About.com Rating

The Bottom Line

Windows Search 4.0 is a very helpful, easy-to-use file search tool to quickly locate files on your PC. It is fast, free and accurate, and should reduce the frustration of looking for one file in a sea of a thousand file folders. Windows Search 4.0 is well worth the time it takes to download and install.

Manufacturer's Site

Pros

• It’s fast
• It’s very easy to use
• It’s free

Cons

• You have to learn something new

• It indexes all files periodically; sometimes this can slow down PC performance
• Search results will not always show what you expect

Description

• Creates an index of all files for fast search results
• Identifies content for all file types
• Works seemlessly with Windows XP and Vista

Guide Review - A Review of Windows Search 4.0 From Microsoft

What’s Great About Windows Search 4.0

If you are like me, you have hundreds, perhaps thousands of files and emails on your computer. The question is: “How the heck do I find what I am looking for?”

Enter Windows Search 4.0. I have used this tool for several months. Windows Search, once installed on a computer, puts a Search Desktop field in the toolbar at the bottom of the screen. Performing a search utilizing this program is truly painless.

Fast and Easy
Windows Search 4.0 is easy to download, install and use. Once installed, the program indexes your computer files to create a quick reference. To find a file, you enter a search term in the toolbar field and press enter.

A window opens with the search results that you can scroll through or limit to certain types of files. It is just that fast and easy.

If you can’t find what you are looking for on your PC, use the same search term and click the Web button in the Search Results window. Your favorite browser will open and display a results list.
Free
To get the correct version for your computer, go to Microsoft’s website [embed URL in website]. It is free, provided that you have a genuine copy of XP or Vista on your computer.

What Could Be Better

You have to learn something new
Like any new application, Windows Search has a learning curve, albeit a short one.
File Indexing Can Slow PC Performance
Periodically, Windows Search re-indexes all the files on your computer. It works in the background and can slow down overall PC performance. However, you can pause the indexing feature and get back any performance lost.
Search Results Will Not Always Show What You Expect
When the Search results window opens, it shows you all results for every file type - Sometimes that’s too much information and there are too many files to scroll through. However, you can select specific file types to narrow down the choices.

Manufacturer's Site