How to search for files in Windows 7+ like you could in Windows XP?

Question

I have a couple questions about searching for files on Windows 7. I find the XP method much easier than this new Windows 7 search. Note: I am only concerned about finding files whose names match a search term, not all files containing the search term.

• Is there a way to search just by filename? When I use the search it seems to be searching within files and returning instances where the name of the file is used. Example: I have a whole web directory and want to find the javascript files. But if I enter myjavascript.js in the search, it also returns all the html files which reference the javascript file. This is both slow and difficult to actually find the reference to the file.

• Is there a way to search for an exact match? The search seems to implicitly use wildcards. For instance, say I have a bunch of files in a folder: file1.txt, file11.txt, file12.txt, and file13.txt. If I enter file1.txt in the searcher it returns instances as if I were using a wild card file1*.txt.

Answer 1

You can use PowerShell or DOS =)

Answer 2

You could take a look at some third party search engine's. Just Google something like Windows 7 Search replacement.

http://goffconcepts.com/products/filesearchex/

Answer 3

I too miss the days of XP search. Still, try Everything Search.

Freeware, runs on Windows 2000, XP, 2003 and Vista and Windows 7.

Also, from the FaQ:

1.3 Does Everything search file contents?

No, "Everything" does not search file contents, only file and folder names.

Answer 4

I believe that the answer to (at least) the first part of your question is to type filename:myjavascript.js into the search box. As to the second part, what happens if you type filename:"file1.txt" (i.e., enclose the filename in quotation marks)?