Vista Search tool

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kinsten

240 posts

Master Geek

#17758 10-Dec-2007 13:34

I think the little search bar is really nifty the at the top of Windows Explorer windows. But I was trying to find a name of a file on a CD and it seemed to only search files in the current folder. Does anyone know if there a way to force this search tool to search files in sub-folders as well?

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chakkaradeep

799 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#99246 10-Dec-2007 13:39

kinsten: I think the little search bar is really nifty the at the top of Windows Explorer windows. But I was trying to find a name of a file on a CD and it seemed to only search files in the current folder. Does anyone know if there a way to force this search tool to search files in sub-folders as well?

I dont think the search indexes CDs and DVDs as they are only readable. Other than those locations, if you go to,

Control Panel\System and Maintenance\Indexing Options-->Modify-->Show All Locations

you can add locations that can be indexed so that the search tool can search in those locations.

Regards,
Chaks

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ashtonaut

614 posts

Ultimate Geek

#99284 10-Dec-2007 17:16

I just tested on my machine and it searched subfolders on a CD without any problems - see attached screenshot. I don't ever recall having to set this behavior up, it's always done it for me... you might have to wait a few seconds for the results to appear?

Screenshot

AFAIK when you put a term in that search box, Vista first looks at its previously-generated search index, and if there are no matches there, it starts doing the 'traditional' search for files at your current location or 'deeper'. So it shouldn't matter if the location is indexed or not as long as it is 'below' your current location - it might take a bit longer if it isn't indexed though.

Ash

kinsten

240 posts

Master Geek

#99286 10-Dec-2007 17:23

Yes, I was certain it used to perform this task effortlessly in the past also. But had not tried it for sometime. And then my friend came over with a DVD packed full of music mp3's, and wanted to grab around 10 tracks. He would give me a word in the file name, i used the search tool, nothing appeared. He burnt the CD using his PS3. Do you think this could be the reason for lack of searchability? Maybe there is no MBR or something on PS3 DVDs?

He had trouble identifying where the track might be located as the user inteface in PS3 is completley different to Windows Vista lawl.

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ashtonaut

614 posts

Ultimate Geek

#99389 11-Dec-2007 09:19

I didn't think this was possible to burn CDs/DVDs with a PS3?

Anyway, if you want a test, burn a CD/DVD using your PC, and check if you can search it after you have burned it. If this works, and your friend's disc doesn't, I would say there is something wrong with your friend's disk. Perhaps the songs are encrypted on the disk, or stored in larger archive files with random names...

kinsten

240 posts

Master Geek

#99392 11-Dec-2007 09:38

Good idea =), will do some experiments.

Intel Core 2 Duo E6600, 4x 2GB Adata 1066+ DDR2, Sapphire HD4850 X2 2GB GDDR3 PCI-E Quad DVI, 1000w PSU & over 4TB HDD space, Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit
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kinsten

240 posts

Master Geek

#99406 11-Dec-2007 11:24

Okies, so here are my first test results.

- Chucked in a mass produced Driver CD, browsed the CD and opened the Linux folder and found a file called Makefile.*
- Went back to the root of the CD-rom and typed in the search window "make"
- No results were found
- Tried Makefile
- No results were found

Tried finding stuff in the current folder, BINGO, it found all occurances of this search, folders & files alike. But only in the current folder.

Had to open the Search option & choose advanced, specify the CD-ROM as a location, then type my search query to find files in sub-folders.

Most anoying! I don't want to fiddle with the advanced search options, just want it to know to search sub-folders.

chakkaradeep: Control Panel\System and Maintenance\Indexing Options-->Modify-->Show All Locations

I found the option but it was grayed out, may be because the administrator has disallowed changing of this option at work.

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ashtonaut

614 posts

Ultimate Geek

#99408 11-Dec-2007 11:45

Interesting - I actually have the same behavior!

When I tested before, I actually cheated and mounted a disc image. When I tried an actual physical disc the behavior is different - I expected them to be the same.

I can confirm exactly the issue you get. When searching for files on a physical CD, the standard Windows Explorer search doesn't include subfolders. When using the advanced windows search, it looks inside subfolders.

Update: This gets more interesting. Try searching for the file in question when you are located at "Computer", not the root of the CD drive - it searches the CD subfolders!!

Something seems amiss here. Windows Explorer search doesn't appear to search subfolders of a CD when you start searching from a location at or below the root of the CD - but it will search subfolders if you start from "Computer". Whether this is a bug or a feature, who knows.

EDIT: At least one other person seems to have the same issue - I doubt it is something most people notice.

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kinsten

240 posts

Master Geek

#99413 11-Dec-2007 11:57

Okay, just tried the same experiment on my Technitians Vista machine, basically the same (his is just higher spec HW) and his worked perfectly. Searched all sub folders on the cd-rom when searching from the root of the CD.

Yes searching from Computer seemed to work for me also, also produced way too many results, lol.

We compared his indexing settings to mine, they are all the same (he has some extra user accounts included in his indexing, & he also has a D drive) but appart from that, all the same!?

*shakes head* why it would vary from one system to another, running the same software I don't know. Perhaps I have turned something off, which is affecting this feature. I know for a fact my workmate has not needed to speed his system up (damn core2-duo). Where as my AMD 2800 appears to operate just fine, just lags on certain aspects (bubble screen saver looks painful for the poor machine).

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ashtonaut

614 posts

Ultimate Geek

#99437 11-Dec-2007 14:55

Were you both running the same version of Vista? I run Vista Business (and searching from CD root doesn't include subfolders). Now I'm intrigued to find out if there is some, random setting that will enable this feature for me - it's strange that not everyone's install seems to have the problem?

kinsten

240 posts

Master Geek

#99440 11-Dec-2007 15:28

Yea we are running the exact same copy. It is even from the same dvd (corporate install licence). I also have Vista Business at home. I should go check the other Vista Install!

Okay, he also cannot search subfolders, but we found some extra folder search options, which are the same on all 3 Vista Business workstations. So this still is not helping.
Folder & Search Options. Have the option selected (by default) to 'Include subfolders when typing in the Search box' & 'Find partial matches'.

Looks as thought it should be fine, but we know it is not!

Intel Core 2 Duo E6600, 4x 2GB Adata 1066+ DDR2, Sapphire HD4850 X2 2GB GDDR3 PCI-E Quad DVI, 1000w PSU & over 4TB HDD space, Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit
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ashtonaut

614 posts

Ultimate Geek

#99591 12-Dec-2007 12:03

Interesting. Of course, I have the "search subfolders" option checked as well (and subfolder searching anywhere other than the optical drive works fine).

Perhaps someone else with Vista could test the following and report back?

CASE 1
1) Insert CD/DVD with multiple subfolders and files
2) Use windows explorer to navigate to the root of the CD/DVD drive
3) Using the search box, enter a filename you know is in a subfolder of the CD/DVD

CASE 2
1) Insert CD/DVD with multiple subfolders and files
2) Use windows explorer to navigate to "Computer"
3) Search for a filename you know is in a subfolder of the CD/DVD

What happens in each case? For us it appears that Case 1 returns no result, but Case 2 returns a result. Can anyone with any Microsoft connections shed light on this?