Windows Search 4.0

Posted by Martin in Windows, software  Tags: , , , , ,

23

Jul



Microsoft released a new version of Windows Search on Windows Update and made it a recommended update for Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003 and 2008 users. Windows Search 4.0 introduces a wealth of new features and improvements over the previous version including the automatic indexing of shared folders, improvements in indexing online e-mail as well as in the performance and stability of the indexer.

Windows Search is basically a desktop search application much like Google’s Desktop Search. It builds an index of the files - and other information like emails - on the system after installation which takes some time depending on the size of the hard disks and the amount of files stored on them. Some users reported indexing times of several hours in previous versions of Windows Search.

It does take this long because Windows Search does not only index file names and attributes but also file contents for selected files including most text formats like Word and HTML documents but also media files like images and video formats.

I still prefer Locate32 which is resource friendly and faster in my opinion.


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4 Users Commented In This Post

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gokudomatic says, July 23rd, 2008   

same for me, once I installed locate32 tried a little, I was seduced.

Retoocs says, August 7th, 2008   

Yes Locate32 is free program that beets all search programs including Windows Search 4.
First off all i must say that search on any Windows is poor. I have not even try to install WS4 when i read this review.

PC specification: E6750, 4GB RAM, Seagate Barracuda: 500GB/32MB, 320GB/16MB, 300GB/16MB all @7000rpm and Vista Ultimate 32bit.
I have between 70 to 80 processes running all time, Full Effects, DreamScene and a lot small programs running in background, overall anything what use disk, processor and ram so I’m included every day user activity like in reality. Every disk is allmost full that means a loot off files. I don’t even start
to think how big will be index file and time to index all files for better search (maybe around couple days).

I’m using 3.1 RC1. With tweaking some options and database i have be amazed what that program can do.
I have find that when you make separate databases for each partition indexing is a lot faster.
Test:
1. One big database: Time for all disks around 2 minutes. Database=29.3MB
2. Partial databases (one database for one partition, 15 partition=15 databases): Time for all disks 8 second (yes for all together). Database=30MB.
3. WS4 vs. Locate32: Measure time how log for indexed file need WS4 and how long Locate32.
Result: In less than second Locate32 found random test file.
WS4 time to find that same file is between 5 and 10 second when index is small. If i include few some partition to index that time will expand.

I don’t think that will Microsoft beat that in near future with some kinda update.
Locate32 is musthave for any user who have a lot off data.

Technology Updates - Windows Search and Hamachi freeware application says, August 12th, 2008   

[...] new version of Windows Search has been released by Microsoft. Windows Search is a recommended update for Windows XP, Vista, Server 2003 and Server 2008 users. There is a wealth [...]

Window Search 4.0 | Mystic Hackers says, August 19th, 2008   

[...] for update today , Window just released a new version of Window Search . It is totally available and recommended for update for those who are using Window Vista ,Window [...]

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