Windows 10: File Searching

In previous versions of Windows it was relatively easy to locate a file by typing in key words or phrases. Windows 10 either does not have that function or I am unaware on how to access it. Can I get some clear, precise step on how to do this?

Thanks for any help y'all can provide.

Mike

:)

 

Searching for a temporary file in File Explorer

Hi,

Thank you for posting in Microsoft community.

I would like to know the following information to assist you further:

1. what is the error it shows when you try to search with string in that drive?

2. Do you have the temporary file saved in OneDrive folder?

The Temporary Files in Windows are typically found located in two locations:

•%systemdrive%\Windows\Temp

•%userprofile%\AppData\Local\Temp

If you click on C:\Windows\Temp you will receive a message you don’t currently have permission to access this folder. Click on Continue to do so. You will see that most of its contents are .tmp, .temp and .txt files.

The other folder typically located at C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Temp, is created for each User. It’s a hidden folder and you will have to first ‘un-hide’ System folders from the Folder Options before you can see it.

The Temporary files created by the Windows operating system are usually stored in the %system%\Windows\Temp folder, whereas the one’s created by the User when running any software is stored in his user profile at %userprofiles%\AppData\Local\.

Temporary Files of a particular software may also be located in a sub-folder, inside the parent folder of the particular software.

On rare occasions, a temporary file or a temporary files folder may get created into the root directory of the C (System) drive. You may want to examine the folder in details, and then delete it if you are sure, if it indeed contains temporary files.

Hope the information is helpful. Get back to us if you have further concerns.

 

Searching for a temporary file in File Explorer

1. What's the error?

No error. It only says "No items match your search."

2. Do you have the temporary file saved in OneDrive folder?

No.

Actually, I am not concerned about temporary files saved at known locations such as:

C:\Users\myname01\AppData\Local\Temp

because you know you can go there and clean up manually occasionally. There are also software to clean that of course.

The temporary files which I like to locate (so that I can delete them) are typically

1. Created with an application such as Microsoft Word and Excel. Temporary files created this way such as "~$p_reviews.docx" automatically go away when you exit the application.

2. However, I back up ALL files to a designated folder, so I end up getting file such as:

"C:\Users\syen01\OneDrive\A\cep15\~$p_reviews.docx"

These files build up over time.

So, I am particularly interesting in searching folder C:\Users\syen01\OneDrive\A\ for any of these temporary files.

For instance, I confirm that I have the following 2 temporary files:

"H:\Replicator\D\hisname\cep15\~$p_reviews.docx"

"C:\Users\myname01\OneDrive\A\cep15\~$p_reviews.docx"

Searching H:\ for the string (quotations excluded) "~<~" , I come down with the file in in File Explorer window.

Searching C:\Users\myname01\OneDrive\A\ for the string "~<~" , I come down with the message noted above:

"No items match your search."

Thank you.

 

Hello ozone1216 Welcome to the Ten Forums!

What is new with 10 is Cortana! That allows not only web searching using the default Bing search engine but also replaced the old Search option found on the Vista. 7 Start menu. Cortana - Enable or Disable in Windows 10 - Windows 10 Forums

Once enabled you can search the local drives as well as the web. The magnifying glass icon seen on the main taskbar is for Cortana there where you will need to go over the Settings option first. What MS did there was combine the old Search(local pc) with the web search rolled into one task.

 

This isn't a direct solution to your question but if you want to search for files on windows, especially when you have to search through lot's of files, i would recommend you to use Agent Ransack – Mythicsoft

This is a free tool but is very fast and has lot's of features you can use to speed up the process.

 

1. Windows search is available in Explorer. I don't find it very intuitive; others have commented likewise, and only use it occasionally.

This includes wild card searches (*, ?) and see
Advanced Query Syntax (Windows)

By default, indexing is restricted to a very few areas. (see e.g. Control Panel, Indexing Options)

2. Cortana (the big search bar on the task bar or if you've hidden that, e.g. Windows key + S, includes a search of 'My Stuff' - files and folders- but limited to items which are indexed by Windows Search.

3. To note: Settings are searchable because of Windows indexing of Users (some part of).

Tools like
Everything (by Void Tools) or
Locate32
create a very fast index of- yes- everything by file/folder name, and provide simple to extensively customisable search on a find-as -you-type basis.

 

There are several 3rd party alternatives while the Start menu in Vista, 7 had previously seen the Search line at the bottom of the menu itself. Stardock's Start10 even in the Modern and Modern with Tiles as well as the Win 7 theme includes the same "Search all programs and files" that is missing with the new Start menu in 10.





On a similar thread some months back someone had pointed to the Everything app as one of the programs suggested at the time. Eventually I paid the $4.99 for the Startdock replacement finding that to be what I would stay with. Here's a quick look at how fast things will appear as soon as you start entering text on the search line.