Microsoft’s fastest Windows search tool
Searching in Windows has always been painfully slow but Microsofts launch of Windows Search 4 aims to bring searching up to speed with applications such as Google Desktop.
Windows Search 4 uses the same indexing style approach that Google Desktop does meaning that your data is always indexed and instantly searchable. Search results are now returned in seconds rather than minutes under Windows older search tool. You can preview information that’s returned in results including information within e-mail messages. The search tool is much more easily accessible too in Vista from the Start menu and XP is equipped with a deskbar for instant searches. Be warned however – the indexing file can be huge especially if you have a large amount of data on your PC so make sure you have plenty of disk space free before installing Windows Search 4 otherwise you’ll find it locks up your system before finally warning you that your disk space is low. In this release, Microsoft have finally ensured that you can also index and search encrypted files which was something missing from previous versions. This is something that should have already been included in Vista and is yet another area where Microsoft are adding and completing aspects of the system that should have been ready before it was released.
Google Desktop and Copernic Desktop Search have been on the market for years now and yet Microsoft have only just been able to implement such a basic feature into their operating system but it’s definitely a vast improvement on previous Windows search tools.
Instantly find and retrieve e-mail messages and attachments, business documents, media files, and many other file types located on PCs and file shares on your network. With Windows Search 4.0, simply type a search term and results quickly appear—including information within e-mail messages and their attachments.
In Windows Vista SP1, start your search right from the Start menu and fine tune your search within Search Explorer. In Windows XP, use the always visible Deskbar for quick and easy search access to indexed content on your PC or the network. Results are displayed in a clear way that lets you quickly find the exact file or e-mail message you need, even when many results are returned.
