searching old Microsoft word files for text string

[Guest windsurferLA]

Every once in a while I need to retrieve information that I know exists

somewhere on the hard drive of my machine in an old Microsoft Word2.0

file. My tests seem to indicate that both with WinXP/SR2 and Copernic

search functions no longer find text strings within the old Word2.0

files. How might I identify a file containing the desired text string?

Speed is not an issue, as I can let the machine search all night long.

 

Windsurfer LA

[Guest 3c273]

Re: searching old Microsoft word files for text string

 

There is a freeware program called Agent Ransack that will do what you want.

Google it.

Louis

 

"windsurferLA" <ps144nyc@yahoo.com> wrote in message

news:47ea7e93$0$1085$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...

> Every once in a while I need to retrieve information that I know exists

> somewhere on the hard drive of my machine in an old Microsoft Word2.0

> file. My tests seem to indicate that both with WinXP/SR2 and Copernic

> search functions no longer find text strings within the old Word2.0

> files. How might I identify a file containing the desired text string?

> Speed is not an issue, as I can let the machine search all night long.

>

> Windsurfer LA

[Guest Bob]

Re: searching old Microsoft word files for text string

 

FINDSTR-Windows Command

http://webtools.live2support.com/windows/findstr.php

 

-------

*Report back, please*

[When responding to posts, please include the post(s) you are replying to so

that others may learn and benefit from the issue]

 

[How to ask a question]

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375

 

"windsurferLA" <ps144nyc@yahoo.com> wrote in message

news:47ea7e93$0$1085$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...

> Every once in a while I need to retrieve information that I know exists

> somewhere on the hard drive of my machine in an old Microsoft Word2.0

> file. My tests seem to indicate that both with WinXP/SR2 and Copernic

> search functions no longer find text strings within the old Word2.0 files.

> How might I identify a file containing the desired text string? Speed is

> not an issue, as I can let the machine search all night long.

>

> Windsurfer LA

[Guest windsurferLA]

Re: searching old Microsoft word files for text string

 

 

Thanks for suggestion. My recollection is that I have tried Ransack in

the past, but took it off my machine because of an incompatibility

problem. Another person suggested the windows FindStr utility. I expect

it is much much much slower, but unlike Ransack, it does not use

computer resources when it is not needed. Given my infrequent need to

search old files, I'm going to try it first.

 

3c273 wrote:

> There is a freeware program called Agent Ransack that will do what you want.

> Google it.

> Louis

>

> "windsurferLA" <ps144nyc@yahoo.com> wrote in message

> news:47ea7e93$0$1085$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...

>> Every once in a while I need to retrieve information that I know exists

>> somewhere on the hard drive of my machine in an old Microsoft Word2.0

>> file. My tests seem to indicate that both with WinXP/SR2 and Copernic

>> search functions no longer find text strings within the old Word2.0

>> files. How might I identify a file containing the desired text string?

>> Speed is not an issue, as I can let the machine search all night long.

>>

>> Windsurfer LA

>

>

[Guest windsurferLA]

Re: searching old Microsoft word files for text string

 

Thanks for the suggestion.

 

I was unaware of the Microsoft Windows Find String capability. Given my

infrequent need for searching old files, the fact that it is undoubtedly

slow to search is not a problem.

 

Another person suggested Agent Ransack; I know I tried Agent Ransack and

that for some reason I decided to remove it from my machine, possibly

due to a software conflict.

 

Windsurfer LA

 

 

Bob wrote:

> FINDSTR-Windows Command

> http://webtools.live2support.com/windows/findstr.php

>

> -------

> *Report back, please*

> [When responding to posts, please include the post(s) you are replying

> to so that others may learn and benefit from the issue]

>

> [How to ask a question]

> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375

>

> "windsurferLA" <ps144nyc@yahoo.com> wrote in message

> news:47ea7e93$0$1085$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...

>> Every once in a while I need to retrieve information that I know

>> exists somewhere on the hard drive of my machine in an old Microsoft

>> Word2.0 file. My tests seem to indicate that both with WinXP/SR2 and

>> Copernic search functions no longer find text strings within the old

>> Word2.0 files. How might I identify a file containing the desired text

>> string? Speed is not an issue, as I can let the machine search all

>> night long.

