Still searching for way to get Vista search to work: Why doesn't FilterFilesWithUnknownExtensions registry key work in Vista?

Celegans

From Comment #2 from this posting


2) I create three files in a directory with the word "special" in them:
test.txt, test.dat, test.R. These files are all identical copies of each
other but with different filenames. How can I find the test.R file with the
word "special"? In Windows Explorer, I right click on the directory
containing the files and select "Search.". I enter "special" in the Quick
Search Box. Windows Vista can only find the test.txt file, apparently since
it's the only one that was indexed. Next, I select Advanced Search. I check
the box "Include non-indexed, hidden, and system files (might be slow)".
Nothing changes. I cannot find the test.dat and test.R files that are copies
of the test.txt file. ... Vista cannot find files via search that Windows
95, 98, 2000 could find, and Windows XP could with an appropriate tweak.



Supposedly that link is only a fix for Windows XP's flawed search, but with
a broken Windows Vista Search, and no help coming from Microsoft, I thought
I'd try Method 2 from that link in Windows Vista

"Method 2. To configure Windows XP to search all files no matter what the
file type, obtain the latest service pack for Windows XP and then turn on
the Index file types with unknown extensions option. "

Vista's GUI doesn't seem to support the suggestion there, but one can always
modify a registry key:

" To do this, set the FilterFilesWithUnknownExtensions DWORD value to 1 in
the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\ContentIndex"

But setting FilterFilesWithUnknownExtensions in Windows Vista apparently
changes nothing. The Comment #2 test case above can still only find one of
the three identical files.

Microsoft: How can I run Windows Explorer from Windows 2000 so I can find
my files again in Windows Vista?

Any help will be appreciated.

Jon

The .R extension is easier to deal with than the .dat extension

To search files with the .R extension

Control Panel (Classic View) > Indexing Options > Advanced > File Types

Now I'll admit the next step isn't immediately obvious. I missed it myself,
due to the greyed out 'Add new extension' box
You basically type 'R' in the box to the left of it, and then click to add
it.
Then set the extension to search file contents as well as file name in the
section above it.

--
Jon


"Celegans" <Celegans@nospam.nospam> wrote in message
news:.gbl...
> From Comment #2 from this posting
>
>
> 2) I create three files in a directory with the word "special" in them:
> test.txt, test.dat, test.R. These files are all identical copies of each
> other but with different filenames. How can I find the test.R file with
> the word "special"? In Windows Explorer, I right click on the directory
> containing the files and select "Search.". I enter "special" in the Quick
> Search Box. Windows Vista can only find the test.txt file, apparently
> since it's the only one that was indexed. Next, I select Advanced Search.
> I check the box "Include non-indexed, hidden, and system files (might be
> slow)". Nothing changes. I cannot find the test.dat and test.R files that
> are copies of the test.txt file. ... Vista cannot find files via search
> that Windows 95, 98, 2000 could find, and Windows XP could with an
> appropriate tweak.
>
>
>
> Supposedly that link is only a fix for Windows XP's flawed search, but
> with a broken Windows Vista Search, and no help coming from Microsoft, I
> thought I'd try Method 2 from that link in Windows Vista
>
> "Method 2. To configure Windows XP to search all files no matter what the
> file type, obtain the latest service pack for Windows XP and then turn on
> the Index file types with unknown extensions option. "
>
> Vista's GUI doesn't seem to support the suggestion there, but one can
> always modify a registry key:
>
> " To do this, set the FilterFilesWithUnknownExtensions DWORD value to 1 in
> the following registry key:
> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\ContentIndex"
>
> But setting FilterFilesWithUnknownExtensions in Windows Vista apparently
> changes nothing. The Comment #2 test case above can still only find one
> of the three identical files.
>
> Microsoft: How can I run Windows Explorer from Windows 2000 so I can find
> my files again in Windows Vista?
>
> Any help will be appreciated.
>
>

Celegans

"Jon" <> wrote in message
news:<OK26#.gbl>...
> The .R extension is easier to deal with than the .dat extension
>
> To search files with the .R extension
>
> Control Panel (Classic View) > Indexing Options > Advanced > File Types
>
> Now I'll admit the next step isn't immediately obvious. I missed it
> myself, due to the greyed out 'Add new extension' box
> You basically type 'R' in the box to the left of it, and then click to add
> it.
> Then set the extension to search file contents as well as file name in the
> section above it.

Thank you for your response, but this isn't very practical when working with
a wide variety of files that originate under Linux. Some files won't even
have extensions.

