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Free File Search Utility is the Best Yet
I've been looking for a program like this for years.
"EVERYTHING" is a free search utility that will locate a file or folder by name located on any of your hard drives in less than a second.
"Ho-hum" you say, "there are several programs that do that."
Quite so, but this one does it without creating massive indexes. That saves your disk space and more importantly, doesn't slow down your PC by needing to maintain such indexes.
"But how can this work?" you ponder, "instant search utilities needs indexes in order to work."
Yes they do and that's the trick. with this product; it uses the indexes that form part of the NTFS file system. It is using something that is already there rather than duplicating it.
It's a clever idea. Now why didn't somebody (including Microsoft) think of this before?
Of course to use EVERYTHING your hard drives need to be NTFS formatted but that includes 99.9% of all XP and Vista users, so it's hardly a limitation.
EVERTHING can scan multiple drives, find search terms embedded within file names and can be accessed from a desktop shortcut, the Start Menu or from the right click context menu. It weighs in at a massive 334 KB download. Yes folks, that's kilobytes not megabytes. And its free.
What more can you ask for?
(Windows 2000, XP, Vista)
This item was based on a suggestion by regular contributor rhiannon.
Update: I need to clarify my comment that EVERYTHING does not "create massive indexes." This means what it says and should not be read as implying it does not create any indexes. It does, but they are very small and created in seconds not hours. These tiny indexes are possible because EVERYTHING leverages itself off the information contained in the NTFS file system rather than recreating that information afresh.
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I have tried many tools for file name searching and Data(text) searching inside any of the files.My findings are
1)5*****)Everything search engine ( freeware Utility)
Locate files and folders by name instantly.
http://www.voidtools.com/
2)5*****)Locate32 file name Search
3)5******)Copernic Desktop Search(Home edition is Free)
Copernic is best and awarded file data searching tool and very efficient and meaning ful for searching data inside(xls,pdf,chm,doc,html) or any type of files you have inside your hard disk.Its great tool as compare with google desktop search.
I tried it and for the first time, it was unresponsive. But after few seconds, it stated giving me instant results.
The feature which I was looking for was it should result every files which contain the word I have written. Is that implemented already?
Is it possible?
Miral.
everything in indeed the fastest thing I 've seen to do what is supposed to do, but it does not work from a limited user account at all, so at this moment it's of no use to me. however the author has said that the program will suffer changes to incorporate a service and client model that will allow that utilization.
Everything is very fast but it doesn't work very well. Weeks back I noticed that it no longer found a WHOLE LOT OF FILES I knew were on my system but not where they were and it couldn't find them. Did many tests to confirm its limitations. Still can't find them. Just downloaded a file to my download folder and it can't find it. I suspect it gets tripped up by the number of files on a system because it doesn't appear to have issues on my Win7 machine (though I haven't done any specific tests) which is much newer and has far fewer files than my XP machine does. It's always refused to index my USB hard drive when it's plugged in reporting corruption in the database. Deleting "everything.db" solves none of my problems. So, back to Agent Ransack which is slower but works.
"It's always refused to index my USB hard drive when it's plugged in reporting corruption in the database. Deleting "everything.db" solves none of my problems"
USB drives are not NTFS but FAT32, the drive MUST have a NTFS index for it to work ¬_¬
Danmar, the most probable cause for your problem is that you are ussing FATvpartition. As stated, Everything works ** only ** on NTFS.
This is in principle the same as "Everything" but slightly more comfortable. The "Exclude filter can be used directly from the command bar, and you can choose your discs directly.
http://www.jam-software.com/ultrasearch/
Screenshots;
http://www.jam-software.com/ultrasearch/screenshots.shtml
Regards....Mike Connor
After having tried all of the search programs mentioned in all 3 pages of these comments, I think I have found fastest and lightest one that seems to have no issues, I hope that it gets reviewed here!
The name of it is Agent Ransack - http://mythicsoft.com/agentransack/
I would love to hear how y'all think it stacks up to all other searchers!
Agent Ransack makes a file system search each time it is actively looking for your file(s), therefore, it slows down your system . So, honestly I don't think it is worth to review it knowing that Everything (by voidtools) is super-ultra-mega fast.
I used to work with Agent Ransack a while back, but stopped using it when I discovered Everything.
At the end, I was looking for a tool that was able to find my files, and this is what Everything does, with the advantage of being way too fast!
See A Free Replacement for Windows Search.
From the comments, here, it's clear that many posters do not understand the very narrow thing which "Everything" does.
It searches for files only, not text (or anything else) within files. That's it. Those unimpressed by its limitations apparently missed that little factor.
Indeed, "Everything" builds a small index of its own, but all files are not indexed in it. Rather, its index is more to tell it where are certain folders and other things so that it can more quickly use (or, more accurately, leverage) the indices of the NTFS file system (not to be confused with the indices which Windows uses). What "Everything" does is very low level, and related almost entirely to how NTFS keeps track (independent of Windows) of where everything is.
People have posted here that it can't find things, or that it has limitations. If not being able to find what's inside a file (as opposed to the file, itself) is a "limitation," then, yes, "Everything" has that one. But no others. The trick to finding things is to understand how to type-in the search criteria. It seems easy because just typing-in so much as a part of a filename starts things appearing in search results. But, actually, to do anything sophisticated, one must learn (and, fear not, it's all right there in "Everything's" HELP file) how to structure the search terms. If one simply learns that, there should be NOTHING which "Everything" cannot find. Nothing. And fast.
I've looked at pretty much everything (no pun intended) that's out there, and nothing -- not one thing -- which others have suggested here does what "Everything" does, as fast as it does it. Those who think so do not fully understand "Everything."
Interestingly (and this is actually the biggest reason I'm posting here today), "Everything" finally seems to have a direct competitor...
...and from a trusted source, indeed. The good folks who make GLARY UTILITIES have just released a freeware search tool which also utilizes NTFS's low-level indices, just like "Everything" does. Moreover, it seems to build, on first use, whatever database of its own which it may use a lot faster than "Everything" does on first use. With either of them, though, once the initial use brief (and it is SERIOUSLY brief) database-building delay is overwith, they both find files (but, again, not text or data within them) with equally lightning speed.
Glary's new "Quick Search" is what I'm talking about...
http://www.glarysoft.com/products/utilities/quick-search/
...and, so far, I like it... though, I must say, not more (at least not yet) than I like "Everything." Glary's "Quick Search" is still quite good, though. And, like "Everything," it's blazingly FAST!!!!
On first use, Glary's "Quick Search" pops-up a little search bar in the lower-left corner of the screen; and search results appear in a vertical expansion thereof. It's okay, but I like using it in "Full Mode" better. In Full Mode, Glary's "Quick Search" opens as a normal window in the center of the screen, just like "Everything" does.
In either case, quickly (and I mean quickly) twice-pressing the [Ctrl] key brings-up either the little search bar in the lower right corner, or the "Full Mode" regular window (whichever you prefer to use). And, like "Everything," Glary's "Quick Search" can be told to launch when Windows starts, so it's there then you need it.
Whether "Quick Search" will eclipse "Everything" in the hearts and minds of "Everything" lovers is as yet unknown. But I must say that Glary's done a perfectly find job creating it. Again, it's not as capable, in advanced ways, as "Everthing," but it's a credible, serviceable little file-only search tool...
...and, like "Everything," boy-oh-boy is it ever FAST!!!
Hope that helps.
_______________________________
Gregg L. DesElms
Napa, California USA
Good points. If you want to search file contents;
http://code.google.com/p/dngrep/
Extremely comfortable and versatile.
You can use it in combination with "Everything" or "Ultra Search if desired, as both support the Explorer context menu, and dnGREP can be integrated into that menu.
Regards....Mike Connor
Misleading statement about Everything indexing. It does, and overall, not very reliable db's.
Agree with JAM's UltraSearch tool, far superior and faster, also freeware. Very small footprint and good exclusion options.
Well, I just gave JAM's UltraSearch a shot, and I am sorry to mention that it failed in my VERY first test scenario.
I launched the application, then I created a new file on the fly, UltraSearch could not find it, Everything did find it.
