect it to my PC by a USB connection. The document is a Microsoft Word 2007 document (with extension .docx). I cannot recall its name or when I created it. I do, however, know some of the words in the document which ought to be specific enough for that document.

Of course, in 'Search' in XP I could enter all the above data I can recall. I do not how (even if possible) how to do this in Windows 7.

I still cannot understand why they've more or less got rid of search!:confused

 

IndexYourFiles might be what you need.
http://www.indexyourfiles.com/

It has an installer and a Portable version which will index then search any external harddrive you want (and your C: Drive as well)
I guess, if you wanted to, you could put the Portable version on your external harddrive and then index the files of that harddrive so it would be always handy even when using another computer. I haven't tried this myself.
Have a look and see if it works for you

 

I am sorry if i have misunderstood your problem here but when you enter a word in the search box just underneath it says "see more results" if you click that and scroll to the bottom of the page you will see options to search "libraries/homegroup/computer/custom or internet and if you click "custom" it will let you select where to search I.E. a specific HDD,file or folder and if you click "computer" it will search everywhere that is in or connected to the PC.

 

You might find this useful.
I use it regularly and it's very fast.

voidtools: Everything Search

 

Does this application dial out when you enter text for a file or adjust the preferences?

 

If you are referring to the program "Everything" that Mjnc suggested, no it does not dial out.