Windows XP Search Doesn't Work With Source Files

The Problem

You want to search a directory of source code of any type (.c .cpp .php .js .as etc.) using the standard Windows search feature. You know that there should be results, but search comes back with no results. Ha ha, the joke is on you!

The Solution

In a fit of complete insanity, Microsoft chose to limit text searches to only a handful of known file extensions. Thankfully, this "option" can be turned off. Try the first method. If the option doesn't exist for you (it didn't for me) then try the second method. That should do it.

Method One

1. Right-click on the Start menu. Chose Search.
2. Click Change preferences and then With Indexing Service (I didn't have this option so I used Method Two)
3. Click Change Indexing Service Settings (Advanced)
4. Click Show/Hide Console Tree
5. Right-click Indexing Service on Local Machine and chose properties
6. Chose the Generation tab and then select the Index files with unknown extensions check box. Click OK
7. Close the console

Method Two

1. Open the registry editor by going to Start and then Run and typing runas.exe /user:admin regedit or just regedit if you're logged in as Administrator already
2. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlContentIndex
3. Find the value labeled FilterFilesWithUnknownExtensions and change it from a DWORD of 0 to 1

Even though it requires editing the registry, I prefer Method Two because it is more direct and the instructions are more likely to work with you