In Windows, how do I locate a file if I know its name or its contents?

To locate a file with a known name or known contents in Windows 95, 98, NT, 2000, or XP:

Note: The Windows XP default desktop view and Start menu are different from the Windows Classic View (e.g., in Windows 2000). Therefore, navigating to certain items can be different. In the interest of broad applicability, most Knowledge Base instructions assume you are using Classic View. For information about switching your Windows XP default view to Classic View, see In Windows XP, how do I switch to the Windows Classic View, Classic theme, or Classic Control Panel?

1. From the Start menu, select either Search or Find, and then Files or Folders... or For files or folders... . A dialog box titled Search Results (Windows 2000 and XP) or Find: All Files (Windows 95, 98, and NT) will appear.
   
   
2. In the resulting dialog box, in Windows XP, click All files and folders. Then, in the "All or part of the file name" field (Windows XP), the "Search for files or folders named:" field (Windows 2000), or the "Named:" field (Windows 95, 98, and NT), type the name of the file you want to locate. Alternatively, in the "A word or phrase in the file" or the "Containing text:" field, you can enter search terms based on the file's content.

   Note: You may use wildcard characters in place of text of which you are unsure. For information about using wildcards, see What is a wildcard, and how can I use it?

3. In the "Look in:" field, click the arrow to display a drop-down menu from which you can choose a drive or folder to search. Select the drive to search. To search all your hard drives and mapped network drives, choose My Computer.
   
   
4. Click Search (Windows XP), Search Now (Windows 2000), or Find Now (Windows 95, 98, and NT).

Note: If you want to include hidden files in your search returns, you must specifically instruct Windows to look for them. See In Windows, how do I view hidden files? (Windows XP also allows you to indicate this in the Search Options window itself; see the Windows XP heading below.)

You can further restrict or direct your search using the instructions below for your operating system.

Windows XP

In the Search Results window, the down arrows beside "When was it modified?" allow you to search for files recently accessed. Similarly, the down arrows beside "What size is it?" allow you to search for files of certain size ranges. Under "More advanced options", you can specify the type of file, whether or not to search system and hidden folders, whether or not to look in subfolders, and additional options.

Windows 2000

From the bottom of the left panel in the Search Results window, you will see a section titled "Search Options <<" containing checkboxes that expand when you click them:

• Select the Date checkbox and from the drop-down menu beneath the checkbox, select files Modified, files Created, or files Last Accessed.

  You can then select the top or bottom radio buttons titled in the last to specify months or days. Alternatively, to indicate a time range, select between, and then specify your range using the drop-down menus.

• Select the Type checkbox and from the drop-down menu, choose a type for the file you want to locate.
  
  
• Select the Size checkbox, and from the left drop-down menu, choose at least or at most. Then use the up and down arrows in the right menu to indicate a file size in kilobytes.
  
  
• Select the Advanced Options checkbox to make further selections to Search Subfolders, perform a Case sensitive search, or Search slow files.

Windows 95, 98, and NT

The Advanced tab

• Beside "Of type:", click the arrow to display a drop-down menu from which you can choose a file type for the file you want to locate.
  
  
• Beside "Size is:" are two arrowed menus. In the left drop-down menu, click the arrow and select At least or At most. Then in the arrowed field to the right, click the arrows to specify a file size in kilobytes.

The Date tab

• The radio button for All files is the default selection. However, you can change that to Find all files, and make a selection from the drop-down menu to the right, indicating Modified, Created, or Last accessed.
  
  
• You can select the radio button for between and then make selections from the drop-down menus to specify a time range for the file you want to locate.
  
  
• You can also select the top or bottom radio button, both labeled during the previous, to indicate months or days.

Also see:

• In Windows, how can I prevent a program from starting automatically?
• In Windows, how can I see or print a list of all my directories and files?
• In applications written for Windows, how do I open a document when I don't know where I saved it?
• In Windows, when trying to execute a program, why do I receive the message "Drive or network connection that the shortcut refers to is unavailable"?