When you use a computer for a long time, a huge amount of information (we are talking about Windows) - various programs, files, can accumulate on it over time. It is not always possible to remember what and where it is, and for beginners, in addition, it is sometimes difficult to find the programs they need. In order not to climb through folders manually in search of the desired file or not to search for the necessary Windows programs and tools through a special control panel, you can use the built-in search and quickly find the information or program you need. In this article, I will show you how to find the information and programs you need on computers with the Windows operating system (for example, Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10).
In the article, I consider the 3 above systems as an example, since they are by far the most common. For example, Windows XP and Windows Vista have long been outdated and are used by a minimal percentage of users.
Search in Windows 7
In Windows 7, search is located in the Start menu as well as in all Windows Explorer windows.
Let's consider first the most accessible search, which is the fastest to open - the search in the "Start" menu. It is located at the very bottom of this menu:
Right there you just need to type the name of the desired file or program in whole or in part (just the beginning, for example) and Windows will try to find what you are looking for.
Program search example
Let's say you want to find and run the Windows tool to uninstall programs. In Windows 7, it is called Add or Remove Programs.
To find this tool, in the search, you just need to type "programs" (1) and after a few seconds a list will appear, where you can already see the tool we need (2):
It remains only to click on the search result and the desired program will open.
Also in this window you can see the "Programs and Features" and "Uninstall a program" tools. It's all the same.
Example of searching for a file or folder with files
Suppose I have a file with a work report called "Report for 2015" on my C: drive in the Documents library.
To find this file through a search, it is enough to also type part of the name, for example "report" or "report" and Windows will try to find everything that is available with that name on your computer.
For example, I typed in the search the query "ex" (1) and my file was found (2).
In Windows 7, you can quickly open the search tool using the keyboard shortcut: Win + F.
Search in Windows 8 and Windows 10
In Windows 8 and Windows 10, the search for information is no different in principle from what it was in Windows 7. The only difference is in the interface of operating systems, since in new Windows it is decently different.
How to open and use search in Windows 8
Let's look at the search capabilities using Windows 8 as an example. There is also a search through the Start menu. The search button in this menu is located in the upper right (magnifying glass icon).
Before you search for something, you can select the search area, namely, search in parameters, files, pictures or videos from the Internet, as well as everywhere at once. To select an area, click the default area (1) and select the desired area from the list (2). If you don’t know where to look, put “Everywhere”, there will be most of all.
For example, I want to find and open the Windows Control Panel. Selected the "Everywhere" area and enter "Control Panel". Results appear below. What was found in Windows will be displayed in the very first options (1) ?, in front of the line. After the dash, there are options for searching through the Internet (3).
If you click on the search button (4) with a magnifying glass icon, a more detailed list of results will open, among which will be displayed the search results on sites on the Internet.
Another option to open the search: while on the desktop, move the mouse cursor to the lower right corner and hold it for a couple of seconds.
A panel will appear on the right, where you will see a search button at the top:
Everything works exactly the same. Suppose you have a file on your computer with the name "Worker List". Having selected the search area (in the example, "Everywhere" is selected), I enter a part of the name, for example, "list" (1). The results appear below, among which there will be the desired file (2), which can be immediately opened from this list.
In Windows 8, you can quickly open the search tool by using the keyboard shortcut: Win + F.
How to open and use search in Windows 10
In Windows 10, search is located by default on the Windows taskbar:
By clicking on this button, a search window will open. In the bottom line (1) we indicate the search query. Suppose I want to find and open the Windows tool to remove programs from my computer, and so I enter the "uninstall" part of the query (1) into the search box. The search results will appear above, among which I see the "Add or Remove Programs" (2) that suits me.
You can select a search area by clicking on the default area:
From the list that opens, you can select a specific area of Windows to search, for example, search by photos, by programs, documents, etc. If you want to search in all areas at once, select "All".
Another search example. Suppose there is a file "My database" somewhere on the computer. I enter part of the name into the search, for example "Base" (1) and in the results I get what I need (2).
In Windows 10, you can quickly open the search tool using the keyboard shortcut: Win + S.
Search through "explorer" "in Windows 7, 8, 10
It happens that it makes no sense to search for a file all over the computer, so as not to waste extra time, because a file searching all over the computer can take a long time, depending on the amount of information on the computer, and even more so you know approximately in which folder or on which local disk this file can be located. To do this, it is easier to use the search for a separate folder or local disk, i.e. through the Windows Explorer program. Let's consider an example based on Windows 7.
In Windows 8 and 10, searching through File Explorer is completely no different!
