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Geek Culture / can someone tell me why I can't get windows search to work properly?

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Green Gandalf
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Posted: 15th May 2012 15:33
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I'm trying to file files called "fxc.exe" on my system and other files with the string "fxc" in their filename. So I used Explorer's search feature starting from the Program Files[86] folder using the string "fxc". It correctly listed lots of files with that string in their file name - but refused to find any examples of "fxc.exe".

A few moments of searching manually revealed four such files in different sub-folders of the same folder. What do I have to do to get Windows explorer to list ALL files with a given string in their name?

I'm using Vista.
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Pincho Paxton
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Posted: 15th May 2012 15:56 Edited at: 15th May 2012 15:57
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I think that windows hides extensions by default. If you tell it to show extensions I think it will work. Folder Options show extensions. Although I am basing this on windows XP.

And there is *.exe as a macro.

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Green Gandalf
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Posted: 15th May 2012 16:01
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All my files have extensions. Why should it fail to find "fxc.exe" but find files such as "test fxc.exe", "fxc.ico", etc?
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bitJericho
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Posted: 15th May 2012 19:33
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Sounds like a security feature... Try the "include non-indexed, hidden, and system files" option.

I might take a closer look into it when I get home.

darkBIT TGC Torrent Tracker / File Server - AGK Chat: #agk : irc.devhat.net
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Green Gandalf
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Posted: 15th May 2012 21:13
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Quote: "Sounds like a security feature..."


Sounds an odd thing for security to be worried about. But then I got caught out by another security issue the other day.

Quote: "Try the "include non-indexed, hidden, and system files" option"


I tried that as well to no avail.

Quote: "I might take a closer look into it when I get home."


Thanks. It's probably something simple that I just can't see. You've probably got the file in question on your system so you should be able to test.
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bitJericho
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Posted: 15th May 2012 22:07
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Ok, on Windows 8 I was able to find any .exe files in program files. I had none that I know of labeled fxc.exe, searching for that didn't reveal anything either.

I dunno why they won't show up for you.

darkBIT TGC Torrent Tracker / File Server - AGK Chat: #agk : irc.devhat.net
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Green Gandalf
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Posted: 15th May 2012 22:34
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Do you have the MicroSoft DirectX SDK installed? If so then you should have the shader compiler fxc.exe somewhere in the Utilities folder.

If you haven't then that would explain it.

I'll see if I can find other exe files.

Thanks for trying anyway.
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Green Gandalf
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Posted: 15th May 2012 22:45
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Out of curiosity I tried the same thing with my XP laptop - it had no trouble finding the file and I stopped the search after it found 150 files containing the string "fxc" in their name.

I've yet to get the Vista version to work in any sensible way at all with any of my file name searches. Very annoying when it's just what you need from time to time.

If you're correct about it being some sort of security feature, how would I go about finding which one?
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zeroSlave
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Posted: 15th May 2012 23:10 Edited at: 15th May 2012 23:11
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I don't have 'fxc.exe' on my computer, but I did a search for 'Xact3.exe' which is in:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft XNA\XNA Game Studio\v4.0\Tools\

It didn't find it on an initial search. I had to 'see more results' > 'Search again in: Computer' for it to show up on Windows 7. I skipped Vista, but I would assume it uses the same style of default search parameters. For the record, I'm not a fan of this newfangled style of searching in comparison to XP. I've often searched for files that I knew were there, but with 0 results.

Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.
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Nateholio
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Posted: 15th May 2012 23:20
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GG, I believe your rig may be infected by Windows. Unfortunately, the only way to fix the infection is a complete wipe and degaussing of the HDD.

On a serious note...I'm running Vista on my laptop and can search just fine. Not sure what the problem is in your case but I believe everyone else already covered possible causes.

Quote: "For the record, I'm not a fan of this newfangled style of searching in comparison to XP"

Yeah, just one of the "I'm not a fan of" items with each release of Windows.

I've included a screenie of my search settings if you want to take a look.

In Development: K96 - Combat Simulation
Keep your Hope and Change, I choose individual Liberty!

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nonZero
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Posted: 15th May 2012 23:25
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Quote: "For the record, I'm not a fan of this newfangled style of searching in comparison to XP."

For the record, me neither.

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Green Gandalf
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Posted: 16th May 2012 01:15
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Nateholio

Thanks. That fixed it.

I was using the same settings under the Search Tools/Search Options menu. I hadn't noticed the Organize/Folder and Search Options menu item. Why on earth have two menus doing essentially the same thing? Except one is broken/unusable and one seems to work. So I guess two ARE needed after all.

Quote: "I believe your rig may be infected by Windows"


I agree.
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bitJericho
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Posted: 16th May 2012 12:29
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wtf.

darkBIT TGC Torrent Tracker / File Server - AGK Chat: #agk : irc.devhat.net
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Green Gandalf
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Posted: 16th May 2012 13:36
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Indeed.
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