Classic Search in Windows 7

[Firefox]

Do you guys like the new search feature in Windows 7..... I don't really like it myself and was wondering if anyone had a nifty free classic search program for windows 7.

Or is there a way to do the classic search?

[YoKenny1]

I like Windows 7 search

My personal favorite aspect of the Windows 7 search engine is the search box that is integrated into Windows Explorer. When you perform a search through Windows Explorer, Windows will search the current folder and any sub folders. This keeps you from having to search the entire system. For example, if I wanted to search for one of the articles that I had written I could navigate to my Articles folder and then enter my search query. That would ensure that no results are returned from elsewhere in my system. There are even ways that you can filter the search results by the various metadata attributes that are bound to file types.

http://www.windowsnetworking.com/articles_tutorials/Exploring-Windows-7s-New-Search-Features-Part1.html

Windows 7 File Search Indexing Options

Posted by Aseem on Monday, November 30th 2009

The built-in search feature in Windows 7 is significantly better than the horrible search options in Windows XP. Instead of installing a third-party program like Google Desktop to search for files on inside files on your computer, you can now do it with easily from Windows 7.

http://helpdeskgeek.com/windows-7/windows-7-file-search-indexing-options

[exile360]

Nir Sofer has one with some decent features: SearchMyFiles. Ultra File Search is pretty powerful as well. Both are free and are available in portable versions (my preference for pretty much all software ).

[Firefox]

Thanks guys, the Ultrafilesearch I think will do the trick for me, expecially the portable version, that way no install is required.

[YoKenny1]

Nir Sofer has one with some decent features: SearchMyFiles. Ultra File Search is pretty powerful as well. Both are free and are available in portable versions (my preference for pretty much all software ).

They are not as good as Windows 7 search as they do not index files like Windows 7 search does.

Improve Windows searches using the index: frequently asked questions

What files are indexed?

By default, all of the most common files on your computer are indexed. Indexed locations include all of the files in your personal folder (such as Documents, Pictures, Music, and Videos), as well as e?mail and offline files. Files that are not indexed include program files and system files. The locations that contain those files are not indexed because you rarely need to search those files, and so not including them in the index makes your searches perform faster.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Improve-Windows-searches-using-the-index-frequently-asked-questions

[Firefox]

Thanks for the info YoKenny1, but when I do a search I am usually searching for files that are not indexed (according to what you quoted above). I do not mind waiting a bit if I have to as long as it finds the file, and gives me a good location as to where the file is located.

I do not like the way windows 7 displays the location of the file after the search is done.

[exile360]

I found one that was free and portable at one point, and I believe open source as well, that did instantaneous searches without any indexing. I don't know how it worked, but I know it worked because I used it. It was faster at finding files than Vista was, even when the files were in indexed locations oddly enough.