Windows Search WinKey+F

Hi,

In XP you can press WinKey+F to bring up Windows Search.

Is there a key combination that brings up the Search Companion?

If not does anybody know the (sorry, I'm blanking on the name) source location, i.e. c:\windows\system\*.*, so I can create a Quick Launch icon?

Thanks.
Rock

 

On my XP Pro I get the Search Companion with WinKey+F, and F3 key in some contexts. In other contexts, F3 brings up what I think you may be calling Windows Search (i.e. Find command). Are we on the same page?

 

Thanks, GCWesq!

I've got XP Home Edition. When I press WinKey+F I get a window with "Windows Search" towards the upper left. Just below that is where you type your search parameters. Next to it is a drop down (combo box?) that lets you switch between Desktop & Web. At the very bottom on the left is, "Click here to use Search Companion."

That's the search feature I'm hoping to get to with a key combo or a single click via an icon. I use it a lot because it allows me to select an external drive (usb & hdd) that's not indexed.

 

I believe that at some point you have downloaded and installed Windows Desktop Search, which as I recollect was an optional download in Windows Update. IMO it's an abomination and you could do yourself a favour by getting rid of it. Then Winkey F will get you the Search Companion.

You might also be interested in Everything. I've never used Windows search since discovering it.

 

Looks like you're on the money, Earthling. I just had a look at some screen shots - pretty much matches your description RockinRoll. Although I couldn't see

Assuming that's it, RockinRoll, you would have some options, I think. You could take Earthing's advice, or if you want to keep Windows Search (looks like it's similar to Google Desktop as well), you should be able to alter the hotkeys, at least to take back WinKey+F. Google Desktop has a nice means of access - double hit on the Ctrl key. Maybe others have something similar.

 

That's good news.

I need some more expert advice...I just tried to uninstall Windows Search and it brought up this:

"The following programs were installed after installing Windows Search 4.0:

(then it lists just about every program on my computer)

If these programs depend on Windows Search they might not work properly after it is removed. Do you want to continue?"

I found a support link: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=940157

...with this, "The search engine in Windows Search 4.0 is a Microsoft Windows service that is also used by programs such as Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 and Microsoft Office OneNote 2007."

I don't use either of those programs.

I read through the page but didn't understand some it, so I'm not 100% sure about a safe/smart removal.

Should I go ahead and remove it?

 

Some programs share bits of software among themselves. When you install something, it may look around on your computer to see if there are bits of software there already, from other programs, that it can use, to avoid installing another identical bit of stuff. So if you remove a program part of which is being used by one of these later-installed programs, the later programs won't run.
Since you are not using the programs listed, it increases your chances that you won't have a problem. But since it cannot be guaranteed, I would go ahead and uninstall it, but make sure you have a recent Restore Point set, so that if anything does go wrong, it's easy to go back to what was working (easy to use).
To create a restore point,1.
Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click System Restore.
2.
On the Welcome page, click Create a restore point.
3.
On the Create a Restore Point page, enter a descriptive name for your restore point, as shown in Figure 3, and then click Create.

 

Thank you, both!! I appreciate the help!

Now, the WinKey+F brings up the dialog I want.

By the way, Earthling, I downloaded Everything and I'll give it shot.

Best,
Rock

 

Any time. Glad it's all good now.

 

Everything is all the proof you need of what hard work M$ can make of a simple task such as searching. rolleyes

Pleased you are sorted.

 

btw, forgot to add that if you find Everything meets your needs you can switch off XP's drive indexing, which is a bit of a resource hog.

 

Hmmm... might have to give Everything a run myself (at work). I've just been doing without any indexing. Thanks Earthling.

 

That might help solve two problems in one shot. I know this is off topic but if either of you could shed some light on this, or tell me where my thinking was wrong, that would be great...

I've got a 1 year old computer in my bedroom and I picked the case because it was "silent." It is silent...when it's turned off. But when it's running it, sometimes, constantly kicks in a back-up fan that's really annoying because it winds up and down, up and down, etc. If it would just stay on it would even be okay.

I'm an artist/designer/inventor and I do some mechanical engineering. I tend to do a lot of research of How To-type information and download lots of pictures, videos and pdf's so I have Firefox open with a lot of tabs open. Often two windows of Firefox. And I have another browser (Green Browser) open mostly so I can check my two email accounts.

I often have a graphics viewing program open (IrfanView) and VLC Media Player. The other program I always run is KeyNote (database) where I keep design ideas, links to materials suppliers, tips I get from Major Geeks, etc.

Per advice from Major Geeks I use Advanced System Care and Smart Defrag to try and keep things optimized.

Since I thought that the fan issue was being caused by largish graphics & videos clogging the on-board video chipset I bought an EVGA GeForce 9500 GT Video Card - 1GB DDR2, PCI Express 2.0.

It didn't seem to help much. I still have to reboot, at least, once a day, and usually 3-6 times.

Any thoughts?

-------------------------------------------
OS Name Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
Version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 3 Build 2600
System Manufacturer INTEL_
System Model D945GCR_
Processor x86 Family 15 Model 6 Stepping 2 GenuineIntel ~3192 Mhz
Total Physical Memory 2,048.00 MB
Available Physical Memory 1.08 GB
Total Virtual Memory 2.00 GB
Available Virtual Memory 1.96 GB

 

A mod might want to shift this to a new thread, but in the meantime...
Sounds like the offending fan has a power saving setting on it. You could check your power management settings in Power Options under Control panel, and also look for settings in the BIOS.
I don't think you have said why you have to reboot during the day.
BTW, have you thought of running two monitors (if you don't already)? Sounds like you could do with it, and there's a good chance that your video card would support it. If so, all you would need is the monitor.

 

Oh, okay. I looked through the FAQ but, I guess, I missed that part. I haven't been on many boards, at least, technically-based ones. I've been on motorcycle boards and such and the conversations go all over the place in a single thread. I'm sure this is common knowledge but, on this type of board, is it proper etiquette to *always* start a new thread if the subject changes?

I see my error now: I just re-read my latest post and I didn't even write what I actually meant. I can see now how what I wrote was way off topic and could generate a huge thread. I was pretty sleepy at the time. I'll re-post it.

What triggered the post was Earthling's comment about freeing up resources by switching off XP's indexing. Basically, what I wanted to do was give a frame of reference (system components, software usage, etc.) and then ask if there's anything else you two know about freeing up more resources in a similar manner. I thought it would be a simple reply for you figuring you guys would have a link to an article about likely culprits.

Sorry, for the bad etiquette...wasn't intentional.

 

It isn't an etiquette thing RR, it's just that one topic per thread, with a meaningful title, helps focus minds

 

It also helps other people who have the same problem to find info about it.

In answer to your question, you can have all sorts of things running in the background. For example, you can have automatic updates set on Windows Update, security programs, etc. (BTW, I have Windows Update set to notify me when updates are available, but not download them - that way I can choose what to download, and only do it when I'm ready).

You can see what's running in your task manager, and there are some useful applications that tell you what your computer is doing with itself when your trying to use it as well (and what starts at Startup). That can be a fairly large subject - perhaps someone reading this can point to a good summary of what to do here, if you wish.