Windows 7 explorer search function

[anon125]

we have 2 toshiba win 7 laptops T17 and T18
we have 2 external drives. one a copy of the other.
T17 can find lots of a specific file type on either drive.
T18 can only find one of them.
this applies to lots of different file names.
can we wake up the search feature on T18 somehow?
is there an alternative?
Thanks all

 

[TrainableMan]

Open Windows Explorer (not Internet Explorer)
Select Organize > "Folder and Search Options". Click the Search Tab
Compare the settings on the two machines & make T18 match T17

But the search results are only as good as the indexes. Basically, behind the scenes Win7 has to index your files & folders (think of it like a table of contents). Type "Indexing Options" (without the quotes) into your windows search box. Open them & compare the two computers. In the list of what is being indexed make sure T18 is indexing the external drive; if not click MODIFY and add it. For more on indexing see How-to-Geek.


And yes there are alternatives. The one mentioned in our Freeware DB is called Everything

 

[anon125]

thanks for your help

 

[anon125]

downloaded everything- will give it a try soon

 

[anon125]

"make sure T18 is indexing the external drive;|
dont know where to do that!
thanks

 

[TrainableMan]

Indexing is not in that location. It was mentioned in my second paragraph above.

Type "Indexing Options" (without the quotes) into your windows search box. Double click on the result to run the Indexing Options program. In the list of what is being indexed make sure T18 is indexing the external drive; if not click MODIFY and add it.

For more on indexing see How-to-Geek.

 

[anon125]

UHOH looks like i may have to set it back to factory specs.
that is a real pain in an older computer, so many updates and other software to reinstall.
there are other problems this morning. desktop listing has vanished and pictures is beside downloads!
thanks very much