Adding Indexing Locations in Windows Vista
Windows Vista has a new built-in searching engine that is completely integrated into the operating system, but not all directories are indexed by default. To add a new directory to be indexed, you just have to follow a couple of steps.
To get to the indexing service panel, just type index into the start menu search box, and hit enter.
In the Indexing Options window, click the Modify button
On the next screen, click Show all Locations
Now we can actually figure out which folders we want to index. Just put a checkbox next to the locations you want to index.
Note that you should NOT index your entire computer, because it will make indexing slow. Only index locations where you actually store data files. An example of a location you shouldn’t index… program files. There’s just no need to index that.
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In Vista Indexing, my “Show all locations” button is grayed out.
In my Indexed Locations (screenshot above), C:\Users folder does not appear. So I cannot index my Desktop! How do I add \Users\username in there???
To Tom Skelding: The “show all locations” button gets grayed out when Vista believes that all locations have been selected. To add more locations such as a network drive you will need to install an add-on for Windows Desktop Search. Go to http://support.microsoft.com/kb/918996 to do this. See Windows Desktop Search homepage on Microsoft.com for more add ons.
To SutroStyle: Once you have clicked the Modify button you should see Local Disk (C:) at the top of the list. Next to the checkbox there should be a small plus (+) symbol in a box. Use this to expand C: and check your Users folder.
Regards,
Steven.
Hi,
I have installed this and it works! however I have 1 network drive that it is not picking up any clues?
Kind regards,
Just a heads up – this no longer access indexer options in SP1. At least, this is the case if you have Google Desktop Search installed. I’ve only got the upgrade on one test box so I remain a little vague on what just happned to my search functions.
The KB article from MS is infomative but dry and somewhat unhelpful, considering I can no longer find my Windows options for index locations.
On the other hand, I am looking forward to the ability to index delegate inboxes in Exchange – an often requested feature around the office. That is, when I figure it out.
Ah my bad, I didn’t link the MS KB for you –
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/941946
There is a *great* reason to index Program Files – it makes them searchable.
Just like adding a folder to %PATH%, adding Program Files to your search index will allow you to run any app by name from the Start Menu. And *better* than adding a folder to %PATH%, the index allows word completion.
Ex: Say you want to run Sysinternals Process Explorer, which lives in Program Files\Sysinternals\
type ‘proc’ and press enter (assuming nothing else starts w/ ‘proc’).
It can’t get any easier!!
I did it but I don’t know it work?
anybody with clue please help