asked on

Good Windows Search alternative?

Hello!

I have moved from Windows XP to Windows 7. Overall, I am happy with the move, but I absolutely hate the new Windows Search for searching files. I'd like to find an alternative. I just want a simple utility that searches through files on a specified drive, directory, etc. looking for a file without relying on indexes and so forth.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

- Tom

DoesNotCompute

I don't use it but, hey, it's google . . . http://desktop.google.com/

TomEA

ASKER

Yeah, I checked that one out but didn't really care for it either, for two reasons. First, like Windows Search, it wants to sit in the background and constantly index your files. I'd rather wait longer for search results as it searches on the fly, rather than have a background process constantly running. Secondly, it kept wanting to include things like web pages I had visited and that were in my cache in search results, which I don't want.

Thanks though!

Kamaraj Subramanian

why dont you try google search

www.desktop.google.com/

TomEA

ASKER

See above. :)

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Craig Bowman

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Adam Leinss

The two I use are:
Agent Ransack: http://www.mythicsoft.com/agentransack/
Ultrasearch: http://www.jam-software.com/ultrasearch/

Adam Leinss

Ransack also was given by cbowman92 above.

graye

Another vote for Agent Ransack....
Just a note... if you've got a 64-bit OS, then the free Agent Ransack will not work, but their related (pay, but cheap) product FileLocator Pro is excellent.

Adam Leinss

The right-click functionality won't work in Ransack on 64-bit, but you can run it from the Start Menu and it will still work.

turkerozturk

http://www.indexyourfiles.com/
Index Your Files v5 (Freeware)
Last Update
10 March 2010
Search Files for Windows with Advanced Features using Index Files

Is Portable
Is easy to use with a standard windows GUI.
Creates Indexes faster and smaller than any other.
Compacts the indexes
Create indexes for Only the directories you select.
Internal display for found files
Is compact and runs from a Single file without .dll's
Support Unicode

Find files on your own computer or network with great speed and simplicity

TomEA

ASKER

Thanks to everyone for your replies! I have not yet had the opportunity to evaluate all of the potential solutions posted here. When I do, I will be sure to award points.

Thanks again!

- Tom

turkerozturk

indexyourfiles can be in 5 minutes tested keep in mind.

TomEA

ASKER

Thank you.

doby48

Another one I did not see mentioned and is the one that I use is Super Finder XT. Find files or data within files and unlike windows or some other searches if you are searching for data within files it actually checks all file types, not just those that are predefined as such by windows. Fast utility and does not index files in the background. http://fsl.sytes.net/ssearchxt.html

graye

Just a note... Agent Ransak is now available as either a 32-bit or 64-bit application.

TomEA

ASKER

Agent Ransack was exactly what I was looking for! Multiple people recommended it, so in fairness I'm giving the points to the first person who suggested it. Thanks!