Windows 10 File Explorer Search with Advanced Options, file contents in non indexed locations

Question

I'm using: Windows 10 Home Version 21H2 OS build 19044.1706 with Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.4170.0

I have scoured the net but I cannot find an answer to my issue. Specifically, I am trying to find a specific string within files on my drive but I cannot get File Explorer's search bar to give me what I expect.

I've set Advanced Options to search file contents in non indexed locations and I put contents:"d c" in the search bar as per image below.

But what I get is a mixture of a few correct files and many false positives. A correct file is something that has text like *vali****d c****har*.
The false positives are a huge fail because there's hundreds which nullifies using file explorer search.
It seems that the false positives are files that have any one or a combination of "d " and/or " c". So basically search finds all occurrences of "d c", "d " and " c" - not just the "d c" which is what I need to find. I don't understand why it does not simply find what is within the quotes.

Also, while I have your attention... I have a similar problem finding contents:"d.c", for some reason adding the dot gives essentially every file in the search folders. Almost like it finds every file that contains a "d" or a "c" which in my case is all the files.

Thank you for your help

Answer 1

Well it seems that this must be an unsolvable issue.

Only partial solution is to add the folder, I'm searching in, to indexing.
In W10:

1. type indexing in windows start menu and select "Indexing Options"
2. click modify
3. select drive or folder and OK
4. Close to be done

I wish this was truly the solution. Yes it improves some searches but still fails on the ones listed above that are most important to me. And it still provides mysterious results. SO USELESS.

What is the point of providing "Advanced" functionality to allow for searching file content when it doesn't work?
Thanks a lot Microsoft for building useless OSes

Answer 2

Bump!
No one here has any suggested help on this issue?
I don't think this is totally a W10 thing...

Answer 3

I gave up on Windows search years ago. I use Agent Ransack.

https://www.mythicsoft.com/agentransack/

Answer 4

Hi andrewb-1766,

Are you entering the quotes? If not, please use “d c” as the actual search, including the quotes. This will mean that the search is looking specifically for d c.

Does this make sense?

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