Question:

In the Windows Explorer window there is a folder named Searches which contains a folder named Recently Changed. This folder shows every file that I have ever recently changed. These are not shortcuts so if I try to remove this evidence of my work by deleting a file in this folder the actual file is deleted from the folder it actually sits in. I need to be able to empty the contents of this Recently Changed folder (obviously without losing any files) and then disable it permanently. This is a terrible feature that denies the main user of a computer security and privacy.  All other users have access to the Recently Changed folder.

Your help is greatly appreciated.

Les

Answer: Read more »

Question:

Hi there, i’m having some trouble with my Vista search function. it has suddenly stopped working. When i use the search in the start menu, i get this message “search failed to initialize”. When i try opening the the “search window”, nothing happens when i press enter. Please help!

Answer: Read more »

Windows Vista automatically index the places that matter most: all user profiles (including Documents, Pictures, Videos, Music, etc), your Start menu (so you can find applications by name), your e-mail (for Outlook, anyway), your notes (for OneNote), and any Offline Files you’ve configured.

So, if you play by the rules and store everything in Documents, Pictures, or the other standard folders, you’re all set. If you’re a stubborn old coot who insists on storing your files at C:\MyFiles\ or something like that, well, it’s not being index. BTW, I’m a stubborn old coot.

To add a custom folder to the index, follow these steps:

Read more »

Got a file that you’d rather not appear when searching? Things like password dictionaries (hey, I’m a white hat security guy) come up a lot because, well, they’ve got a godzillion words in them.

To disable indexing for a file, just follow these steps:

Read more »

When people ask me what I like most about Vista, my immediate answer is searching. Sure, you can get desktop search from Microsoft or Google for Windows XP, but it’s just not the same. In Windows Vista, search is integrated into the Start menu, every Explorer window, and even the Control Panel. I find that I use it constantly now, especially from the Start menu.

Search will index most common file types (based on their file extension), but it might not index all file types that are important to you. For example, it doesn’t index .log files, like those generated by Mirc. It does index .XML log files, like those generated by Windows Live Messenger.

To index .LOG files or any other type of file, follow these steps:

Read more »