Once I figure out a search has failed (that alone has caused a lot of extra
work on more than one occasion) because of an extension unknown to Vista,
I've got to add each one this way in Vista?

How can I run Windows Explorer from Windows 2000 so I can find my files
again in Windows Vista? If Vista can't easily do what Windows 2000 did, why
should I be using Vista? Why is this Windows 2000 (and earlier) feature not
even offered to Windows Vista Ultimate customers?

Jon

"Celegans" <Celegans@nospam.nospam> wrote in message
news:.gbl...
> "Jon" <> wrote in message
> news:<OK26#.gbl>...
>> The .R extension is easier to deal with than the .dat extension
>>
>> To search files with the .R extension
>>
>> Control Panel (Classic View) > Indexing Options > Advanced > File Types
>>
>> Now I'll admit the next step isn't immediately obvious. I missed it
>> myself, due to the greyed out 'Add new extension' box
>> You basically type 'R' in the box to the left of it, and then click to
>> add it.
>> Then set the extension to search file contents as well as file name in
>> the section above it.
>
> Thank you for your response, but this isn't very practical when working
> with a wide variety of files that originate under Linux. Some files won't
> even have extensions.
>
> Once I figure out a search has failed (that alone has caused a lot of
> extra work on more than one occasion) because of an extension unknown to
> Vista, I've got to add each one this way in Vista?
>

I think what I would do, say with say a folder of files with atypical
extensions, would be to rename them en masse (eg using a batch file or
something similar) to all have the same extension eg .linux

So test.R >>> test.R.linux
test2.xy >>> test.R.linux
test3.efgh >> test.efh.linux
etc

Then you would only have the one extension .linux to deal with.


> How can I run Windows Explorer from Windows 2000 so I can find my files
> again in Windows Vista? If Vista can't easily do what Windows 2000 did,
> why should I be using Vista? Why is this Windows 2000 (and earlier)
> feature not even offered to Windows Vista Ultimate customers?
>
>

I don't know if / how you can do this, but I use another search tool, which
I use as a complement to Vista Search, for the purposes of quickly locating
files throughout the whole system

Locate32


It doesn't search file content, but it locates files very quickly, whereever
they are located. Others will be able to recommend similar such tools I'm
sure.


--
Jon

Jon

Oops... it's been a long day ;-)

test.R >>> test.R.linux
test2.xy >>> test.xy.linux
test3.efgh >> test.efgh.linux

I'm sure you got the idea anyhow.

--
Jon


"Jon" <> wrote in message
news:.gbl...
>
> "Celegans" <Celegans@nospam.nospam> wrote in message
> news:.gbl...
>> "Jon" <> wrote in message
>> news:<OK26#.gbl>...
>>> The .R extension is easier to deal with than the .dat extension
>>>
>>> To search files with the .R extension
>>>
>>> Control Panel (Classic View) > Indexing Options > Advanced > File Types
>>>
>>> Now I'll admit the next step isn't immediately obvious. I missed it
>>> myself, due to the greyed out 'Add new extension' box
>>> You basically type 'R' in the box to the left of it, and then click to
>>> add it.
>>> Then set the extension to search file contents as well as file name in
>>> the section above it.
>>
>> Thank you for your response, but this isn't very practical when working
>> with a wide variety of files that originate under Linux. Some files won't
>> even have extensions.
>>
>> Once I figure out a search has failed (that alone has caused a lot of
>> extra work on more than one occasion) because of an extension unknown to
>> Vista, I've got to add each one this way in Vista?
>>
>
> I think what I would do, say with say a folder of files with atypical
> extensions, would be to rename them en masse (eg using a batch file or
> something similar) to all have the same extension eg .linux
>
> So test.R >>> test.R.linux
> test2.xy >>> test.R.linux
> test3.efgh >> test.efh.linux
> etc
>
> Then you would only have the one extension .linux to deal with.
>
>
>> How can I run Windows Explorer from Windows 2000 so I can find my files
>> again in Windows Vista? If Vista can't easily do what Windows 2000 did,
>> why should I be using Vista? Why is this Windows 2000 (and earlier)
>> feature not even offered to Windows Vista Ultimate customers?
>>
>>
>
> I don't know if / how you can do this, but I use another search tool,
> which I use as a complement to Vista Search, for the purposes of quickly
> locating files throughout the whole system
>
> Locate32
>
>
> It doesn't search file content, but it locates files very quickly,
> whereever they are located. Others will be able to recommend similar such
> tools I'm sure.
>
>
> --
> Jon
>
>
>
>

Jon

grrrr.....