Since it failed in my first scenario, I don't think it would be worth to test any deeper, I don't trust UltraSearch.
I also noted that Ultrasearch is "kinda" slow compared to Everything, so extra-official score so far:
Everything 2
UltraSearch 0
Interesting. I noticed no difference at all in search results between Everything and Ultra Search, although you may need to "refresh" the index of Ultra search after moving stuff etc, while it is running.
"Everything" seems to refresh automatically. I like being able to use the exclude filter and the disc choice directly in Ultra Search, in "Everything" you have to dig for this, or enter a command line. ( This is the newest release of Ultra Search by the way) ;
http://www.jam-software.com/ultrasearch/changes.shtml
Regards....Mike Connor
I've been using Everything for several years and love it. I use it continually both as a search tool and as a file manager. It also interacts well with one's normal file manager for drag n'drop.
It's speeded up my workflow exponentially enabling me to pull up any file I need from my vast reservoir of files, and all in a split second. Learn some of the basic search terms which you'll find in the Faq to refine the results of your search.
Sorting of results is also easy by clicking on the column headers.
With continual use it may eventually become corrupted eg. not listing any files at all or not listing some files you know should appear in the results. In that case I do what Drongo advises above.
I'd not be without this little gem as a valued daily helpmate.
I've had this installed since you recommended it, but recently it does not seem to find what I want. eg. I downloaded some music by Seal, search for it, 0 results. I have at least 22 files with the name Barchester in them, finds 0. Nothing has changed from my end so...
Make sure "Everything" is not running, find and delete the file "Everything.db" and then restart the program.
It doesn't even find everything.db. :-)
Forgot to mention, if the files are not on an NTFS formatted drive, Everything won't see them.
I like Agent Ransack, finds all files & recently programme was upgraded & improved
UltraSearch v1.4.1 by JAM Software
I haven't seen this program mentioned, so I thought I would bring it up.
http://www.jam-software.com/freeware/index.shtml#UltraSearch
It's not a startup program like Everything, thus it can be portable.
I've been happy with it. 3MB
- double-click to open file, rt-click to open folder.
From the Author:
UltraSearch searches files and folders on local NTFS drives and provides the results within just a few seconds. UltraSearch does not use a background process to build an index, it achieves its speed by working directly on the Master File Table (MFT) of the NTFS partitions. You can enter a file name or a pattern like *.exe and will see the results already while typing. Additional information like file size and last change date will be shown for the listed files and the Explorer context menu is available inside UltraSearch. The freeware lets you exclude folders, files or file types by providing an exclude filter. The search results can also be printed or exported as text, RTF, HTML, CSV and Excel file.
Use UltraSearch wherever you like with the portable ZIP version.
After getting rid of Search Everything because recently its been Finding Nothing much, I installed UltraSearch which finding what I need. Thank you very much for the tip.
Thanks so much for the tip on UltraSearch. It works great and is easy to use. Just what I needed!
I recommend Locate32 (http://www.locate32.net/) :D
I've used "Search Everything" for ages and got sick of it's limitations
Is any of these able to search flash drive (thumb stick) volumes?
(none I've come across do)
I am looking for an index program for fast searching through client files at work (over a network) I downloaded this and was disappointed it isn't designed this way... guess i'm still looking. Using Locate32 right now which has a few issues and isn't being worked on anymore...
you could try locate32 or google desktop search. both do a great job but i would say locate32 would be more customisable and u can design which clients u wanna search in.
just a suggestion
please add size filter for searching...
and i also wanna ask
when i list all my file using *, its slow the program when i tried to sort by size...any suggestion about this
which one should i increase in option ???
is it maximum icon cache size or maximum file info cache size ??
or maybe maximum size and allocation delta in each volume ???
Thx
That's exactly why I changed to locate32, I need the size function!!
I need a program that works on network drives and looks for strings within non-MS files. Mostly I have WordPerfect DOS files (with all sorts of file extensions), and MS Explorer, Google DeskTop, and a whole bunch of others fail to look in those files. Or, the progam does not work on network drives.
UltraFileSearch is just the ticket.
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