Search in the explorer is located on the upper right (1). When you open any folder, the search bar will say where the search will be performed (where you are now). For example, now I have the "Program Files" folder (2) open.
Let's say I want to find the Drivers folder in the Program Files folder where I am now. To do this, in the search at the top right (1) I write “drivers” or you can specify the first few letters (if you don’t remember the full name). The results will appear below (2).
It remains to open the desired file, folder or program directly from the search results!
It can also sometimes be useful when searching to apply a filter, for example, to search for files, folders and programs by a certain size, modification date. When you enter the name of what you are looking for, the filter modes will appear below:
Let's consider another example ...
I have somewhere on the "C:" drive there is a file for work called "Publish on the site". Knowing that the file is located on the "C:" drive, I need to open Windows Explorer, and then in it this local drive. In the search, I type the beginning of the file name "publish" (1) and the system finds the file I need (2), indicating its location on the computer below.
File search tip... When searching for files in Windows, you can search by file extensions. For example, if you want to find all files with the .txt extension, then type * .txt in the search. Where * will mean that files with any name will be searched, but with the extension .txt.
Conclusion
Use Windows Search to quickly open programs and files that you have located somewhere deep in the explorer. This will save you time. And of course, you shouldn't try to search for the desired file or folder manually all over the computer for a long time, because first of all you should use the usual search.
Have a nice day and great mood! ;)
Good afternoon friends! Today we will continue our lessons with the Windows 7 operating system and learn another secret - how to properly configure and search for files in windows 7.
It would seem, what's wrong with that? A search engine, he is a search engine. I switched to 7 about a year ago. And to be honest, in XP I tried not to use the built-in search engine. Absolutely inconvenient. And what is needed either does not find, or finds, but the process is sometimes delayed for several hours.
I didn't really expect anything from 7. But, just the other day, this OS pleasantly surprised me. I needed to search for one file in Windows 7, I did not remember its exact name, but I typed part of the name .. and got my file in less than 2-3 seconds. Now I use only the built-in search engine.
Indexing Service in windows 7
Microsoft developers did a pretty good job. The search tool of 7 compares favorably with previous operating systems of this family not only in quality, but also in search speed.
My favorite browser is Chrome, and its search engine is very similar to that in Windows 7. Search starts working as soon as you enter the first characters. In addition, there is a hint system based on the history of previous requests. If there are too many results for a search query, the system suggests using dynamic filtering by various criteria - date, file size, type, etc.
The basis of such an effective work of the OS search engine is a special indexing service. It starts with the operating system, runs in the background, and creates a special database of information about files. Updating and restoring the index in the event of any failure also occurs automatically, without user intervention.
It should be noted that the OS allocates a certain system resource for the operation of this service. For the service to work efficiently, but not to the detriment of other programs, it must be configured correctly. We will definitely talk about this today.
Instant file search in windows 7
7-ke provides two ways to instantly search for files.
- 1. We are looking for using the "Start" menu... Click on the "Start" button and at the bottom in the search field enter the required search query. For example "Christmas trees".
In the process of entering data, the search results will be displayed directly in the "Start" window. It should be noted that the search is also carried out on the contents of the files.
If there are too many results, and you would like to see them in more detail, click on the button “See other results”.
The Search Results window will open. The files are already sorted by type and the search query is highlighted in yellow.
You can make your search more specific. To do this, scroll the list of search results to the very end.
And in the "Repeat search in:" section, select the appropriate option.
If you assume that the file you are looking for is in the OS Library, then select this option.
If you know approximately in which folder to search, select the "Other ..." option and specify a specific folder to search.
If you want to search the Internet, then click the “Internet” button.
If you want to repeat the search on the whole computer, then click on the “Computer” button. By default, the indexer traverses all files except OS system files and program files. This improves search speed and reduces the size of the indexer base. But really, how often do we look for system files? Not often, after all. By choosing the "Computer" option, the system will repeat its search, but only more carefully and accordingly will take a longer period of time.
- 2. The second option for instant search is to search in the Windows Explorer window. The principle of operation is about the same.
Configuring the Indexing Service
- 1. Go to “Start” -> “Control Panel” -> then enter “indexing” in the search area -> select the “Indexing parameters” section.
- 2. In the window that appears, you will see all the folders in which the indexing service is running. If you want to exclude any folder from the search (for example, you know that one of the partitions on your hard disk is used for backup, then, in principle, you can remove it from this list), click the "Change" button.
And uncheck the box next to the folder that you want to remove from the search engine. Then click the "OK" button.
- 3. Next, click on the "Advanced" button. In the window that opens on the "Indexing Options" tab, uncheck all two items. In 99% of cases, we do not need these functions, and therefore there is no need for additional load of the indexing service.
