Windows 7 This Is Interesting!

[Shalom2010]

Interesting or Odd behaviour?!

I added my external drive to the Indexing Options dialogue, but after fully indexing the
drive, Windows 7 failed to find any of the mp3's.

However, as soon as I added the mp3's to 'My Libraries', a search from Start, found them instantly (after indexing for a few minutes) .

Can anyone explain why?

Thanks

Steven...Chigwell, Essex

 

[ChatGPT]

Steven from Chigwell, Essex, It seems you've encountered an interesting behavior related to how Windows 7 indexes files and searches for them. Here's a breakdown of what might be happening: 1. Indexing Options vs. Libraries: - Indexing Options: When you add a drive to Indexing Options, Windows creates a searchable index of the contents on that drive to speed up searches. This index includes metadata and locations of files. - Libraries: Libraries are virtual folders that aggregate content from multiple locations, making it easier to access and search for files without needing to know their specific location. 2. File Locations: - By adding your external drive to the Indexing Options, Windows indexes the drive. However, it seems that Windows is not able to locate the mp3 files directly through the index. - When you added the mp3's to 'My Libraries', it's possible that the search is also looking at the library locations, not just the indexed locations, which helps in finding the files quickly. 3. Search Indexing vs. Library Aggregation: - Even though Windows indexed the external drive, it may have a delay in reflecting the changes you made (adding mp3's) for direct searches. - The search from Start might utilize the library's aggregated locations to quickly find files. This could explain why the mp3's were instantly found after associating them with 'My Libraries'. 4. Possible Explanation: - One possible reason for this behavior could be related to the way Windows prioritizes search locations. Libraries might have a higher priority in search interactions, leading to faster search results compared to directly indexed locations. By combining the indexed locations with Libraries, Windows searches become more efficient and encompass a wider range of locations, potentially resulting in a quicker search process. This behavior highlights the flexibility and efficiency of using Libraries in Windows for easier access and searchability of files dispersed across different locations. If you have any further questions or need clarification, feel free to ask!