[SOLVED] Why is file explorer not searching hidden folders in the users folder (Windows 10)?

[Rodion15]

Please pay attention: (shown in picture)

I've put a file in:
C:\Users\jorge\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office\UnsavedFiles\

and the same file in:
C:\Users\anton\Documents

When I do a File Explorer search for this file in the users folder (c:\users) or inside a user's folder (such as c:\users\anton), it finds the file in Documents, but not in the AppData folder.

Yet, if I do the same search in C: it returns both files.
By the way: the Appdata folder is in the list of folders not to index.

Same result in 2 different computers in 1903 and after updating to 1909

Any help much appreciated

 

[Colif]

Have you tried rebuilding the search index?

Some of the fixes here might help - https://support.microsoft.com/en-au/help/4520146/fix-problems-in-windows-search - try resetting windows search (last suggestion here)

 

[pmjm]

There is a known bug that totally borks File Explorer search in 1909. Go back to 1903 or wait for the next patch.

You could also try Voidtools Everything, which imho is a superior desktop search experience.

 

[Rodion15]

There is a known bug that totally borks File Explorer search in 1909. Go back to 1903 or wait for the next patch.

You could also try Voidtools Everything, which imho is a superior desktop search experience.

This is happening in 1903 and 1909 and on different computers, it'll happen to you as well I guess. I've corrected my post (added the right picture).

To understand what I mean, just try this yourself:
Put a file in the appdata folder > go to your user folder: such as C:\Users\anton > while in your user's folder, do a search for the file. You'll probably have the same situation, it won't be found (this happened to me in two different computers). I'd like to know why.

 

[USAFRet]

"anton" and "jorge" are two different users.
They generally do not have access to each others data. This is by design.

 

[ex_bubblehead]

In addition, the "users" directory is not, by design, someplace that you are supposed to be poking around. Bad things happen to those that do.

 

[USAFRet]

In other additions...
C:\Users\jorge\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office\UnsavedFiles\

'Unsaved' files within the Office ecosystem are a whole different thing, and almost certainly not indexed for search results.

 

[Rodion15]

In other additions...
C:\Users\jorge\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office\UnsavedFiles\

'Unsaved' files within the Office ecosystem are a whole different thing, and almost certainly not indexed for search results.

...sorry, what do you mean? a search should return hits whether the file is indexed or not, Appdata is not being indexed as I said. As a technician, I count on searches on a user's folder to work. I wonder if this is a bug?

 

[USAFRet]

...sorry, what do you mean? a search should return hits whether the file is indexed or not, Appdata is not being indexed as I said. As a technician, I count on searches on a user's folder to work. I wonder if this is a bug?

Indexed or not, not everything or every location is searchable. Especially within "Unsaved files".
Why would you expect to find something in there?

 

[Rodion15]

I have no explanation for this yet, other files in hidden folders in the home folder are searchable, but not in Appdata for some reason (on any W10 computer I tried)

 

[Rodion15]

Indexed or not, not everything or every location is searchable. Especially within "Unsaved files".
Why would you expect to find something in there?

"Why would you expect to find something in there? ":
well, as a technician I looked for a file that was in Appdata, why not?

 

[imk123]

I use FileSearchEX really nice file searching util

 

[Ralston18]

Unsaved file folder: if I understand correctly that is where Microsoft/Office saves files that have not been saved by the applicable user.

Compare the file properties of the two saved files.

However, I am wondering if there is some bias in your putting files there versus the OS doing so.

I did a bit of research ("unsaved files") and there are a number of other settings involved.

E.g.:

https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/recover-unsaved-ms-word-2010-document-seconds/

Does not explain per se why the File explorer searches do not work but it seems that much more may be involved.

 

[Rodion15]

Please pay attention: (shown in picture)

I've put a file in:
C:\Users\jorge\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office\UnsavedFiles\

and the same file in:
C:\Users\anton\Documents

When I do a File Explorer search for this file in the users folder (c:\users) or inside a user's folder (such as c:\users\anton), it finds the file in Documents, but not in the AppData folder.

Yet, if I do the same search in C: it returns both files.
By the way: the searched folder is in the list of folders not to index.

Same result in 2 different computers in 1903 and after updating to 1909

Any help much appreciated

Please pay attention: (shown in picture)

I've put a file in:
C:\Users\jorge\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office\UnsavedFiles\

and the same file in:
C:\Users\anton\Documents

When I do a File Explorer search for this file in the users folder (c:\users) or inside a user's folder (such as c:\users\anton), it finds the file in Documents, but not in the AppData folder.

Yet, if I do the same search in C: it returns both files.
By the way: the Appdata folder is in the list of folders not to index.

Same result in 2 different computers in 1903 and after updating to 1909

Any help much appreciated

I found why this is happening, it's quite simple (sorry all of you that wasted your time on this, thanks for your help):
If you search within a non-indexed folder (such as C:\, AppData, etc), Windows will search everything inside, including inner folders, whether they're indexed or not and It won't use the index at all, judging by the time it takes to find an indexed file such as in Documents.
Yet, when you search within an indexed location, such as C:\users, c:\users\anton etc, Windows will not search non-indexed locations. This is why the same file is found when searched from Appdata or C:\ (both of which are not indexed) and thus Windows will do a thorough non-indexed search, but not when searched from C:\users\jorge, which is an indexed location, thus Windows will just look at the index.