Windows 10 Win 10 file Explorer Fails to Find File

H

hawkeye62

Extraordinary Member
Joined
Oct 2, 2011
I am running Windows 10 Version 1607 Build 14393.693. I have a file in Documents. If I use File Explorer and search Documents, the file is found. If I search This PC, the file is not found. What could be going on?

Thanks for any advice.

Regards, Jim
 
What kind of file is it? Word, PDF, JPG, mp3, etc.? I just tried this on a PDF file I created from scanning a document (a Bill) and it worked perfectly on my W10 Desktop. I also have v1607 build 14393.693 same as you. However, I've seen this particular problem before. Sometimes, it's repairable, but usually it requires a W10 Reset or W10 Reinstallation from Factory Recovery Media *if you have it or can make it from a built-in Utility such as Acer e-Recovery or Dell Recovery Assistant*.

You can right click on the properties of your file and make sure your file has the correct file extension. The other thing that's worked for some forum users posting this problem in the past has been to use the Microsoft Fixit tool which you can download for free from the Microsoft site and select "repair Cortana" option and see if that fixes it. Since your W10 File Explorer is finding the file Ok and Cortana (W10 Search) is not, it's probably a Cortana configuration failure or simply Cortana corruption.:headache:

Last ditch resort might be to scan for viruses/malware with whatever AV program you have currently installed on your W10 computer. Such as Norton, Avast, McAfee, TrendMicro, etc. There are now new viruses out that specifically target Cortana and DISABLE HER! :crushed: Scan/remove all viruses found by your primary AV program. Reboot & Retest your search. If it works ok then, you successfully removed the Cortana-virus and are back in business! :up:
If this 1st AV scan/removal doesn't do it, you'll need to check further by downloading the Free MALWAREBYTES antispyware program available from MALWAREBYTES.ORG. Make sure to check the "check for RootKits" checkbox. Then Scan/removal all spyware viruses found. Reboot & retest your file search again. If this fixes it, you had a Spyware virus attacking your Cortana as I describe above, and you're good to go!:up:

If neither the AV or MALWAREBYTES scan/removal processes fix the problem, nor the Microsoft Fixit tool; you probably have a virus that was programmed to destroy your Windows system files or registry settings, and there is no recovering from that usually, unless you are willing to pay hundreds of dollars for a Computer Pro to fix it for you.:waah:

At this point, you'll need to BACKUP ALL YOUR PERSONAL DATA FILES (LIBRARY FOLDERS) TO EXTERNAL MEDIA, IF YOU HAVE NOT DONE SO ALREADY, OTHERWISE YOU MAY SUFFER IRREVERSIBLE DATA LOSS!!!

Next, take a look at the Software repair section of my Troubleshooting Guide to assist you with Resetting or Reinstalling your W10. You may also want to do a CLEAN INSTALL of your W10 if you had upgraded your PC from an earlier version of Windows, such as W7/W8/W8.1. You won't need to enter your W10 license again, as if you upgraded it earlier, the license key will be stored on the Microsoft Activation Servers and as long as you have an Internet connection to this PC, it will recognize it automatically for you! :fdance:
Here is the link to my Troubleshooting Guide: Sound Problems

Post back any questions if you get stuck or need further help.
Best, :eagerness:
<<<<BIGBEARJEDI>>>>
 
Hi

Install the free search program Agent Ransack on you computer and forget about Windows search.
I've used it for years, it finds everything and is many times faster then Widows and easy to use.

It's a very small program and doesn't impact performance at all.

Once installed it will add a link to the right click menu, so you can just right click on the folder of drive you want to search and select Agent Ransack, type in what you are looking for and say go.

As a test I just searched my C:\ drive for .exe files, it found 6,857 files in 15 seconds.
That's a lot of .exe files when you consider that I install most of my software on other drives.

Agent Ransack - Free File Searching Utility

I've used it for years and many versions of Windows and it's never caused any issues.

Kind of makes you wonder why Microsoft can't do better.

I've found many cases where Windows search couldn't find a file that I'm looking at in file manager.

Mike

Just for the heck of it, I tried looking for a file in my documents folder from This PC, it searched my whole computer, (5 hard drive partitions) and it found the file in the "Documents" folder in about 25 seconds.
 
Last edited:
Just a clarification: I am using File Explorer in both searches. The file is pdf. I am using a wild card search. Search string is: 2017-SIG* The file is found when I search in Documents, the file is not found when I search This PC.

Regards, Jim
 
MikeHawthorne said:
Hi

Install the free search program Agent Ransack on you computer and forget about Windows search.
I've used it for years, it finds everything and is many times faster then Widows and easy to use.

It's a very small program and doesn't impact performance at all.

Once installed it will add a link to the right click menu, so you can just right click on the folder of drive you want to search and select Agent Ransack, type in what you are looking for and say go.

As a test I just searched my C:\ drive for .exe files, it found 6,857 files in 15 seconds.
That's a lot of .exe files when you consider that I install most of my software on other drives.

Agent Ransack - Free File Searching Utility

I've used it for years and many versions of Windows and it's never caused any issues.

