I must admit, long time has passed since I used search feature in Windows 7 in some advanced way. Every time I used it, it was to find some document that I knew exact name. I do remember using Windows Desktop Search on Windows XP and Windows Vista, and as I remember, it worked great. There where many options for indexing content, queries where highly customizable, and results where very accurate.
Since my folders are very well organized, I can almost always find what I need, and up to now, my primary search tool was the one built into Office Outlook 2007, which I used to search my mail.
The time has come to do an advanced search on my documents folder. To my surprise, there where only two filtering features, size and date. For most users that is enough, but when you need to create more complex query, it will not do. On the picture on the left you can see that I selected “gigantic” file size filter, and for Win 7 Search, “gigantic” is everything over 128 MB. 
I could not find a feature to customize size in a filter.
When you do a search in a folder or in a Library, you will get lots of results that are not exactly what you where looking for. On the bottom of the Search results pane, you will find couple of option for customizing your Search.
Most of you (including me), will click on Customize option expecting to see bunch of search options. But I must disappoint you. There are no advanced features there, only option to modify search scope and to extend it to more places (Libraries, disks, and so on).
It seams that Microsoft managed to cripple this very useful feature in Windows 7. Why was it so hard to port Windows Search 4.0 to Windows 7. And yes, I did try to install it on Windows 7, although I knew that it wont work. 
So what to do if you want quality search results? Will you install 3rd party product? Which one? Google Desktop search is even worse. I did manage to find couple of free applications, but after testing, they do not deserve to be mentioned.
Oh, yes. There is another solution! It seams that Microsoft gracefully implemented it in Search command line (not cmd). So, if you feel adventurous, and have a thing for command line, be my guest. Here is Windows Search Advanced Query Syntax home page and its MSDN equivalent.
To answer my question in the subject line: “In my honest opinion, Microsoft torpedoed Search feature in Windows 7 (as is backup), and I can only hope that they will release WDS 5.0 for this OS”.
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This QS is to be used in the search box, not in the command line. It seems they improved it for advanced searches, but made our life harder if we just want to find files with certain content or with size over, let’s say, 4GB. I mean, look at the “gigantic” option in “Size: ” dropdown menu – 128 MB. As one forum poster says: “Hello, Windows 7, 1995 called and they want their “gigantic” back.”
There is a freeware search replacement which seems to be doing its job very well. Agent Ransack: http://mythicsoft.com/agentransack/ Hopefully Search will improve and give us our options back, I for one don’t want 3rd party search for my documents.
Yes, I know it is a Search box syntax. I guess my inital post was not clear on that so I corrected it.
Hi there!
I’m using a 3rd party search tool called Lookeen. Originally it’s an Outlook search add-on, however, it can also be set up to perform as a full desktop search… Proved to be very useful and fast to me, performing more complex and specific searches. Could be of some interest for you until the release of WDS5.0 ?!? More here if you like to http://www.lookeen.net
Greets Tony
Lookeen is not free.
I need a search not only to find my stuff but also tell me where it is! Once found you should be able to click on something “Open containing directory” or some such. As it is I have to right click on the found item, select properties, highlight and copy the path, and paste that into the address panel in explorer. Shoddy stuff MS!
Hi Geoff,
when you search for some document or any file, and when search finishes you normally see results. If you want to open folder that containes file that you searched for, right click on that file in search results pane and select “Open file location”.
Hope this helps
Thank you Marin,
You are right, and when I tried it before writing my original post that’s what I was looking for, and yet managed to miss, even though it is immediately above “properties” which I opened! Where’s the :blush: smiley?
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