Check out this Vista-like search bar for Windows XP

[freebird73717]

Okay while I'm not a huge fan of vista I do like the integrated search feature in the start menu. Man it makes finding and starting programs so much easier. I found a program that offers the same functionality as the vista search bar for windows xp.

http://www.vistastartmenu.com/index.html

There is a free and pay version. I downloaded the free and can't imagine what more the pay version could provide that the free doesn't.

Crap I sound like I'm spamming for this. Really I'm not this is just a cool feature to have for windows XP.

-- edit
here is another one.
http://www.lee-soft.com/vistart/

This one looks almost Identical to vista. I almost like it better.

[JohnnyMalaria]

To be honest, I find Vista's search function to be one of its worst features. I can't make head nor tail out of it. I end up doing "dir /s *.ext" etc to find stuff. I actually prefer XP's version.

[freebird73717]

Now Johnny that actually surprises me. There is a feature of vista that you don't like!



Joking aside that is the one feature of vista that I really like. Click start then type the name of a program and boom there it is. May save me only a few clicks but I really like it.


-- edit

here is another one.
http://www.lee-soft.com/vistart/

This one looks almost Identical to vista. I almost like it better.

[JohnnyMalaria]

I guess I don't understand its heuristics. If I type 'regedit', nothing. 'Word', stuff but not Word itself. 'EnoDVProcessor', lots of stuff but not the exe.

I often use Start/Run and type it in there.

Perhaps it's the kind of stuff I'm looking for.

[redwudz]

JohnnyMalaria, I'm sure you are aware of this, but for others, you can adjust the way Vista searches in the 'Start Menu>Customize' settings:



It does find regedit with my settings.

[JohnnyMalaria]

I turned the indexing off for a lot of places because it was interrupting my video programs in a Norton Antivirus way.

But I still haven't figured out how to do something as trivial as search folder X for all files of type Y containing the phrase Z inside the file contents. It's s-o-o easy in XP. I'm sure it would be one of those 'duh!' moments if/when I find out how. If I'm in Explorer and right-click to get to Search... so that I can search all the sub-folders for something, Vista shows this frustrating and thoroughly uninituitive search window. So Start\Run\cmd takes over(!) I usually find Vista's extensive help system to be very effective but it seems to miss the mark entirely in this case (for me).

Oh well.

[Cornucopia]

I've also tried Vista's search, as well as the MS Search addon for XP, and they are slow hogs!

Maybe in a couple of years when 8+ processors are the norm and you can devote a whole processor to background subsystems/processes/maintenance tasks like indexing,etc., then it'll be OK. But until then, I'd rather have the stuff turned off until I want to use it.

Grep is still a great way to go--I wonder if there is still a Windows GUI version that worked like the *nix CLI command does?

Scott

[redwudz]

I admit Vista's search functions are less than helpful. I think they tried to do too much. Indexing your drives helps, but that takes a lot of time and is usually running when you don't want it to. I have a bigger complaint with Vista deciding to download a update and restart my computer right in the middle of a software download.

But I also find XPs search function works a lot better most times. I often have problems with Vista not finding a file, when I can find it myself in a couple of minutes. I don't know what algorithm they use for searching, but it needs major improvement, IMO.

[Ai Haibara]

I have a bigger complaint with Vista deciding to download a update and restart my computer right in the middle of a software download.

Do you have automatic updates turned off? I know XP can get annoying with trying to get you to restart after you've let Windows Update... well, install updates.

(Not that I'm faulting XP, I just don't know if Vista does it, too - I've turned off automatic updates on our Vista system.)

[yoda313]

Yeah I think have the same issue with Vista. I was downloading a lot this week and left on overnight several times. It had a update ready to go but I kept ignoring it to finish the downloads. Fortunately they were seperate downloads instead of one massive download so I was luckily able to complete the session. However I found out the next morning it had indeed installed and rebooted on its own.

I don't know how to change Vista to manually require you to ok an update.

[Ai Haibara]

You probably have to open Windows Update and change the settings there. I'm not completely sure, as it's been quite some time since I changed the settings.

[yoda313]

@ai Haibara - yep its right under Windows Update. There is an option to auto download updates but you choose when to install them. Its the next option below the default auto install auto update.

Thanks.