>>

>> Windsurfer LA

>

[Guest Bob]

Re: searching old Microsoft word files for text string

 

You're welcome.

 

"windsurferLA" <ps144nyc@yahoo.com> wrote in message

news:47efd03c$0$6515$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...

> Thanks for the suggestion.

>

> I was unaware of the Microsoft Windows Find String capability. Given my

> infrequent need for searching old files, the fact that it is undoubtedly

> slow to search is not a problem.

>

> Another person suggested Agent Ransack; I know I tried Agent Ransack and

> that for some reason I decided to remove it from my machine, possibly due

> to a software conflict.

>

> Windsurfer LA

>

>

> Bob wrote:

>> FINDSTR-Windows Command

>> http://webtools.live2support.com/windows/findstr.php

>>

>> -------

>> *Report back, please*

>> [When responding to posts, please include the post(s) you are replying to

>> so that others may learn and benefit from the issue]

>>

>> [How to ask a question]

>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375

>>

>> "windsurferLA" <ps144nyc@yahoo.com> wrote in message

>> news:47ea7e93$0$1085$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...

>>> Every once in a while I need to retrieve information that I know exists

>>> somewhere on the hard drive of my machine in an old Microsoft Word2.0

>>> file. My tests seem to indicate that both with WinXP/SR2 and Copernic

>>> search functions no longer find text strings within the old Word2.0

>>> files. How might I identify a file containing the desired text string?

>>> Speed is not an issue, as I can let the machine search all night long.

>>>

>>> Windsurfer LA

>>

[Guest windsurferLA]

Re: searching old Microsoft word files for text string

 

Bob ... need a little more HELP... if possible...

 

You suggested using Microsoft Windows Command "FindStr " to find text in

an old Microsoft Word file that is not searched by the WinXP search tool.

 

I've used it and it does indeed find items on C:\ drive.

I need to be able to search my USB ported Q:\ drive

 

All these variations of the syntax still bring up the - can't find drive

- error message

/d:Q /d:Q, /d:"Q" /d: Q,

 

I also just noted that in one help file, Microsoft says that multiple

directories should be separated by a comma, while other sources say

multiple directories should be separated by a semicolon, so using a

comma after the drive letter may be inappropriate.

 

DO YOU KNOW; (1) Am I using the wrong syntax, or (2) will that function

not work with USB ported drives ??? I suspect I have syntax problem,

but my Google searches for formating examples have not been successful.

 

Thanks in advance for help.

Windsurfer

 

Bob wrote:

> You're welcome.

>

> "windsurferLA" <ps144nyc@yahoo.com> wrote in message

> news:47efd03c$0$6515$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...

>> Thanks for the suggestion.

>>

>> I was unaware of the Microsoft Windows Find String capability. Given

>> my infrequent need for searching old files, the fact that it is

>> undoubtedly slow to search is not a problem.

>>

>> Another person suggested Agent Ransack; I know I tried Agent Ransack

>> and that for some reason I decided to remove it from my machine,

>> possibly due to a software conflict.

>>

>> Windsurfer LA

>>

>>

>> Bob wrote:

>>> FINDSTR-Windows Command

>>> http://webtools.live2support.com/windows/findstr.php

>>>

>>> -------

>>> *Report back, please*

>>> [When responding to posts, please include the post(s) you are

>>> replying to so that others may learn and benefit from the issue]

>>>

>>> [How to ask a question]

>>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375

>>>

>>> "windsurferLA" <ps144nyc@yahoo.com> wrote in message

>>> news:47ea7e93$0$1085$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...

>>>> Every once in a while I need to retrieve information that I know

>>>> exists somewhere on the hard drive of my machine in an old Microsoft

>>>> Word2.0 file. My tests seem to indicate that both with WinXP/SR2

>>>> and Copernic search functions no longer find text strings within the

>>>> old Word2.0 files. How might I identify a file containing the

>>>> desired text string? Speed is not an issue, as I can let the machine

>>>> search all night long.

>>>>

>>>> Windsurfer LA

>>>

>

[Guest Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Re: searching old Microsoft word files for text string

 

The syntax would be

 

findstr "supercalifragilistic" Q:\SomeFile.doc

 

However . . . many text search programs fail to pick up

strings that are coded in "Unicode". I think that both find.exe

and findstr.exe belong to this class. To get around the problem

I wrote myself a little VB Script command line program that

will find just about anything in any file on any drive. If you don't

get anywhere with standard Windows tools then I'll let you

have a copy. Post a suitably disguised EMail address if you

wish to test it.

