9

If you haven't heard of Everything, I can't recommend it enough. It will index all of your files in seconds and search through them in the blink of an eye.

Everything only works on local NTFS volumes, though. Is there anything like this that searches network shares?

I have a SAN that I want to do crazy searches through. We're talking terabytes of data. What do you use?

1
  • 1
    This question should not have been closed. Apr 15, 2023 at 10:08

3 Answers 3

7

For search volumes of that size, I've used a Google Search Appliance. They can be expensive, but they are very customizable and they do an incredible job of indexing things. As a bonus, it will not only index file shares, but you can point it at web resources as well for indexing.

11

Actually, Everything Search can search on the network, but you have to create a file list yourself.

Go to Tools -> File List Editor Click Edit -> Add folder --> here, select a shared folder on the network and hit OK. Everything Search might freeze and it might take from 1 to 10 minutes or longer to create a list so be patient.

When you see files in the list editor, click File -> Save As... - and save the file somewhere.

Close the File List Editor, in Everything Search main window, click Tools -> Options, from the left hand menu select Indexes --> File Lists, click Add button, select the file that you saved previously, Apply settings and that's it.

From now on when you search it will display results from the network as well.

Update: You can automate the file list creation and schedule it with Windows Task Scheduler. Just create a BAT file with the following:

"C:\Program Files\Everything\Everything.exe" -create-filelist C:\file_lists\filelist.efu S:\

Modify the code above to save the file list where you want (C:\file_lists\filelist.efu) and specify your own drive to index (S:/).

Then in Task Scheduler create new task to open this BAT file for example once a day.

Then make sure you point Everything search to the file you create with BAT file. (Tools -> Options, from the left hand menu select Indexes --> File Lists, click Add button, select the file (C:\file_lists\filelist.efu), Apply settings)

2
  • 2
    @Mike This does not work for me. The mapped drive does not show up in my Browse for Folder window. Only local volumes show up. Any idea why? Aug 11, 2018 at 21:35
  • No need to save the files, and rescanning of the network drive can be done automatically. The only thing you need is to add the folder. They are usually under network.
    – Ajasja
    Feb 1 at 11:55
4

LAN Search Pro will search Windows shares in an entire domain, workgroup, or server.

1
  • 2
    Does not build an index as it searches. Not good if you don't know exactly what are you searching for Dec 7, 2013 at 9:19

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .