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How do I search all of my documents for a specific word?

Anonymous
2010-02-12T01:50:10+00:00

Ok, I think it now has to do with the fact that my documents are in WordPerfect 12.  When I typed a test document and searched in Word it worked fine.  So now my question is, is there a way to get it to find words in documents in WP 12? It can find files named the word I'm looking for, but if the word is in the document, it's not finding it.

In XP under advanced search, I was able to type a word I was looking for in the word or phrase in the document box.  For example, if I have 100 WordPerfect documents and I want to search for those that contain the name Jones, I used to be able to type it in the box and have it list those that contained that word.

In Windows 7, that option is not available. If I type Jones in the search box, nothing is found even though I know I have documents that contain that word. 

Nothing has worked that I've seen on the boards so far.  I really need to use this feature for my job...I'm desperate for some help.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Files, folders, and storage

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  1. Anonymous
    2010-02-12T23:30:00+00:00

    Hey mtdenise,

    By default Windows 7 searches inside Files only when they are located in Indexed Locations. The default indexed locations include Libraries, Start Menu, User folders, Internet Explorer History and Windows Sticky Notes. So if you are searching for text inside files which are present in non-indexed folders such as your USB Flash drive or an External hard drive, you may not get the desired results. You can configure Windows 7 to always search inside contents of files no matter where they are located. This is the most detailed search.

    Here are the steps to do this:

    1. Open the Control Panel from the Start menu.

    2. Open Folder Options from the Control Panel.

    3. Click the Search tab in the Folder Options window.

    4. Select Always search file names and contents only under What to search and then click OK.

    Once you’re done with the above setting, perform a test search. You should be able to get the desired search result from here on.

    A closer look at Searching techniques in Windows 7:

    Advanced tips for searching in Windows**http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Advanced-tips-for-searching-in-Windows**

    Regards,

    Shinmila H - Microsoft Support

    Visit our Microsoft Answers Feedback Forum and let us know what you think.

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  1. Anonymous
    2013-03-05T16:38:42+00:00

    THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!

    1 person found this answer helpful.
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  2. Anonymous
    2012-11-28T04:54:22+00:00

    You might like to look at other software:

    Software that can be used instead of Windows 7 Search:

    There are several free options available:  easexp.com/xsearch, voidtools.com, jam-software.com/ultrasearch, tools.tortoisesvn.net/grepWin.html, mythicsoft.com/agentransack, locate32.cogit.net, and freecommander.com (a Windows Explorer alternative).  Also, searching can be done with Command Prompt.

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