Who wants the advanced search pane back?!

[Terry1212]

Microsoft took something out of Windows 7 they never should have - the advanced search pane. I was hoping it would have returned with Service Pack 1, but nope.

I hope Microsoft brings it back! Who's with me?!

 

[Ijack]

I'm not quite sure what search facilities you require that aren't available by the use of search filters. Perhaps you could elucidate?

 

[Saga Lout]

I have problems in W7 sometimes if I'm looking for recently created exe files when I'm chasing down malware. I'm with Terry1212 that XP made things so much simpler.

With just a few mouse clicks, I could select the dates of the most recent exe files were created and search within hidden files and folders and find the crap I'm looking to ditch. Perhaps I'm missing something in W7, ijack - can you post some pointers?

 

[Ijack]

For example, to do the search that you mention:

Open Explorer on "Computer".
Click in the search box (top right-hand side).
Type in "*.exe datemodified:>01/03/2011 size:>128Mb".
Press Enter.

(I added the size bit as a demonstration.) For the full syntax of search terms go to this page. Once you get the hang of it it's an incredibly powerful search facility.

 

[Saga Lout]

Goodness - I haven't used that for years and forgot all about it but it's Bookmarked now. So nothing built-in that's so obvious I missed it then?

 

[Ijack]

The only built-in that is obvious is "Help and Support".

 

[Saga Lout]

I'll try that as a last resort next time I've got a W7 system to hand.