SearchMyFiles

SearchMyFiles: A Robust Alternative to Windows Search

SearchMyFiles, a utility from Nirsoft, presents itself as a compelling alternative to the standard file and folder search functionality integrated within Windows. This review examines its capabilities, usability, and overall effectiveness as a search tool.

Functionality and Features

At its core, SearchMyFiles is a file search utility that stands out through its direct, non-indexing approach. Instead of relying on a pre-built database (like the Windows index), it scans the file system in real-time based on user-defined parameters. This method has significant implications:

• Up-to-Date Results: Because it scans directly, SearchMyFiles always provides results based on the current state of the file system, crucial for finding newly created or recently modified files.
• Network Drive Searching: This approach is particularly beneficial for searching network drives or external media where Windows indexing might not be effective or enabled.
• Comprehensive Criteria: Users can define search parameters beyond just the filename. Criteria include wildcard patterns, file size (within a specified range), modification time, creation time, and file attributes (like hidden, read-only). This granularity allows for highly specific searches.
• Content Searching: A valuable feature is the ability to search *within* files for specific text strings. This goes beyond metadata search and can be invaluable for locating documents based on their content.
• Duplicate Finder: SearchMyFiles includes a robust duplicate file finder. Users can identify duplicate files based on file size, last modified time, or even content (byte-by-byte comparison). This can be a powerful tool for disk cleanup.
• Customizable Output: Search results are displayed in a clear, tabular format that can be heavily customized. Users can choose which columns to display, sort results by various criteria, and easily export the results to multiple formats (HTML, TXT, CSV, XML) for reporting or further processing.

Performance and Usability

Performance is a strong suit for SearchMyFiles. Despite not using an index, scans are generally quite fast, especially on SSDs. The initial scan of a large drive can take some time depending on the number of files and folders, but the real-time feedback means results begin to appear almost immediately.

The user interface is straightforward and functional. It presents a clear set of options for defining search parameters at the top, with the results displayed in a resizable pane below. While not graphically elaborate, it is intuitive and easy to navigate, even for users less familiar with advanced search options. The ability to save search settings allows for quick re-running of frequent queries.

Portability

A significant advantage of SearchMyFiles is its portability. It's a single executable file that doesn't require installation. This makes it exceptionally useful for:

• Running from a USB drive on different computers.
• Troubleshooting systems where standard search might be broken.
• Avoiding system changes or leaving traces on the host machine.

Comparison to Windows Search

SearchMyFiles offers distinct advantages over the default Windows search:

• Reliability: Less susceptible to issues related to a corrupted or incomplete Windows search index.
• Granular Control: Offers more detailed filtering options than the standard interface.
• Duplicate Finding: This functionality is not natively available in Windows Search.
• Portability: Windows Search is an integrated system component, not portable.

However, Windows Search does have the advantage of being integrated into the operating system and can sometimes provide faster results for frequently accessed files on indexed locations due to the optimization of its index.

Conclusion

SearchMyFiles proves to be a highly capable and reliable file search utility. Its non-indexing approach ensures accuracy and makes it effective in scenarios where indexed search falls short, such as on network drives. The inclusion of a comprehensive duplicate file finder adds significant value. Its portability and minimal resource usage make it an excellent tool for both everyday use and system maintenance tasks. While the interface is purely functional rather than modern, the power and flexibility it offers make it a valuable addition to any Windows user's toolkit, particularly for those who frequently need to perform detailed searches or manage duplicate files.