Windows 7 uses search index for searching the contents of your hard disk. This can significantly reduce the search time when you search for a file. But if a file is not indexed, and you try to search for it, then it will not display in the search results. You can turn off the search index so that you can search all the files on the hard disk. This is how you can turn off the search index in Windows :
- Open any folder.
- From the toolbar, select Organize → Folder and search options. This would open a Folder Options dialog box.
- Select the Search tab in the Folder Options dialog box.
- Check the checkbox labeled Don’t use the index when searching in files folder in system files.
- Click OK to save the settings.