 

 

"windsurferLA" <ps144nyc@yahoo.com> wrote in message

news:47f10a3d$0$30554$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...

> Bob ... need a little more HELP... if possible...

>

> You suggested using Microsoft Windows Command "FindStr " to find text in

> an old Microsoft Word file that is not searched by the WinXP search tool.

>

> I've used it and it does indeed find items on C:\ drive.

> I need to be able to search my USB ported Q:\ drive

>

> All these variations of the syntax still bring up the - can't find drive -

> error message

> /d:Q /d:Q, /d:"Q" /d: Q,

>

> I also just noted that in one help file, Microsoft says that multiple

> directories should be separated by a comma, while other sources say

> multiple directories should be separated by a semicolon, so using a comma

> after the drive letter may be inappropriate.

>

> DO YOU KNOW; (1) Am I using the wrong syntax, or (2) will that function

> not work with USB ported drives ??? I suspect I have syntax problem,

> but my Google searches for formating examples have not been successful.

>

> Thanks in advance for help.

> Windsurfer

[Guest Bob]

Re: searching old Microsoft word files for text string

 

 

 

--

-------

*Report back, please*

[When responding to posts, please include the post(s) you are replying to so

that others may learn and benefit from the issue]

 

[How to ask a question]

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375

 

"windsurferLA" <ps144nyc@yahoo.com> wrote in message

news:47f10a3d$0$30554$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...

> Bob ... need a little more HELP... if possible...

>

> You suggested using Microsoft Windows Command "FindStr " to find text in

> an old Microsoft Word file that is not searched by the WinXP search tool.

>

> I've used it and it does indeed find items on C:\ drive.

> I need to be able to search my USB ported Q:\ drive

>

> All these variations of the syntax still bring up the - can't find drive -

> error message

> /d:Q /d:Q, /d:"Q" /d: Q,

>

> I also just noted that in one help file, Microsoft says that multiple

> directories should be separated by a comma, while other sources say

> multiple directories should be separated by a semicolon, so using a comma

> after the drive letter may be inappropriate.

>

> DO YOU KNOW; (1) Am I using the wrong syntax, or (2) will that function

> not work with USB ported drives ??? I suspect I have syntax problem,

> but my Google searches for formating examples have not been successful.

>

> Thanks in advance for help.

> Windsurfer

>

> Bob wrote:

>> You're welcome.

>>

>> "windsurferLA" <ps144nyc@yahoo.com> wrote in message

>> news:47efd03c$0$6515$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...

>>> Thanks for the suggestion.

>>>

>>> I was unaware of the Microsoft Windows Find String capability. Given my

>>> infrequent need for searching old files, the fact that it is undoubtedly

>>> slow to search is not a problem.

>>>

>>> Another person suggested Agent Ransack; I know I tried Agent Ransack and

>>> that for some reason I decided to remove it from my machine, possibly

>>> due to a software conflict.

>>>

>>> Windsurfer LA

>>>

>>>

>>> Bob wrote:

>>>> FINDSTR-Windows Command

>>>> http://webtools.live2support.com/windows/findstr.php

>>>>

>>>> -------

>>>> *Report back, please*

>>>> [When responding to posts, please include the post(s) you are replying

>>>> to so that others may learn and benefit from the issue]

>>>>

>>>> [How to ask a question]

>>>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375

>>>>

>>>> "windsurferLA" <ps144nyc@yahoo.com> wrote in message

>>>> news:47ea7e93$0$1085$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...

>>>>> Every once in a while I need to retrieve information that I know

>>>>> exists somewhere on the hard drive of my machine in an old Microsoft

>>>>> Word2.0 file. My tests seem to indicate that both with WinXP/SR2 and

>>>>> Copernic search functions no longer find text strings within the old

>>>>> Word2.0 files. How might I identify a file containing the desired text

>>>>> string? Speed is not an issue, as I can let the machine search all

>>>>> night long.

>>>>>

>>>>> Windsurfer LA

>>>>

>>

[Guest Bob]

Re: searching old Microsoft word files for text string

 

At a command prompt type Q: and press Enter.