- 4. If you want to transfer the index base from the system partition of the hard disk to another partition in order to free up free space on the disk, then for this you need to specify a new folder in the “Index location” section on the same tab.
Remember to restart the Indexing Service or simply restart your computer to successfully change the location of the indexbase.
- 5. Next, go to the "File types" tab and edit the list of file types, leaving only the most essential ones (with which you work). Thus, you will significantly reduce the load on the system. By default, the Indexing Service processes almost all of the file types that it uses.
- 6. Finally, decide on how the files are processed by the indexing service.
If you select “Index only properties”, then the indexer will only process the file name and its metadata (size, type, creation date).
If you select the option “Index file properties and contents”, then the complete processing of the document will be performed, including its contents. This will take longer and will require additional system resources, but will increase the likelihood of search accuracy.
It's up to you, my dear Reader.
- Then click "OK" and "Close".
Today we covered the capabilities of the Window 7 search service and how to configure it. In the next article I will share with you another interesting tool (albeit from a third-party developer) that allows you to search adapted to the Russian-speaking population, taking into account declensions and cases.
For a long time working with a computer, a huge number of files and documents accumulate on it. In order not to clutter up the desktop, files are transferred to other storage locations. As a result, a huge number of folders, subfolders appear and it becomes more and more difficult to find the required file. After all, it is difficult to remember which "new folder" it is in. Fortunately, windows has a built-in handy search system that will help you find a file on your computer, even if you don't remember its exact name.
Search files on PC with Windows XP / Vista / 7
If you can't find the file you need, the first thing to do is to look on the desktop in the system folder "Trash". Suddenly you accidentally deleted it, and because of this you cannot find it in your usual place. It is better to check right away so that you do not clear all files later by permanently deleting the information. Although, in fact, information deleted from the trash can be restored using special programs. But this is a completely different topic, so if you're interested, read this article.
To find files on a Windows XP computer, do the following:
- Give the command "Start - Search".
- Click on "Files and Folders" to launch the Find Files and Folders Wizard.
- Select a category such as Video. You can select one, several or all categories at once. Click the Find button.
Windows will find all the above files on any partitions of the PC disk and external storage devices (including network). For example, when you put together all the movies and videos, it's time to use a search, for example, only video files. It is also worth refining the search in order to quickly find a specific file by entering at least part of its name.
The asterisk character replaces any number of letters and numbers in the file name. For example, instead of the keyword "asterisk" you can enter "z * ka" - all variants of this word in the name of the searched file will be interrogated, for example, a file named "No sound.mp3". Specifying only the file name extension, for example, * .docx, will find all your Word documents in this format, for example, the "resume.docx" file.
It is also permissible to schedule a file search on a Windows PC in hidden files and folders.
To find files by keyword in a document, do the following:
- Give the already familiar command "Start - Search" and in the column "Word or phrase in the file" specify a keyword, for example, "abstract".
- Specify the extension in the file name, for example, ".doc".
- Also specify the search location, for example, drive C. Select the desired options, for example, search in hidden and system folders, and click the "Find" button.
All documents containing the word "abstract" in the DOC file format will be found.
How to find files on Windows 8 / 8.1 / 10 / 10.1 PC
Having updated the version of Windows to 8 or 10, the user will notice that the search tools are collected and configured more conveniently than in previous versions of this OS. Although at first it can be inconvenient to use them.
Search files on PC by name
- Give the command "This computer - Search" (search tab). In the search bar of the Windows window, enter part of the file name (or the entire name, if you remember it). Press "Enter" on your keyboard.
- The required file (or files) will be found (or will be found).
Search for files by name extension
Remembering the filename extension you were working with, you can find it by it. For example, archive files most often have the extension .rar or .zip, program files (including installation packages) - .exe or .msi, etc. As a result, when searching for files by extension, you will most likely find that you are missing.
It happens that you do not remember the file extension, since the Windows system does not display any file extensions by default. To enable them, do the following:
- Give the command "Start - Control Panel - Folder Options".
- Go to the command "View - Options - Change settings for files and folders".
- Uncheck "Hide extensions for registered file types." For more advanced users, the "Hide protected system files" feature may be useful.
- Press the "Apply" and "OK" buttons in sequence.
Windows Explorer will restart and display the file extensions. Having compared the desired file with the extensions of similar files (by the type of the file icon), enter its extension into the already familiar search bar and press the "Enter" key. Windows will find the missing file.
For example, a video in AVI format has disappeared. Open the familiar file search bar and enter the .avi file extension. Press the "Enter" key and browse the found files.
