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Managing Search

Beginning with Windows Vista, the Search feature has been enhanced and extended in many ways compared to previous Windows platforms. A new search-engine architecture provides improved performance and better query capabilities for faster and more focused information retrieval. Integration of Search throughout the user interface (UI) makes it easier to look for files, e-mail, and other information from within the currently open window. Search produces nearly instantaneous search results as users type their queries, so that they can better focus their queries and narrow search results on the fly as they type. Also, users now have a simple way of saving the results of their queries so that they can quickly access frequently needed data, which reduces the need for users to manually organize how they store information on their computers. This tutorial explains how search and indexing work in Windows 7 and how to use Group Policy to manage these capabilities from within the UI.

In this tutorial:

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