Windows 7 / Getting Started

Default System Exclusion Rules

System exclusion rules define which files will be excluded from being indexed. By default, the following folders and files are excluded in Windows 7:

  • %SystemDrive%\ProgramData\* (with some exceptions, such as %SystemDrive%\ProgramData\Windows\StartMenu)
  • %SystemDrive%\Windows\CSC\* (excludes the CSC for Offline Files)
  • %SystemDrive%\Windows.*\* (excludes any old Windows installation directories)
  • %SystemDrive%\Windows\* (excludes the Windows directory)
  • *\System volume information\*
  • *\$Recycle.bin\*
  • %SystemDrive%\Windows\*\Temp\*
  • C:\Users\username\AppData\* (with an exclusion for the AppData directory under each user profile being added when the user's profile is created, with one explicit exclusion being created for each user on the computer)
  • %SystemDrive%\Users\*\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\* (excludes Windows Internet Explorer temporary files, but note that this exclusion is not updated if you move the location of these files)
  • *\Windows.*\*
  • *\Dfsrprivate\*

The location of the indexer files is also excluded. This location is %SystemDrive% \ProgramData\Microsoft\Search\Data\* by default, but it is configurable and the exclusion will be updated if the user changes the location.

In addition, beginning with Windows 7, super-hidden files (protected operating system files that have both the hidden and system attributes set on them) and files that have their FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NOT_CONTENT_INDEXED attribute (FANCI bit) set are indexed. However, only basic properties for these types of files, such as file name, size, and date modified, are indexed-IFilter property handlers are not used when indexing these types of files. Note also that because hidden files are marked as hidden in the index, they are displayed in search results only if the user's folder settings are set to Show Hidden Files/Folders.

[Previous] [Contents] [Next]

In this tutorial:

  1. Managing Search
  2. Search and Indexing Enhancements
  3. Search in Windows XP
  4. Search in Windows Vista
  5. Search in Windows 7
  6. Understanding the Windows Search Versions
  7. Search Versions Included in Windows 7 and Windows Vista
  8. Search Versions Included in Windows Server 2008
  9. Search Versions Available for Earlier Versions of Windows
  10. How Windows Search Works
  11. Understanding Search Engine Terminology
  12. Windows Search Engine Processes
  13. Enabling the Indexing Service
  14. Windows Search Engine Architecture
  15. Understanding the Catalog
  16. Default System Exclusion Rules
  17. Understanding the FANCI Attribute
  18. Default Indexing Scopes
  19. Initial Configuration
  20. Understanding the Indexing Process
  21. Modifying IFilter Behavior
  22. How Indexing Works
  23. Rebuilding the index
  24. Viewing Indexing Progress
  25. Understanding Remote Search
  26. Managing Indexin
  27. Configuring the Index
  28. Configuring the Index Location Using Group Policy
  29. Configuring Indexing Scopes and Exclusions Using Group Policy
  30. Configuring Offline Files Indexing
  31. Configuring Indexing of Encrypted Files
  32. Configuring Indexing of Encrypted Files Using Control Panel
  33. Configuring Indexing of Similar Words
  34. Configuring Indexing of Text in TIFF Image Documents
  35. Other Index Policy Settings
  36. Using Search
  37. Configuring Search Using Folder Options
  38. Configuring What to Search
  39. Configuring How To Search
  40. Using Start Menu Search
  41. Searching Libraries
  42. Advanced Query Syntax
  43. Using Federated Search
  44. Deploying Search Connectors
  45. Troubleshooting Search and Indexing Using the Built-in Troubleshooter