Search for files by occupied disk space
Having guessed that, for example, a two-hour movie has a large size, for example, a video file in UltraHD format (ripped from a Blu-Ray disc), you can enter, for example, a command to search for files larger than 10 GB.
In Windows, the command format for searching a file by size is used: "System.Size:> size_in_megabytes". For example, in this case it will be the "System.Size:> 10240MB" command.
With a high degree of probability, this movie will be found, for example, on an external (network) drive.
How to find hidden files
To access hidden files, enable the function of showing them.
- Switch to the already familiar Windows folder settings window.
- Give the already familiar command to change folder and search settings.
- Enable the "Show hidden files, folders and drives" option.
- Click the Apply and OK buttons.
Repeat the search for the file using the already familiar attributes: name and / or its extension, size, etc.
Search for files by keywords
Keywords in the content of the file (letters, documents, books, etc.) can be specified directly in the "File name" field. So, if you are looking for term projects, just write in the file name - “term paper”.
Windows will display the files containing the keywords (or phrases) that are present.
Third-party file finders
The functionality of the file manager is endowed not only with the "Explorer" built into Windows. In the past, these were the programs Norton / Volkov Commander, Far File Manager, Total Commander, File Explorer and their analogues.
Search for files by example with Total Commander
Text documents, regardless of their formatting, are searched by Total Commander by name, size and keywords (or phrases).
Windows will find the files it is looking for.
Finding the file on a Windows PC is no problem. The main thing is that you do not erase it irrevocably using other applications for this purpose. The Windows system already has the necessary tools to search for files, folders and disks, but if for some reason it does not suit you, use a third-party file manager, which may contain additional functions for finding files on disks.
Useful Tips
Most people know how to use Google for search- go to the main page, enter keywords, click SEARCH and you get a list of results.
Using Google search
6. How to search on a specific site
If you enter the search word in the search box, and next to it add "site:" and the name of the site (without a space). For example "useful tips site: site"
7. How to convert different currencies and values
With the help of this search engine, you can convert different currencies and values. For example, in the search bar, you can write "1 kg in pounds", or say this sentence into the microphone using voice search (in this case, the search functions must be in Russian), or for example "1 dollar in rubles" (currency may vary).
You can also quickly convert Celsius to Fahrenheit, miles to meters or dollars to rubles.
8. How to find out the time in any city on the planet
Enter the syntax: "time:" in the search line, then specify the city. For example "time: africa".
9. How to use Google calculator
10. How to search for a word on sites of only the language you need
Using the "lang" function, you can find any term that is used on sites written in the language you need. For example, you want to read about the iPhone on Russian sites - write "iPhone lang: ru". Use en for English and fr for French.
11. How to find out the weather forecast
To find out what the weather is at the moment in one or more cities of the same country or continent, just enter "weather" or "weather" in the search box and enter the city. For example, "weather Moscow".
Google translate and other search engine features
12. How to translate in Google search engine
Google has its own translator (google translate) but some words can be translated using only a search engine. You need to enter in the search string: "translate [word] into [language]" (translate [word] into [word]). For example, "translate i love summer into italian".
If you have a favorite site, and you want to find similar sites, then type in "related:" and the name of your favorite site.
Many novice users are wondering how to find a file on a computer. Windows 7 or any other operating system is not that important. The principle of searching for documents on a computer is approximately the same. Especially when it comes to the Windows platform. In general, there are quite a few options for action. They are all very simple. But you will not only have to study them, but also to understand some of the features of the search. So how to find file and folders in Windows 7? What does the user need to know about this process? Perhaps, this procedure is subject even to those who are not yet familiar with the computer at all.
About search
The first thing worth paying attention to is that the search in Windows is carried out, as a rule, without additional software. This is a standard feature found on all operating systems. You do not have to download additional programs to help you find information on your PC.
How do I find a file on my computer? Windows 7 or any other version of the operating system is not that important. You need to understand that the process is extremely simple. It is enough to know the name of the file or folder you want to find. And do not fall for offers on the Web, which supposedly allow you to quickly search for information on your computer. It has already been said - no additional programs are needed for this!
Location address
How do I search for files in Windows 7? As soon as the data reaches the computer, it is assigned a special address. It is on it that information is searched for. All documents in the operating system have a similar component. There is not a single file without an address on the computer.
Usually it consists of the name of the hard disk partition on which the document is located, followed by the path to the desired object. It consists of folders. For example: C: / Windows / system32 / drivers / etc / host /.
Accordingly, the "host" document is located in the etc folder, which is located in drivers. That, in turn, is in a folder called "system32", located in Windows on the partition of the hard drive C. If you know the exact location of the document, you can quickly find it. This is why some recommend finding out or file. It can be used in the future. But more on that later. First, you need to figure out how to find the file on your computer (Windows 7).
