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Answered Windows 7 search exact phrase

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      Tuesday, January 18, 2011 2:34 PM
       
       
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      Hi,

      I've got a problem with windows 7 search. I want to search an exact phrase in some files, into search box I insert content:"hello world", but it returns all files containing hello and word, not the exact phrase "hello world".

      For example my search returns documents containing

      word hello

      or

      hello friends I live in world

      Is it a bug of windows 7 search ?

      Thanks

      Stefano

       

    Answers

    • Friday, January 28, 2011 9:12 AM
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      Hi,

       

      Thanks for update.

       

      I have investigated this issue, and found this is a known issue. I just reported this to our feedback team. I think this behavior will be adjusted in the further and I will keep you updated.

       

      Thanks again for your efforts.

       

      Alex Zhao

      Please remember to click “Mark as Answer” on the post that helps you, and to click “Unmark as Answer” if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.
      • Marked As Answer by Bruste Friday, January 28, 2011 11:12 AM
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    • Thursday, January 20, 2011 9:21 AM
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      Hi,

       

      No, it is a mechanism of windows search, if you only input hello world in search box, it would return the items which contains both words hello and world.

       

      If you want to pinpoint exactly what you're looking for, please input “hello world” (with quotation marks) in search box, this would return the result with the exact phrase hello world.

       

      You could refer to the following article:

       

      Windows Search: Tips and Tricks

       

      Hope it helps.

       

      Alex Zhao

      Please remember to click “Mark as Answer” on the post that helps you, and to click “Unmark as Answer” if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.
       
    • Sunday, January 23, 2011 6:10 PM
       
       
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      Hi Alex,

      yes, I always used the quotation marks (my search is content:"hello world") ! but windows always returns all files containing both words hello and world, not the exact phrase.

      why?

      Thanks

      Stefano

       
    • Monday, January 24, 2011 10:13 AM
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      Hi,

       

      Thanks for your update.

       

      Ensure that the target has been indexed, you could refer to the following link:

       

      Improve Windows searches using the index: frequently asked questions

       

      If this issue persists, we can take the standard method to rebuild the research index to check the result:

       

      1.    Open the Control Panel.

      2.    In the Instant Search box, type Index.

      3.    Click on Indexing Options.

      4.    Click on Run as Administrator and allow the privileges.

      5.    Click on Advanced, then Rebuild.

       

      If this issue persists, try to run Fixit to see the result.

       

      Also, you could create a new user to test if this issue still exists.

       

      Hope it helps.

       

      Alex Zhao

      Please remember to click “Mark as Answer” on the post that helps you, and to click “Unmark as Answer” if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.
       
    • Monday, January 24, 2011 12:28 PM
       
       
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      Hi Alex,

      thanks for your answer.

      If i put my example files into MyDocuments, that is indexed, the search works well.

      If I put the files into a not indexed directory the search doesn't work correctly. Why does the search result is different between indexed and not indexed directories?

      The problem is I can't index the directory with all my svn projects, there are many files into svn system folders (.svn) and the pc will slowdown. I'm afrait there's no solution, right ?

      Thanks

      Stefano

       
    • Wednesday, January 26, 2011 10:00 AM
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      Hi,

       

      Did this issue only occur to the *.svn files?

       

      I suggest you test with other files to check if the issue persists.

       

      To make this issue clear, please capture some related screenshots for us:

       

      How to capture a screenshot

      =========================

      1)       Press the Print Screen key (PrtScn) on your keyboard.

      2)       Click the "Start" menu, type "mspaint" in the Search Bar and Press Enter.

      3)      In the Paint program, click the "Edit" menu, click "Paste", click the "File" menu, and click "Save".

      4)       The "Save As" dialogue box will appear. Type a file name in the "File name:" box, for example: "screenshot".

      5)       Make sure "JPEG (*.JPG;*.JPEG;*.JPE;*.JFIF)" is selected in the "Save as type" box, click “Desktop” on the left pane and then click "Save".

      6)       Then Upload to SkyDrive.

       

      Alex Zhao

      Please remember to click “Mark as Answer” on the post that helps you, and to click “Unmark as Answer” if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.
       
    • Wednesday, January 26, 2011 12:37 PM
       
       
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      Hi,

      my problem isn't related to .svn files. The problem is that a search of an exact phrase produces different results if the files are indexed or not.

      Steps to reproduce the problem

      - Create a file named test1.txt containg the phrase "hello world" (whitout quotes)

      - Create another file named test2.txt containg the phrase "world hello" (whitout quotes)

      - Put the files into a directory not indexed

      - Into search box in explorer type content:"hello world"

      - It returns both files

      - Put the same files into a indexed folder (My Documents for example)

      - Into search box in explorer type content:"hello world"

      - It returns only the first one, correctly

       

      Here a screenshot of the first search (into a not indexed folder):

       

      Here a screenshot of the second search (into a indexed folder):

       
    • Friday, January 28, 2011 9:12 AM
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      Hi,

       

      Thanks for update.

       

      I have investigated this issue, and found this is a known issue. I just reported this to our feedback team. I think this behavior will be adjusted in the further and I will keep you updated.

       

      Thanks again for your efforts.

       

      Alex Zhao

      Please remember to click “Mark as Answer” on the post that helps you, and to click “Unmark as Answer” if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.
      • Marked As Answer by Bruste Friday, January 28, 2011 11:12 AM
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    • Friday, January 28, 2011 11:14 AM
       
       
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      Hi Alex,

      thanks for your work.

      Stefano

       
    • Thursday, March 03, 2011 4:55 PM
       
       
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      Clarification: Double quotes are required to do an exact phrase seach in Windows 7.  The use of single quotes are the source of confusion.
       
    • Friday, March 04, 2011 3:28 PM
       
       
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      Another suggestion might be:

       

      Use a dedicated program to do your search:

       

      - like total commander (shareware) with very good search function

      or

      - the free dedicated search program "wanyword" (search for so called "whole word": hello world)

       

      I am very pleased that searching is great with these programs.

       

      egman