Windows 10: Can't Search Custom Indexed Folders from Start

I have a few folders located at the root of C: and D: that I've added to the search index. Unlike folders located in my user directory, these custom folders are apparently being excluded from *Start searches. Is there anything I can do to make these folders searchable?

:)

 

Searching on the Start menu finds almost none of my files

The consensus seems to be that this is not a bug, but entirely by design:

The Search option only finds apps on the Start Menu and files in your User folder (if they've been indexed). Any folders you moved from your User folder are completely ignored, even if properly indexed, and apps can't be launched from any other location
either - try putting an .exe file in your User folder, Search will find everything BUT that file. It seems to be partly protecting users from running unknown apps, and partly just stupidly assuming that nobody would ever move their folders.

FWIW, "Search my stuff" does give me results on other drives, but only if indexed. (Or maybe only if in special folders like Pictures, Music, etc.

 

"Search as I type" only works with C:\?

Same. The only replies from MS support are things like filesystem checks and rebuilding the index. Neither of these are the issues.

-the start menu ONLY shows files that are in specific folders, like the User folder

-placing the files outside that folder, like C:\test\ or D:\ (both indexed) makes them not found

-there are no issues on any drives

-files are properly index, index is fully rebuilt.

-clicking "Search my Stuff" does find file immediately

-Searching files with Explorer finds files immediately

the last two points show that indexing is working fine. The start menu is ignoring the folders.

 

Did you rebuild the index after you added the folders?

 

Just tried that, and it didn't seem to make a difference.

 

Hi, in Indexing Options, in Control Panel, observe that the number of indexed items changes pretty quickly when you add an item to your new hopefully indexed folder. If not, you know there's a problem there before you start trying to search.

When you search, make sure explorer is set up to search the correct range.
That is, it's pointing to a folder or disk or you entire PC encompassing what you wish to search for, and if relevant, subfolders are included.

 

I have relocated my user folders back and forth from C to D on the same disk and the search will not work for items on D. When I relocate them back to C they do.

I have rebuilt my index dozens of times. I can find them searching through explorer and I can find them searching through "Search my stuff"

Unless I'm missing something fundamental the *Start search only finds things on C whereas in Windows 8.x it found things on any internal partition.

No-one gives a toss about other search programs - that isn't the question. The question asked here was does the *Start search find things outside its limits even if you define them and rebuild the index..

Unless I'm completely and utterly mistaken, no it doesn't.

For example: Program files (.exe) not found by Windows Search - Windows 10 Forums

They are in the index and you can find them through other front ends (even the old Window 8 search which is still there) but the Windows 10 *Start will not show it.

I suggest you add a "me-too" on the Microsoft Feedback App as it is a known issue (and possibly design rather than bug).

 

Hi, I just created a test folder on H: with subfolders and some docts.
I added that test folder to the search index in Indexing Options.
Immediately the number of indexed items increased appropriately, and search found those items very quickly.

@lxo7: did you ever try explicitly adding the new location of your user folders to Indexing Options after relocating them?

 

And it found these when searching from Start? That's my goal. I just want whatever files I've indexed to be readily accessible with a quick *Start search.

 

On the right you can see doc-3.txt in a folder on H:
On the left, a Cortana 'My Stuff' search result.
What the other two results are doing there, I've no idea.

Note that the Cortana My stuff search ONLY finds indexed info in my experience.

(Classic Shell does this with fewer clicks - and ONLY found exactly doc-3 - which is what I searched for).
(And yes, that's Win 10 with a Win 7 orb, transparency, colour...)

 

Ah, I see. You have to hit "search my stuff" and go to that secondary search page. This is not the case with files located in my user directory, which come up immediately in the main search window. It would be Ideal if we could have this behavior for all indexed files, but I can work with this. Thanks for clarifying.

 

Classic Shell is 1 click and find-as-you-type. Much simpler! But still only indexed results.