Tip of the day: Streamline searches

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In Windows XP, Windows Explorer includes a useful feature that allows you to find files and folders by name or contents. To use the Search Companion, click the Search button in the Windows Explorer toolbar. If you’re an expert Windows user, though, you’re hobbled by the dumbed-down default interface of the Search Companion, which uses a cartoon dog to walk you through even the simplest search tasks with multiple clicks.

Simple_search_doggie

My advice? Ditch the doggie and fine-tune the search box so you can get to expert features more quickly. Here’s how:

  1. Click Change preferences.
  2. In the How do you want to use Search Companion box, click Without an animated screen character. Watch the puppy walk away.
  3. Click Change preferences again.
  4. Click Change files and folders search behavior.
  5. Click the Advanced option and then click OK.

Your Search Companion box now looks like this:

Advanced_search

For more complex search tasks, you’ll want a separate desktop search application, such as the MSN Toolbar, Copernic Desktop Search, X1, or Google Desktop Search. But the Search Companion is just fine for quick tasks.

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Published by Ed Bott

Tech journalist. Author of 25+ books. ZDNET Contributing Editor since 2006. Contact info: https://edbott.com/contact-me/

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4 thoughts on “Tip of the day: Streamline searches”

  1. I’m not sure exactly what’s going on here, but the Lazyadmin posted a very similar tip after you did today. In fact, his ‘Advanced Search’ image has the exact same dimensions (200 X 397) and bytes (20337) as yours. I’m hoping this is just a coincidence.

  2. Thanks for the pointer. I’ve sent off a note. Given that it took me 20 minutes or so to set up and crop these screens manually, it is highly unlikely that someone could have created images that are identical in dimensions and size.

    Grrrr.

  3. Problem with MS XP search is that, even for
    quick tasks, it’s slow.

    Best of the desktop searchers is Google. Especially
    when combined with Aaron Feuer’s excellent gdSuite.

    — stan

  4. Stan, the XP search is fine for finding files. It really doesn’t take that long. The problem with most Desktop Search programs (including Google) is that they only index data files. So if you’re looking for a program file or a Windows system file, you won’t find it.

    Oh, and thanks for the pointer to the gdSuite add-in. Looks nice!

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