Windows XP Search can't find files

[Jeff7]

Seems this is a common issue, per searching on Google, but the resolutions offered aren't working, or aren't possible. For example, Method 2 here can't be done on this system. The hangup:
1. Click Start, and then click Search (or point to Search, and then click For Files or Folders).
2. Click Change preferences, and then click With Indexing Service (for faster local searches).

There is no "Change preferences" option on my search window. (It's using that Windows 4.0 Search thing, with indexing enabled.):\


I checked the FilterFilesWithUnknownExtensions registry entries, and they're already set to 1.


So for example, if I have a file named "transformer.prt", and search for "transf", Search reports that it can't find it. Using dir/s *transf* though is able to find the files just fine.


System is Windows XP Pro, SP3, all the latest critical updates and all that.
I'll keep looking around for solutions during lunch break a bit later; figured I'd post here to get ideas going.

 

[Nothinman]

If you've actually got Windows Search installed then the issue is likely there, not with XP itself. I believe in order get it to do a real, live, unindexed filename search in Win7 you need to let it fail once then click search again in "Computer" or something, maybe it's the same with Windows Search in XP?