How to remove Vista's search

  • Thread starter Thread starter Steve Thackery
  • Start date Start date
S

Steve Thackery

I'm having problems with the integrated search facility in Vista. I
actually like it a lot, but for some reason it fails to index certain files
(apparently at random).

I'm written twelve chapters of a book. Each chapter is saved as a .docx and
..pdf file, and each chapter has it's own folder under 'Documents'.

Using the built-in search features in Vista I can search on any word or
phrase I use and instantly find which chapters it's written in.
Unfortunately, except for chapters 4 and 7! For some reason it's as if they
are invisible to Vista's search engine.

Recently I accepted the upgrade to Windows Search 4.0, and told it to
reindex everything. I assumed a glitch had got into the index and this
would cure it, but it didn't. Of course, I have checked the indexing
options, and it is definitely set to index everything under 'Users'.

In my XP days I used Copernic Desktop Search, which is free, totally
brilliant and an absolute MUST for everyone using XP or earlier.

Unfortunately, in Vista it just sits alongside the existing search facility.
So you end up with TWO engines indexing the disk and providing almost
identical features. The inelegance bothers me!

Really I'd like to remove the Vista search feature altogether and use
Copernic exclusively.

Is this possible? How can I do it?

Thanks,

SteveT
 
Steve Thackery said:
I'm having problems with the integrated search facility in Vista. I
actually like it a lot, but for some reason it fails to index certain
files (apparently at random).

I'm written twelve chapters of a book. Each chapter is saved as a .docx
and .pdf file, and each chapter has it's own folder under 'Documents'.

Using the built-in search features in Vista I can search on any word or
phrase I use and instantly find which chapters it's written in.
Unfortunately, except for chapters 4 and 7! For some reason it's as if
they are invisible to Vista's search engine.

Recently I accepted the upgrade to Windows Search 4.0, and told it to
reindex everything. I assumed a glitch had got into the index and this
would cure it, but it didn't. Of course, I have checked the indexing
options, and it is definitely set to index everything under 'Users'.

In my XP days I used Copernic Desktop Search, which is free, totally
brilliant and an absolute MUST for everyone using XP or earlier.

Unfortunately, in Vista it just sits alongside the existing search
facility. So you end up with TWO engines indexing the disk and providing
almost identical features. The inelegance bothers me!

Really I'd like to remove the Vista search feature altogether and use
Copernic exclusively.

Is this possible? How can I do it?

Thanks,

SteveT
Click to expand...


You just don't use Vista search, and use something else instead.. I hear
that Agent Ransack is good..

http://www.download.com/Agent-Ransack/3000-2347_4-10043846.html




--
Mike Hall - MVP
How to construct a good post..
http://dts-l.com/goodpost.htm
How to use the Microsoft Product Support Newsgroups..
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=newswhelp&style=toc
Mike's Window - My Blog..
http://msmvps.com/blogs/mikehall/default.aspx
 
Steve Thackery said:
I'm having problems with the integrated search facility in Vista. I
actually like it a lot, but for some reason it fails to index certain
files (apparently at random).

I'm written twelve chapters of a book. Each chapter is saved as a .docx
and .pdf file, and each chapter has it's own folder under 'Documents'.

Using the built-in search features in Vista I can search on any word or
phrase I use and instantly find which chapters it's written in.
Unfortunately, except for chapters 4 and 7! For some reason it's as if
they are invisible to Vista's search engine.

Recently I accepted the upgrade to Windows Search 4.0, and told it to
reindex everything. I assumed a glitch had got into the index and this
would cure it, but it didn't. Of course, I have checked the indexing
options, and it is definitely set to index everything under 'Users'.

In my XP days I used Copernic Desktop Search, which is free, totally
brilliant and an absolute MUST for everyone using XP or earlier.

Unfortunately, in Vista it just sits alongside the existing search
facility. So you end up with TWO engines indexing the disk and providing
almost identical features. The inelegance bothers me!

Really I'd like to remove the Vista search feature altogether and use
Copernic exclusively.

Is this possible? How can I do it?
Click to expand...

I thought this was one of the changes in SP1? Can't you select Copernic
Desktop Search as the default search in Default Programs? I know you can
select Google Desktop Search, as this change was made because of Google's
protesting.

ss.
 
Synapse Syndrome said:
I thought this was one of the changes in SP1? Can't you select Copernic
Desktop Search as the default search in Default Programs? I know you can
select Google Desktop Search, as this change was made because of Google's
protesting.
Click to expand...

Here:
http://www.copernic.com/en/products/desktop-search/vista-integration.html

After you make it the default, do the search results appear in the same
Explorer window, like the Vista default results, or does the normal Copernic
window come up?

ss.
 
You just don't use Vista search, and use something else instead.. I hear
that Agent Ransack is good..
Click to expand...

Thanks for that, Mike. As I say, Copernic Desktop is my search engine of
choice. The issue for me is that it doesn't seem possible to uninstall
Vista's built-in engine. It seems wasteful to have two search engines
indexing away in the background.

SteveT
 
Thanks for that, Mike. As I say, Copernic Desktop is my search engine of
choice. The issue for me is that it doesn't seem possible to uninstall
Vista's built-in engine. It seems wasteful to have two search engines
indexing away in the background.
Click to expand...

Turn Vista's indexing off then.
 
Turn Vista's indexing off then.

Yep, I think that's the best I can do, if it isn't possible to uninstall it.

Thanks,

SteveT
 
From Vista Help:

Can I turn the Windows Search Index on or off?

NO!
Click to expand...

Baloney!

Click start orb

Type SERVICES into start-search area

Find WINDOWS SEARCH

Right-click it, change from automatic to disabled,

Click apply

STOP the service.

Click OK.

NEXT:

Go to Computer

Right-click each drive/partition

Properties

Make sure indexing is unticked for each
 
Paul Montgomery said:
And what I sent in reply - that you cut - showed you that it's wrong.
Click to expand...


Yes I know that - my point being that if it's relatively easy to do, why
does Vista Help say that you can't?
 
Yes I know that - my point being that if it's relatively easy to do, why
does Vista Help say that you can't?
Click to expand...

WHAT! And openly admit that someone might WANT to stop it??

Lots of possible actions can be taken that are not listed in Help and
Support. This appears to be one of them.
 
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