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Windows XP Search not finding files.....

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XP Search is not finding files when searching for text within a file...ive searched techrepublic and microsoft knowledge base for answers.

i noted that the .ext has to be listed in the file types otherwise the XP search will miss it. This is definitely the case here - does anyone else know of any other issues or the correct procedure to add the file type when doing the search?

12 replies

by acarigua

Thanks but I have already done that. Didnt really help me at all by choosing advanced options... at the moment im having to do all my searches on a win98 or 2000 pc...

by jim phelps

When you search, be aware that in between words are hidden characters. Therefore, you wouldn't necessarily be able to find the following -- "Now is the time" -- if you typed it in that way, because there are more characters than just spaces betweenthe words. You might be able to search on "Now" and "is" and "the" and "time", because you are ignoring what is between the words.

by maxwell edison

This is a documented XP problem.

Windows? XP has a known issue for not finding a number of File Types when you do a Search for Files "containing text" or using the "A word or phrase in the file" option. This can be remedied for many file types, but not all. The cause is the lack of a PersistentHandler value in the Registry for this type of file.

You can correct this by clicking Start, Run and entering REGEDIT Navigate to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT and locating the entry for the file type in question. For example, .txt, .adm, .asp. Expand the branch for that file type, and if the PersistentHandler subkey does not exist, create it. Do this by clicking on the file extension key and going to Edit, New, Key. Name the Key, PersistentHandler. Click on the PersistentHandler sub-key. In Regedit's right pane, double click on the Default value and enter the following (copy and paste may be your best bet):

{5e941d80-bf96-11cd-b579-08002b30bfeb}

If the PersistentHandler sub-key does exist, do not change the default value. This could have very undesired consequences.

Close Regedit and reboot the computer. This file type will now be searched for "A word or phrase in the file" type searches.

An alternative is to download a small VB Script utility here. Save the file you just downloaded to your hard disk. Locate the file you just saved and double click it. Enter the file extension you wish to modify. If the PersistentHandler sub-key exists, no changes will be made. If it does not exist for the file type in question, the Registry will be updated accordingly. Reboot when you're finished with the file types you wish to change.

by maxwell edison

BACKUP the registry before editing.

Edit the registry at your own risk.

Did I mention to BACKUP the registry first?

by acarigua

Thankyou very much. This worked perfectly. I had looked through the issues for XP but obviously hadnt seen this one. Thanks again.

by acarigua

Thankyou very much. This worked perfectly. I had looked through the issues for XP but obviously hadnt seen this one. Thanks again.

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