-------

*Report back, please*

[When responding to posts, please include the post(s) you are replying to so

that others may learn and benefit from the issue]

 

[How to ask a question]

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375

 

"windsurferLA" <ps144nyc@yahoo.com> wrote in message

news:47f10a3d$0$30554$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...

> Bob ... need a little more HELP... if possible...

>

> You suggested using Microsoft Windows Command "FindStr " to find text in

> an old Microsoft Word file that is not searched by the WinXP search tool.

>

> I've used it and it does indeed find items on C:\ drive.

> I need to be able to search my USB ported Q:\ drive

>

> All these variations of the syntax still bring up the - can't find drive -

> error message

> /d:Q /d:Q, /d:"Q" /d: Q,

>

> I also just noted that in one help file, Microsoft says that multiple

> directories should be separated by a comma, while other sources say

> multiple directories should be separated by a semicolon, so using a comma

> after the drive letter may be inappropriate.

>

> DO YOU KNOW; (1) Am I using the wrong syntax, or (2) will that function

> not work with USB ported drives ??? I suspect I have syntax problem,

> but my Google searches for formating examples have not been successful.

>

> Thanks in advance for help.

> Windsurfer

>

> Bob wrote:

>> You're welcome.

>>

>> "windsurferLA" <ps144nyc@yahoo.com> wrote in message

>> news:47efd03c$0$6515$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...

>>> Thanks for the suggestion.

>>>

>>> I was unaware of the Microsoft Windows Find String capability. Given my

>>> infrequent need for searching old files, the fact that it is undoubtedly

>>> slow to search is not a problem.

>>>

>>> Another person suggested Agent Ransack; I know I tried Agent Ransack and

>>> that for some reason I decided to remove it from my machine, possibly

>>> due to a software conflict.

>>>

>>> Windsurfer LA

>>>

>>>

>>> Bob wrote:

>>>> FINDSTR-Windows Command

>>>> http://webtools.live2support.com/windows/findstr.php

>>>>

>>>> -------

>>>> *Report back, please*

>>>> [When responding to posts, please include the post(s) you are replying

>>>> to so that others may learn and benefit from the issue]

>>>>

>>>> [How to ask a question]

>>>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375

>>>>

>>>> "windsurferLA" <ps144nyc@yahoo.com> wrote in message

>>>> news:47ea7e93$0$1085$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...

>>>>> Every once in a while I need to retrieve information that I know

>>>>> exists somewhere on the hard drive of my machine in an old Microsoft

>>>>> Word2.0 file. My tests seem to indicate that both with WinXP/SR2 and

>>>>> Copernic search functions no longer find text strings within the old

>>>>> Word2.0 files. How might I identify a file containing the desired text

>>>>> string? Speed is not an issue, as I can let the machine search all

>>>>> night long.

>>>>>

>>>>> Windsurfer LA

>>>>

>>

[Guest Bill Sharpe]

Re: searching old Microsoft word files for text string

 

windsurferLA wrote:

>

> Thanks for suggestion. My recollection is that I have tried Ransack in

> the past, but took it off my machine because of an incompatibility

> problem. Another person suggested the windows FindStr utility. I expect

> it is much much much slower, but unlike Ransack, it does not use

> computer resources when it is not needed. Given my infrequent need to

> search old files, I'm going to try it first.

>

> 3c273 wrote:

>> There is a freeware program called Agent Ransack that will do what you

>> want.

>> Google it.

>> Louis

>>

>> "windsurferLA" <ps144nyc@yahoo.com> wrote in message

>> news:47ea7e93$0$1085$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...

>>> Every once in a while I need to retrieve information that I know exists

>>> somewhere on the hard drive of my machine in an old Microsoft Word2.0

>>> file. My tests seem to indicate that both with WinXP/SR2 and Copernic

>>> search functions no longer find text strings within the old Word2.0

>>> files. How might I identify a file containing the desired text string?

>>> Speed is not an issue, as I can let the machine search all night long.

>>>

>>> Windsurfer LA

>>

>>

I've been using Agent Ransack for several years. It's much faster and

more comprehensive than Windows Search. It doesn't run in the background

at all as far as I can tell.

 

Bill