Manually
The first method is well suited when either the location of the document is known, or there is simply not the slightest idea of how exactly the search subject is called. It is about self-detection of a document in the operating system. It is enough just to examine the files and folders on the computer, to think exactly where this or that document may be located. This method is called Extremely unstable. But if the user at least roughly guesses where this or that information can be stored, such a solution can help.
If you know the exact location address, you can simply follow it. On the computer, the user searches for the partition of the hard disk and the folder in which the document is located. Further, the opening of the latter takes place. Inside, a specific file is searched for manually.
Exact jump to address
But this is only the first scenario. In practice, it is not often used if the user is not sure about the location of the document. How do I find a file on my computer? Windows 7 offers one tricky and interesting trick. It will only work when the exact location of the document is known.
It is not at all necessary to manually open all the folders in which the file is attached. If you have the exact location address, you can quickly open the source of the document. The best way to do this is to open Libraries. Next, copy the file address into the address bar and press Enter. A folder will open, in which a particular document or another folder is attached.
That is, when you need to find a host, you need to copy the inscription "C: /..../ etc" into the address bar. Then the etc folder will open, in which you will need to manually find the required document. Nothing difficult or special. But so far, situations have been considered in which the address is either known for sure, or they know about it approximately. What if there is no such information?
Through "Start"
How do I find files on a Windows computer (XP, 7, 8, 10 - this is not so important)? In general, it is required to use the standard function of the operating system. It is called "Search". It is enough to know the name of the document to be found.
The first way to do a real quick search is to use the Start bar. How is the implementation of the idea in life with this opportunity carried out? The user must adhere to the following algorithm of actions:
- Click on the "Start" button in the left corner of the screen. A small menu will open.
- There is an empty field with a magnifying glass at the bottom of the service. On some operating systems, it says "Find programs and files". It is required to click there once with the left mouse button.
- A slider cursor appears. In the field you need to type the name of the file, program or folder.
- Press Enter and wait for the results.
Nothing else is needed. A few seconds of waiting - and the results will appear on the monitor. Perhaps the use of "Start" is the most common option. But there are other ways as well. Searching for files on a computer in Windows 7 is carried out by different methods.
Through additional windows
You can implement the idea within a specific folder. This is not as difficult as it seems. Usually, the method helps when the user knows the approximate location of the document.
It is required to adhere to the following algorithm of actions:
- Open the root folder where the document can be located.
- Find a field with a magnifying glass in the upper right corner.
- Type the address or name of the document.
- See the search results.
For example, the situation will look like this: the user opens the partition of the C drive, then in the explorer finds the inscription "Search: Local drive (C :)". In this field, you need to write host and wait until all documents containing this word are found. Further, among the entire list, a specific document is manually searched for.
Filters
But that's not all. How to quickly find a file on your computer? Windows 7 or any other version of Windows is not that important. Anyway, when it comes to newer types of Windows. You can use one trick. It will help you quickly find what you need among the results. The method builds on the previous method. It is about specifying search parameters.
The fact is that if you do not use filters, then often during the search you will have to look through a lot of documents and folders. It is clear how to find the file on the computer. How do I find the right one among the search results?
In this situation, it is proposed:
- Search for a particular folder.
- Click on the search bar in the upper right corner of the window.
- Mark the required filters and set their parameters. In this case, the name of the file or folder does not need to be erased. For example, you can select the type of document. In the case of host, this is .txt.
- Press Enter and look at the results again.
Accordingly, the screen will display all documents and files that meet all the search parameters. This is exactly how the implementation of the built-in Windows function of quickly detecting the necessary software is carried out.
Search service
Now it is clear how to find the file on the computer (Windows 7). But there is one more scenario. You can call a separate search service on your computer. To do this, you need to press a specific key combination. Then it will scan and search the entire operating system.
When using the standard function, you can follow the algorithm:
- Press Win + F. A window with a bluish background will open. This is the standard Windows search engine.
- The name of a file or folder is typed into the search bar (upper right corner, field with a magnifying glass).
- The user has to press Enter and wait for the results. You can work with the search filters in advance. This will shorten the reported results.
By content
There is one more last trick. It's called "searching inside files and folders in Windows 7". Many users are familiar with it. To bring it to life, you need:
- Open this or that document / folder.
- Press Ctrl + F.
- In the appeared field on the right side of the screen, type the name of the document / folder / word.
- Click on "Enter".
This method is often used when working with Word. It not only helps to search for data in the text, but also facilitates the search for documents.