test2.xy >>> test2.xy.linux
test3.efgh >> test3.efgh.linux


--
Jon


"Jon" <> wrote in message
news:%.gbl...
> Oops... it's been a long day ;-)
>
> test.R >>> test.R.linux
> test2.xy >>> test.xy.linux
> test3.efgh >> test.efgh.linux
>
> I'm sure you got the idea anyhow.
>
> --
> Jon
>
>
> "Jon" <> wrote in message
> news:.gbl...
>>
>> "Celegans" <Celegans@nospam.nospam> wrote in message
>> news:.gbl...
>>> "Jon" <> wrote in message
>>> news:<OK26#.gbl>...
>>>> The .R extension is easier to deal with than the .dat extension
>>>>
>>>> To search files with the .R extension
>>>>
>>>> Control Panel (Classic View) > Indexing Options > Advanced > File Types
>>>>
>>>> Now I'll admit the next step isn't immediately obvious. I missed it
>>>> myself, due to the greyed out 'Add new extension' box
>>>> You basically type 'R' in the box to the left of it, and then click to
>>>> add it.
>>>> Then set the extension to search file contents as well as file name in
>>>> the section above it.
>>>
>>> Thank you for your response, but this isn't very practical when working
>>> with a wide variety of files that originate under Linux. Some files
>>> won't even have extensions.
>>>
>>> Once I figure out a search has failed (that alone has caused a lot of
>>> extra work on more than one occasion) because of an extension unknown to
>>> Vista, I've got to add each one this way in Vista?
>>>
>>
>> I think what I would do, say with say a folder of files with atypical
>> extensions, would be to rename them en masse (eg using a batch file or
>> something similar) to all have the same extension eg .linux
>>
>> So test.R >>> test.R.linux
>> test2.xy >>> test.R.linux
>> test3.efgh >> test.efh.linux
>> etc
>>
>> Then you would only have the one extension .linux to deal with.
>>
>>
>>> How can I run Windows Explorer from Windows 2000 so I can find my files
>>> again in Windows Vista? If Vista can't easily do what Windows 2000 did,
>>> why should I be using Vista? Why is this Windows 2000 (and earlier)
>>> feature not even offered to Windows Vista Ultimate customers?
>>>
>>>
>>
>> I don't know if / how you can do this, but I use another search tool,
>> which I use as a complement to Vista Search, for the purposes of quickly
>> locating files throughout the whole system
>>
>> Locate32
>>
>>
>> It doesn't search file content, but it locates files very quickly,
>> whereever they are located. Others will be able to recommend similar such
>> tools I'm sure.
>>
>>
>> --
>> Jon
>>
>>
>>
>>
>

Celegans

"Jon" <> wrote in message
news:.gbl...
> I think what I would do, say with say a folder of files with atypical
> extensions, would be to rename them en masse (eg using a batch file or
> something similar) to all have the same extension eg .linux
>
> So test.R >>> test.R.linux
> test2.xy >>> test.R.linux
> test3.efgh >> test.efh.linux
> etc

Sorry, but that's not a very workable solution. The Linux file systems are
often shared resources and renaming files would break other things and be
confusing to people.

> I don't know if / how you can do this, but I use another search tool,
> which I use as a complement to Vista Search, for the purposes of quickly
> locating files throughout the whole system
>
> Locate32
>

A 3rd party search tool may be the only way if Microsoft will not recognize
the design defect they've introduced into file search by Vista's Windows
Explorer.

Right now I run a Windows 2000 virtual machine under VMware and use a
virtual network to search Vista files using Windows 2000. There's a lot of
overhead, and it's slow, but when I'm looking for something that I know
exists, I want to find it whether or not Microsoft "likes" my file
extensions. That's why I keep asking for how to run Windows Explorer 2000
directly under Vista. Windows Explorer 2000 found ALL the files, not just
the files Microsoft said it would search.

Jon

"Celegans" <Celegans@nospam.nospam> wrote in message
news:uDACb$.gbl...
> "Jon" <> wrote in message
> news:.gbl...
> Sorry, but that's not a very workable solution. The Linux file systems
> are often shared resources and renaming files would break other things and
> be confusing to people.
>
>> I don't know if / how you can do this, but I use another search tool,
>> which I use as a complement to Vista Search, for the purposes of quickly
>> locating files throughout the whole system
>>
>> Locate32
>>
>
> A 3rd party search tool may be the only way if Microsoft will not
> recognize the design defect they've introduced into file search by Vista's
> Windows Explorer.
>
> Right now I run a Windows 2000 virtual machine under VMware and use a
> virtual network to search Vista files using Windows 2000. There's a lot
> of overhead, and it's slow, but when I'm looking for something that I know
> exists, I want to find it whether or not Microsoft "likes" my file
> extensions. That's why I keep asking for how to run Windows Explorer 2000
> directly under Vista. Windows Explorer 2000 found ALL the files, not just
> the files Microsoft said it would search.
>


Ok, well I'm sorry Vista Search doesn't work for you.

