[SOLVED] How do you Abort a Search in Windows 7

I've been finding out how rapid and thorough the Windows 7 Desktop Search facility is, but when it starts to dig out thousands of files, and I have located the one I want at the top of the list - how do you Abort or Stop the search and browse through what it has found so far.

I can save an incomplete search result, but there seems to be no way to Stop it searching without closing the window and losing the history of what it found.

Esc key doesn't help and - closing explorer.exe from the task manager only hangs the PC up and forces a reboot.

I was hoping there would be a Stop button at the top of the explorer window but there's no drop down list either with a Stop searching button.

Any ideas please ?

Sorry I can not answer your question.

However you might be happier with this software.

Everything search engine
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Thanks for trying for me. I'll hang about and see if anyone else has any ideas on it.

But regarding the Everything Search Engine, I have already got a really good search facility that was free in "lite" form, called Agent Ransack. It's pretty powerful too and has all the flexibility and more of the old XP type search.

Since using windows 7 (64bit) for a few weeks now, I had started to be quite impressed with the speed of the built-in desktop search. It finds files incredibly quickly compared with having to wait for half a day while XP used to search through all files including zips for a single word or phrase.

Anyhow I have found that when I use the Windows 7 Search in the top right hand corner box in Windows Explorer, the icons on the desktop all keep flashing and the search clearly goes right through everything and takes an age. This is the one I can't stop without forcing a reboot.

Using the other alternative search in the Start menu - you don't get the flashing icons on the desktop and it finishes the search in a very short time.
It's all a bit puzzling. I can't help thinking that MS have not even considered how to stop a search once it starts. It's rather like some forums where you can't unsubscribe and close your account. The procedure was never thought of to put in place. That's quite funny now I think about it.

Anyhow thanks for your help. I'll wait a bit and see if anyone else has any clues.
Cheers
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Plado

I might as well post my own solution here in case anyone else is curious.

While the search was in progress and the file I was seeking appeared at the top of the list quite quickly, I right clicked the actual file it had found, and chose Send to Desktop create shortcut.
This made a copy of the path to get to the required file. I then right clicked the Search box and chose CUT to remove the search term. The search ended and the Windows Explorer window closed.

I expect it could be stopped by just closing the window or deleting the key-word that was in the search window. But how remiss of Microsoft not to give a CANCEL or FINISH search button at the bottom of the window allowing a termination of the search process. XP used to allow you to return to the search and change the parameters (it's common sense) no such facility in Windows 7. It's too clever for its own good I say. They must think we have all the time in the world to wait for the process to finish (which it has to be said is no more interesting than watching paint dry!)
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Plado

If a Windows Explorer search goes beyond about a second then a red X is automatically displayed where the refresh button normally is seen. Hitting that button stops the search but leaves the results found so far.

I had high hopes that you had done one of your usual "settle the matter" solutions and that you had found the answer. Sadly it didn't work this time.
I'd best just say I have Windows 7 Home Premium (64Bit) and I just did a test search for the word "Justin" using Windows Explorer search box top right in the usual way; The Refresh button didn't turn Red or into a red Cross at all. I do remember seeing it very early on in my first set of experimental searches but it ain't there now.

Do you think some kind of setting needs to be told to show a Stop X during the search process? It was very disappointing to find mine gives no such facility after searching for a few seconds or after searching for minutes.

Wass' goin' on there then?
--
Plado ps I'm determined to crack this problem somehow.

As long as I can remember, the red X has always been there on my system and I can't help but wonder if Agent Ransack might somehow be changing this normal behavior on your system. I would recommend uninstalling it to see if there is any change; you can always reinstall it if it has no effect.

What an excellent idea. I'll go try that now and report back. Sounds like good detective work to me !

Well I uninstalled Agent Ransack and then rebooted.
Tested the W Explorer again and went to find a file by a single name searching all the C drive.
After about 2 seconds of searching the Red X appeared in the Refresh area for about 5 seconds and then went away.

It didn't return and I watched the search in progress, as it made all my desktop icons flash in a pulsing manner (rather odd type of monitoring).

Then very late in the search after about 4 minutes had passed the Green Toothpaste Fuel Gauge appeared and with the green bar progressing across left to right the Red X returned and I was then able to stop the search. This told me that the stop facility isn't becoming available until just before the search is due to stop anyway.
So either something is wrong with my W Explorer, or the software writers shot themselves in the foot when they fine tuned the Windows Explorer in 7.

What do you think?
--
Plado

I get the "green toothpaste" progress bar and red X at about 1 second and the toothpaste is slowly expelled as the search progresses, I've never really noticed any desktop icons flashing, and my red X never goes away until the progress bar has filled and the search has ended. So if it isn't agent ransack causing the unusual behavior my next most likely suspect would be your anti-virus software.