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    Cannot search for folders and files

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by squelchy451, Feb 3, 2011.

  1. squelchy451

    squelchy451 Notebook Consultant

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    Hi

    I have windows 7 Home premium 64bit.
    When I type in something in the search bar from the start menu, it seems that only programs and control panel items are searched.

    I have a file named 'Essay 1'. If I type in 'Essay' into the search bar, no results show up.

    Please help
    Thank you
     
    squelchy451, Feb 3, 2011
    #1
  2. anseio

    anseio All ways are my ways.

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    You need to check and see if you have drive indexing enabled and then further check to see if the folders containing the files you want to searched are selected to be indexed. Searching via the Start Menu requires the items queried to be indexed.

    Start Menu > type "Indexing Options"
     
    anseio, Feb 3, 2011
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  3. squelchy451

    squelchy451 Notebook Consultant

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    The location where the files are located is checked. It still does not work.
     
    squelchy451, Feb 5, 2011
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  4. gerryf19

    gerryf19 I am the walrus

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    I ran into this exact problem the other day.

    There were some other strange symptoms that were not immediately obvious with other programs as well. For example, passwords on websites were not being saved, and a couple of other programs that normally retain settings between sessions/logins lost them.

    Turned out to be a corrupted profile.

    Rather than try to repair it, I simple created a new profile and moved all the data to that one, then deleted the old profile. Took about 15 minutes.
     
    gerryf19, Feb 5, 2011
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  5. squelchy451

    squelchy451 Notebook Consultant

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    What does it take to repair a corrupted profile?
     
    squelchy451, Feb 5, 2011
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  6. gerryf19

    gerryf19 I am the walrus

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    Discovering what is corrupt. Easier said that done.

    A system restore might fix it, if the problem is a corrupt registry entry(ies). Changing the permissions on profile system folders so they are coorect. Who knows? You need to find out what's corrupt.

    It is FAR easier to just create a new one and move the data unless you have a reason for not doing it that way.
     
    gerryf19, Feb 5, 2011
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  7. squelchy451

    squelchy451 Notebook Consultant

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    Hm I just wanted to know how I should deal with these situations cuz it happened to me often. I just created a new account, and surely enough, searhc works. I'll just move my files
     
    squelchy451, Feb 5, 2011
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  8. gerryf19

    gerryf19 I am the walrus

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    I'd much rather know "how" the dang things get "corrupted" in the first place. Perhaps "corrupted" is not even the right word.

    I've run into cases where the user no longer has rights/permissions to his own folders, seen incorrect permissions in the registry, seen important folders disappear/deleted.

    Given how complicated the profile is, finding the exact problem is tricky. I always worry that once it is corrupt that even if I fix one problem, I may not fix them all and eventually lose access to all the files.
     
    gerryf19, Feb 5, 2011
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  9. gerryf19

    gerryf19 I am the walrus

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    What is especially weird is I've seen this on two windows 7 machines in one week. I don't like coincidences....
     
    gerryf19, Feb 5, 2011
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