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Asked by: ahammar

This is probably very simple, but I'm confused.  I've been trying to learn how to use Vista for awhile now (which I think was a mistake now)and have run into an issue (one of many I might add)
When in Windows Explorer there is a search box in the upper right corner of my screen.  As I type in it, it filters and shows the results in the Explorer window.  Thats fine and dandy.  As I was doing that on an external hard drive (my K drive), it popped up a message saying something like "Click here to index this drive and make searches faster".  So I did that.
Now the search for that drive does not work at all unless I go to "Advanced search" and select "Show non indexed and hidden files".  I have to do that everytime for the search to work.  It was working fine before I chose to index the drive.  What's up with that?
Maybe I just need to un-index it, but I don't know how to do that either.  I've spent so much time trying to get around all the bugs in Vista, I can't get anything done....but that's another story.
Please note, I am not very familiar with indexing.  I have never chosen to index drives or directories before in all the years I've been using Windows Explorer (and that is a lot of years).  I figured I have a very powerful computer now and should go ahead and index...but so far that was a bad idea.
How do I get my search to work now.  I"m sure it's something I just am not understanding, so can someone please explain what that is, or what is going on and how to fix it.

Thanks!
:-)
Albert

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Asked On
2009-10-05 at 19:20:59ID24787610
Topics

Windows Vista

,

Microsoft Operating Systems

Participating Experts
2
Points
500
Comments
7

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Answers

 

by: leakim971Posted on 2009-10-05 at 19:25:50ID: 25501487

Hello,

Have a look here : http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-us/help/68dd14f2-a9cb-4134-a076-b8abb011a1f61033.mspx
(I want to search for a file type that is not currently being indexed. How do I add a file type to the index?)

Regards.

 

by: thinkpads_userPosted on 2009-10-05 at 19:33:36ID: 25501517

Open Control Panel and select Indexing Options. In the window that opens, click on Modify. Do NOT select the whole drive. Select only that which you want indexed. If you need to "start again" select only a single small folder, and then go to Advanced and Rebuild your index. It should go very fast. Then go back and select what you want (but not the whole drive) and rebuild again.

I select Users and 3 specific large folders of documents. It represents about 70,000 items and it takes about 2 hours to index completely. It takes very little to keep it up to date.

Hopefully this will help you to adapt to Vista. ... Thinkpads_User

 

by: ahammarPosted on 2009-10-05 at 19:57:10ID: 25501591

Thanks!
Let me see if I got this right.  If nothing on the drive is indexed, then search will automatically search the entire drive just by typing in the search box.  But if part of the drive is indexed, then when I search the entire drive, only the indexed folders/files get searced unless I go to advanced search and tell it to search un-indexed files....is that correct?  That seems to be the way it is working now.

:-)
Albert

 

by: thinkpads_userPosted on 2009-10-06 at 03:52:11ID: 25503596

In my experience with Vista, Indexer will not search the entire drive so long as you don't answer any prompt allowing it to.

The second sentence is true: If you index part of the drive, search will only find in that part unless you use the advanced search options.

... Thinkpads_User

 

by: ahammarPosted on 2009-10-06 at 07:24:52ID: 25505364

Thanks a bunch!
I just got around to reviewing that link you posted Leakim971.  I actually read the whole thing.  That was very educational for me.  
Thinkpads_User:
Thanks for your comments, advice and recommendations, and confirming what I thought to be the case.  It took me this many years to worry about indexing and who knows how much longer it would have been before I learned the tips you provided.  I hate not knowing how something is working, but I think I got it now.

Between the 2 of you I am much more educated with indexing...

Thanks a bunch!  Very nice of you to fill me in with the extras...
Now it's time to do my part.  I'm just gonna split the points evenly...hope thats good with both of you.  I really appreciate your efforts!

:-)
Albert

 

by: thinkpads_userPosted on 2009-10-06 at 07:26:16ID: 25505379

No problem - Thank you. ... Thinkpads_User

 

by: ahammarPosted on 2009-10-06 at 07:28:09ID: 31637517

Thanks!  These were very helpful answers for me!

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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