Windows Search Parameters

You can change which file types and locations are included in the Windows Search index at any time. You can change the search settings in the following places:

• On the Search tab of the Folder Options dialog box You can open the Folder Options dialog box by clicking Organize on the toolbar of any Windows Explorer window and then clicking Folder And Search Options on the Organize menu.
  You can specify whether Windows Search returns results from file contents as well as from file names; whether results of folder-specific searches include files located in subfolders; whether a search returns results that don't exactly match the search term (for example, returning results containing rocker as well as rocking); and other options related to the standard Windows Search scope.
• From the Indexed Locations dialog box You can open the Indexed Locations dialog box by displaying Control Panel in Large Icons view or Small Icons view, clicking Indexing Options, and then clicking Modify in the Indexing Options dialog box.
  In the Change Selected Locations list, you can select or clear the check boxes of specific folders to indicate which ones should be included in the search index.
• The Search and Indexing troubleshooter If Windows Search isn't finding specific files that you search for, the file type or location might be out of the current index scope, or in rare cases, there could be a problem with the index file. The Search And Indexing troubleshooter will guide you through a simple troubleshooting process to determine what changes need to be made so that the search results meet your expectations. To start the Search And Indexing troubleshooter, open the Indexing Options dialog box from the Control Panel All Items window and click Advanced. Then, on the Index Settings tab of the Advanced Options dialog box, click the Troubleshoot Search And Indexing link.

Tip Windows 7 has about two dozen built-in utilities, referred to as troubleshooters, that guide you through the processes of resolving various problems. For information about the available troubleshooters, see Windows 7 Step by Step Deluxe Edition by Joan Preppernau and Joyce Cox (Microsoft Press, 2010).

You can identify the type of problem you're having or simply have the troubleshooter check your computer against a list of common issues. After running the troubleshooter, click the See Detailed Results link to display a list of everything the troubleshooter checked.

From the Advanced Options dialog box, you can also do the following things that require administrator permission:

• Include encrypted files in the index.
• Add a type of file to the index.
• Change the indexing level for a type of file.
• Change the location of the index file.
• Restore the default settings.
• Rebuild the index file from scratch.

Tip If you have a lot of data on your computer, rebuilding the index file can be a very lengthy process, and is not one you would want to undertake without good reason.