Windows Searches are Improved with 'Everything'

As great as Windows 7 is, the search doesn't quite measure up. For files located in regularly used folders such as Music, Downloads, Documents and Pictures, you can search straight from the search bar in the Start menu. For files in less used locations, you may have a hard time finding them. Unless a file is indexed, you must first wait for Windows to index the location before a search can be completed.

Indexing often takes a while, especially if you want to be able to search from the root directory, typically the C: drive. Personally, I miss a quick search in all locations like Windows XP had. Now, with Everything, bring fast searches to Windows 7.

What Is Everything

Instead of a fancy name, Everything is simply a search application that searches for any and everything on your computer. When you first install it, Everything quickly indexes all the files on your computer. When you're ready to search, open the program and search to your heart's content. The first indexing procedure will take the longest, but not as long as your operating system typically does.

Installing and Using

Visit Void Tools, the creator of Everything. Locate the installer at the bottom of the screen. It is compatible with Windows 2000 through Windows 7. The installer is incredibly small, which is perfect if you have a dial-up connection. The current version is only 334 KB.

Double click the installer to start the installation on your computer. Follow the prompts until you reach the Choose Components screen. The options checked by default are perfect for most users, but at this point you can customize the installation just a little. Choose your installation location next. Once again, the default is fine. The entire installation process takes less than two minutes.

At the very bottom of the Everything window, you'll see the scanning status. Until you see a listed number of objects appear and a list of folders in the main window, do not press any buttons in the program. This is the indexing portion. During my installation, the indexing process took less than a minute on a 500 GB hard drive, approximately half full.

The empty bar located under the menu is where you perform your search. Type your search term in the window. No need to press Enter. If you love how Google automatically delivers results as you type, you'll love Everything. With each letter you type, new results appear.

If you want to customize your search, see the Search and Tools menu. From the Search menu, you can choose whether to search based on case, path and whole word. In the Tools menu, you can also set up remote searching for searching your home computer from another PC.

The program itself is extremely basic, but performs as well as many of it's more advanced counterparts. The best part, it searches every single file on your computer, not just those Windows thinks are best.