I type one word, and the song I want to play appears instantly.

I type one line from a text file that I remember I wrote years previously,
and it appears instantly

I type one portion of code in a similar program I've written, and I have it
instantly ready to paste into another.

I don't remember that in any earlier versions of Windows. Works for some and
not others I suppose.

--
Jon

Celegans

"Jon" <> wrote in message
news:.gbl...
> I type one word, and the song I want to play appears instantly.
>
> I type one line from a text file that I remember I wrote years previously,
> and it appears instantly
>
> I type one portion of code in a similar program I've written, and I have
> it instantly ready to paste into another.
>
> I don't remember that in any earlier versions of Windows. Works for some
> and not others I suppose.

Last week I tried to find the string "uname" in an old Linux Bourne shell
script (a .sh file) and Vista couldn't find it (some scripts like this have
no extension and will never be indexed by Vista?). Manually searching file
by file is a bit of a pain, but I finally found the example I was looking
for, which is how I knew for sure Vista's search had failed me. Windows
file search for this file worked fine as recently as Windows 2000, or with
Windows XP after the patch was applied.

We have many scientific instrument device controllers that we'll never want
to run an indexing service on since it could possibly interfere with the
operation of the device. We'll never be able to search the data we record
from those scientific instruments with Vista because the GB of scientific
data must be indexed before it can be searched? Maybe Microsoft should
just say Vista should not be used in scientific research?

Searching for files can be important in troubleshooting problems with
scientific instruments. If vendors upgrade to Vista on their devices (it
hasn't happened yet), troubleshooting problems will be more difficult
because of Vista's flawed search.

Can I get a version of Windows 2000 Windows Explorer to run on Vista and
I'll quit complaining about Vista's search?


C. elegans

Dave Wood [MS]

The only way I know of in Vista to blindly search the contents of all files
as if they were text is to use the "findstr" tool from the command line
which works rather like a Unix "grep". E.g. I frequently use 'findstr /I /S
/C:"xxx" *' to do a case-insensitive search for all instances of "xxx" in
all files recursively from the current directory.

Regardless of whether you use indexing or not {you can do either through the
Vista UI} I don't think there's a way to get this exact behavior through the
GUI out-of-the-box. And no, there's no way to get the Win2K explorer to run
on Vista!

I forwarded our discussion last night on this issue to a bunch of folks
internally to make sure that your feedback is being heard by the relevant
people. We don't talk about future plans or releases on these newsgroups so
I'm afraid that's about all I can say on this point.

Dave


"Celegans" <Celegans@nospam.nospam> wrote in message
news:.gbl...
> "Jon" <> wrote in message
> news:.gbl...
>> I type one word, and the song I want to play appears instantly.
>>
>> I type one line from a text file that I remember I wrote years
>> previously, and it appears instantly
>>
>> I type one portion of code in a similar program I've written, and I have
>> it instantly ready to paste into another.
>>
>> I don't remember that in any earlier versions of Windows. Works for some
>> and not others I suppose.
>
> Last week I tried to find the string "uname" in an old Linux Bourne shell
> script (a .sh file) and Vista couldn't find it (some scripts like this
> have no extension and will never be indexed by Vista?). Manually
> searching file by file is a bit of a pain, but I finally found the example
> I was looking for, which is how I knew for sure Vista's search had failed
> me. Windows file search for this file worked fine as recently as Windows
> 2000, or with Windows XP after the patch was applied.
>
> We have many scientific instrument device controllers that we'll never
> want to run an indexing service on since it could possibly interfere with
> the operation of the device. We'll never be able to search the data we
> record from those scientific instruments with Vista because the GB of
> scientific data must be indexed before it can be searched? Maybe
> Microsoft should just say Vista should not be used in scientific research?
>
> Searching for files can be important in troubleshooting problems with
> scientific instruments. If vendors upgrade to Vista on their devices (it
> hasn't happened yet), troubleshooting problems will be more difficult
> because of Vista's flawed search.
>
> Can I get a version of Windows 2000 Windows Explorer to run on Vista and
> I'll quit complaining about Vista's search?
>
>
> C. elegans
>