Kind of makes you wonder why Microsoft can't do better.

I've found many cases where Windows search couldn't find a file that I'm looking at in file manager.

Mike

Just for the heck of it, I tried looking for a file in my documents folder from This PC, it searched my whole computer, (4 hard drives) and it found the file in the "Documents" folder in about 25 seconds.
Click to expand...

I will give Agent Ransack a try if I can't get File Manager search to work.

Regards, Jim
 
Hi

All I can tell you is that I've seen many examples of Windows not finding files that are there.
It seems to have a lot of glitches in the search function.

Why it finds it searching C:\ and not through This PC, I have no idea.

I never search through This PC because I have 5 internal hard drive partitions on 3 drives so I usually know which one I need to look at, if not I do them one at a time, since it only takes a few seconds per drive and Agent Ransack retains the search term so I don't have to enter it more then once.

Mike
 
MikeHawthorne said:
Hi

All I can tell you is that I've seen many examples of Windows not finding files that are there.
It seems to have a lot of glitches in the search function.

Why it finds it searching C:\ and not through This PC, I have no idea.

I never search through This PC because I have 5 internal hard drive partitions on 3 drives so I usually know which one I need to look at, if not I do them one at a time, since it only takes a few seconds per drive and Agent Ransack retains the search term so I don't have to enter it more then once.

Mike
Click to expand...

It doesn't find the file if I just search C:\ either. I just tried Agent Ransack and it works perfectly.

Regards, Jim
 
BIGBEARJEDI said:
What kind of file is it? Word, PDF, JPG, mp3, etc.? I just tried this on a PDF file I created from scanning a document (a Bill) and it worked perfectly on my W10 Desktop. I also have v1607 build 14393.693 same as you. However, I've seen this particular problem before. Sometimes, it's repairable, but usually it requires a W10 Reset or W10 Reinstallation from Factory Recovery Media *if you have it or can make it from a built-in Utility such as Acer e-Recovery or Dell Recovery Assistant*.

You can right click on the properties of your file and make sure your file has the correct file extension. The other thing that's worked for some forum users posting this problem in the past has been to use the Microsoft Fixit tool which you can download for free from the Microsoft site and select "repair Cortana" option and see if that fixes it. Since your W10 File Explorer is finding the file Ok and Cortana (W10 Search) is not, it's probably a Cortana configuration failure or simply Cortana corruption.:headache:


Next, take a look at the Software repair section of my Troubleshooting Guide to assist you with Resetting or Reinstalling your W10. You may also want to do a CLEAN INSTALL of your W10 if you had upgraded your PC from an earlier version of Windows, such as W7/W8/W8.1. You won't need to enter your W10 license again, as if you upgraded it earlier, the license key will be stored on the Microsoft Activation Servers and as long as you have an Internet connection to this PC, it will recognize it automatically for you! :fdance:
Here is the link to my Troubleshooting Guide: Sound Problems

Post back any questions if you get stuck or need further help.
Best, :eagerness:
<<<<BIGBEARJEDI>>>>
Click to expand...

Neither Malwarebytes nor Windows Defender found any threats. And Cortana found the file instantly after typing only 7 characters of the file name. I didn't even know Cortana did a file search. Now I have another weapon in my arsenal. Thanks.

Regards, Jim
 
Well, some more research indicates a File Explorer search for any file starting with a number will fail unless the search is in the folder where the file resides, not in the HD where the file resides or the PC where the file resides.

Regards, Jim
 
Last edited:
By the way, I remember something I read somewhere a couple of months ago; Cortana Search does NOT like wild card searches!! You might try the Cortana Search with an actual explicit file name such as: "John Smith Resume". Instead of "John Smith *".

<<<BBJ>>>
 
BIGBEARJEDI said:
By the way, I remember something I read somewhere a couple of months ago; Cortana Search does NOT like wild card searches!! You might try the Cortana Search with an actual explicit file name such as: "John Smith Resume". Instead of "John Smith *".

<<<BBJ>>>
Click to expand...

Cortana found the file after typing only six characters of the file name. No need to use a wild card.

Regards, Jim
 
MikeHawthorne said:
" free search program Agent Ransack on you computer and forget about Windows search. I've used it for years, it finds everything and is many times faster then Widows and easy to use. "
Click to expand...

thanks, mike … searching for files via file-explorer has always left me feeling disgruntled … typical times range 54-56 minutes for a single file-search. second file-search took just as long. probably something to do about file "indexing" … whatever. after installing agent-ransack … took only 38 seconds.

hawkeye62 said:
" Well, some more research indicates a File Explorer search for any file starting with a number will fail unless the search is in the folder where the file resides, not in the HD where the file resides or the PC where the file resides. "
Click to expand...

jim … i had no idea about that limitation … 'ppreciate the tip!
 
Hi

It really does make you wonder why, if a simple search program like Agent Ransak can search my whole computer in a matter of seconds, why can't Microsoft make a Windows search program that works as well?

As I said I've used it for years, because I've always had problems with Windows search.

Mike
 
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