Windows 10: What is a good application for searching Windows file contents?

Hello What is a good application for searching the contents (not just the file names) of Windows 10 files? I am looking for an alternative to X1 Search. I want something that indexes all my files and therefore has fast results. J

:)

 

Search Content of MHT files

Hi David,

Most probably, this is a problem with the search and indexing of your Windows 10 computer. For us to provide the best resolution possible, we would like to clarify the following:

• Are you trying to search the content of MHT files using Cortana?
• Have you tried searching it using the File Explorer?
• Are you using a third-party app to search for the content of MHT files?

As an initial troubleshooting step, we suggest that you run the troubleshooter for search and indexing. To run the Search and Indexing troubleshooter, follow these steps:

• Click the Start button and select the Settings
  icon.
• Choose Update & Security from the list.
• Click Troubleshoot in the left pane of the window.
• Under Find and fix other problems.
• Select Search and Indexing and click Run the troubleshooter.

We'll keep an eye out for your response.

 

Search contents of files with dynamic extensions

Hello,

Let me preface this by saying that I do not have administrator rights to the machine I'm asking about. I will need to get IT Support to actually fix this for me, but they sort of looked at me with their eyes glazed over when I tried to explain it to them. So, I figured I'd see if anyone here can give me some step-by-step instructions that I can provide to the folks with the password so that we can get this working.

We have systems that pass information back and forth via xml. Periodically, I have to find a certain file, and the information that I have is never part of the file name. The folders in question have "Allow files in this folder to have contents indexed in addition to file properties" checked, and the files within the folders have "Allow this file to have contents indexed in addition to file properties" checked. The folders are on a network share, and System has Full Control.

When I search for something that I know is in the contents of a file, nothing is found. I believe this has to do with the way windows searches various file types. I know that this is configurable in the Indexing Options (which I don't have access to), but here is the part I don't know how to handle.

When the systems exchange the xml files, they append a number to it. Unfortunately, it's appended to the file extension. Here's an example of what the files look like in one of the folders:






(hopefully that image is bigger in the post than it is in the compose window. can't figure out how to resize it.)

The file extensions are things like:

XML_4501316
XML_4504951
XML_4624566

It would be impossible to add every file extension to the Indexing Options list. So, my question is, does anyone know a way that Windows 10 can be configured so that I can search the contents of these files? And can it be done in one fell swoop by the IT Support group such that it works after that? (i.e. a solution that requires me to change a setting before I search every time won't work.)

If it matters; Win10Pro, 64 bit (I think they're all 64, but just in case).

Thanks to anyone who has a suggestion. I would love a solution that doesn't require me to open hundreds of files to ctrl + f in them.

Mike

 

Windows search not showing file contents

Thank you for your reply.


Is your file in an excluded location? See Settings:





I suggested you do this, and asked about the History...

If you had responded to that, we would know if content indexing was, in principle, working and you could search successfully or not for at least one file type.

You mention php file types. I've never indexed these, and indeed php does not appear in my list of file types.
I asked about an ifilter. I do not know what would be applicable to a php file type.

I've found a couple, one can be opened with notepad.

When I added php as a file type it is indexed as text:



Is this what you see?

How do you start a search?
- the box in file explorer?
Note that file explorer must be open at a point in the file hierarchy above the item to be found.
- the search box (by default in the taskbar)?

Apropriate screenshots could be helpful.