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how to search for files containing "a specific chain of characters"

Anonymous
2015-08-26T16:11:19+00:00

Hello,

On Windows XP, I was used with Win+F to look for files containing "a given text" in the current folder. That was useful to me.

Even before this (1989!), I used TS.EXE from Norton Utilities (Text Search) which worked perfectly and was fast enough!

On Unix, GREP is also very good... since decades.

Now that we moved on Win7, I can't do this anymore. I read several posts on this, and am now even more confused than before. None of them was helpful to me. On top of this I feel many of us have this same issue. Representatively we must be millions on Earth having this problem...

Let me underline that Win+F , TS.exe, and grep can search in any folder, also on mapped folders, and not only there where a full index is in place. You can also restrict the search field such as all files named *.txt.

The goal is also to find files containing a certain pattern, made up with * and # and ?, which as you know, indexes can't always cope with.

I would also like to avoid building an index evrytime I map and explore a new folder.

Can we take it seriously and bring a solution (back) to us?

Thank you,

Stefano Gatto

Geneva, Switzerland

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

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  1. LemP 74,925 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2015-08-26T17:52:35+00:00

    2 people found this answer helpful.
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  2. Anonymous
    2015-09-03T07:48:23+00:00

    I have read

    http://www.howtogeek.com/99406/how-to-search-for-text-inside-of-any-file-using-windows-search/

    http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/advanced-tips-for-searching-in-windows

    but i think both require an index like the first one. This is not working for me as I need to access dozens of computers around the world and search for text in given folders....

    Then I had a look to FilelocatorPro: it is a great tool!! But I need my manager's approval to buy and to install it, so this is why I was looking for something inside Win7.

    Thank you

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  3. Anonymous
    2015-09-03T07:37:46+00:00

    Hello,

    Thank you for your reply.

    I have read http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Windows-7-Search-File-Contents, but this is not helping, because I am searching on mapped drives which cannot be indexed by my PC, I believe (and hope).

    I updated my question, to explain better what I need. Actually it is very similar to GREP.

    I am going to read the other two URLs and will let you know.

    Thank you for your help!

    Stefano

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