Vista does not include the possibility to add mapped network drives to your default search from the Start Menu, or so I was informed by a Microsoft technitian. He helpfuly pointed out that the locations that the Start Menu's search bar looks in could be modified from the Start Menu's properties. This menu provides the user with three alternatives: "Don't search for files" / "Search entire index" / "Search only user's files". Considering that mapped network drives cannot be added to vista's indexing service you are stuck with no way of searching through any of your networked documents. Although Microsoft claims that it is "impossible" to add these folders to your search I found a small hack that will allow anyone to add a networked location to Vista's indexing service and thus to your default searches from your Start Menu.
In order to perform this "hack" you will need to edit a number of registry entries which could potentially render your computer unusable, but if you follow these directions carefuly you shouldn't have any problems. Still, I take no liability for any problems that you may run into.
Before you can actually perform the registry edits you have to take into account a number of pre-requisites in the form of security and permissions. The user that wants to index their networked storage must have the right to access the folder / drive in question with the username with which they are logged in. In the case of mapped network drives that use a username different from that which is logged onto Vista you should consider modifying the folder's permissions to allow access by the logged in account. I've found that in domain environments where users log into an active directory environment everything works perfectly. You must also take into account that to perform this hack you will need full administrator privileges on the computer in question as you will be modifying registry entries.
Now we can start:
Establish what networked folder or drive you are going to index and make sure you have its full network path: ex. \\server\sharedfolders\userfolder or \\192.168.1.2\sharedfolders\userfolder . Please note that if you are trying to index a mapped drive you will still have to use the network path not the locally assigned drive letter.
Open regedit and navigate your way to: HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows Search\CrawlScopeManager\Windows\SystemIndex\WorkingSetRules
Right-click on WorkingSetRules and select New --> Key. Logically you will name the key by the next unoccupied number -- that is, if you have values 0-13 occupied in WorkingSetRules you will name your new key 14.
Click on your newly created key and create the following entries inside that key:
Note that the entries (Default) and URL are both string values. Note that URL must be in the format shown above; file:/// must be followed by the full network address of the folder that you intend to index and search.
Once you have completed these modifications double check everything and reboot your system.
You can now make sure that everything worked by entering the Control Panel and the Indexing options. If everything worked your networked drive will be included in the list of indexed files and the system will most probably be working at indexing it.
Now, a few notes before you rush out and do this. If your networked folder is huge and your network is already running low on bandwidth, etc. I do not recommend performing this hack as it may, in some cases, hurt your networking performance. Also, take into account that I have not tested this hack very much at all and have no clue what the consequences of performing this are in the long-run.
Good luck to everyone and please post some thoughts/feedback on the issue.
In order to perform this "hack" you will need to edit a number of registry entries which could potentially render your computer unusable, but if you follow these directions carefuly you shouldn't have any problems. Still, I take no liability for any problems that you may run into.
Before you can actually perform the registry edits you have to take into account a number of pre-requisites in the form of security and permissions. The user that wants to index their networked storage must have the right to access the folder / drive in question with the username with which they are logged in. In the case of mapped network drives that use a username different from that which is logged onto Vista you should consider modifying the folder's permissions to allow access by the logged in account. I've found that in domain environments where users log into an active directory environment everything works perfectly. You must also take into account that to perform this hack you will need full administrator privileges on the computer in question as you will be modifying registry entries.
Now we can start:
Establish what networked folder or drive you are going to index and make sure you have its full network path: ex. \\server\sharedfolders\userfolder or \\192.168.1.2\sharedfolders\userfolder . Please note that if you are trying to index a mapped drive you will still have to use the network path not the locally assigned drive letter.
Open regedit and navigate your way to: HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows Search\CrawlScopeManager\Windows\SystemIndex\WorkingSetRules
Right-click on WorkingSetRules and select New --> Key. Logically you will name the key by the next unoccupied number -- that is, if you have values 0-13 occupied in WorkingSetRules you will name your new key 14.
Click on your newly created key and create the following entries inside that key:
Note that the entries (Default) and URL are both string values. Note that URL must be in the format shown above; file:/// must be followed by the full network address of the folder that you intend to index and search.
Once you have completed these modifications double check everything and reboot your system.
You can now make sure that everything worked by entering the Control Panel and the Indexing options. If everything worked your networked drive will be included in the list of indexed files and the system will most probably be working at indexing it.
Now, a few notes before you rush out and do this. If your networked folder is huge and your network is already running low on bandwidth, etc. I do not recommend performing this hack as it may, in some cases, hurt your networking performance. Also, take into account that I have not tested this hack very much at all and have no clue what the consequences of performing this are in the long-run.
Good luck to everyone and please post some thoughts/feedback on the issue.
