Hello: Using XP now; used to use 2000. With 2000, an Explorer file search would find selected text among the machine language in non-text files. A similar search in Explorer provided in XP will only search out text in files that are purely text (txt, ini, etc.) even when you specify "search all files." I have tried every possible setting. What have I missed? Thank you. oldfg

ok try this.. when u goto the search thing clikc all files and folders.. then type ur search text in the "A word or phrase in the file" try that...

that's what I did. It will not find "a word or phrase..." in a non-text file. I confirmed that text existed in a file in the folder where I was searching by opening that non-text file in Notepad. Most of the file was machine language --represented in Notepad as little squares-- but you could see text every once in a while amongst the machine language. The XP version of Explorer could not detect this text in a search of that folder. --oldfg

First the preface: Searching for files and folders in Windows XP Windows offers a number of ways to find files and folders. Search Companion offers the most direct way to locate a file. Use Search Companion if you are looking for common file types, if you remember all or part of the name of the file or folder you want to find, or if you know when you last changed a file. If you know only part of the name, you can use wildcard characters to locate all files or folders that include that part in the name. For example, *letter.* will find Holiday letter.doc, Special letter.doc, and Special letter.txt. Windows Explorer provides a quick way to see all the files and folders on your computer, and it is also a good way to copy or move files from one folder to another. Use Windows Explorer if you know where the file or folder is located. My Computer provides a simpler view of the folders on your computer. Use My Computer if you want to work with a number of files in one folder, or if you want to reorganize the contents of a folder by creating new subfolders or renaming subfolders. My Network Places provides a view of all the shared computers, files and folders, printers, and other resources on the network to which your computer is connected. My Network Places presents a view of the network similar to the view of your computer presented by Windows Explorer. Use My Network Places when you want to see all the resources available on the network, when you know where the resource you want is located, or when you want to copy files and folders from one network location to another. ********************************************* To search for a file or folder 1. Click Start, point to Search, and then click For Files or Folders. 2. Click All files and folders. Important If you do not see All files and folders, you have probably changed your default search behavior. a). Click Change preferences. b). Click Change files and folders search behavior. c). Click Standard, and then click OK. d). Click All files and folders. 3. Type part or all of the name of the file or folder, or type a word or phrase that is in the file. 4. If you do not know either piece of information or want to narrow your search further, select one or more of the remaining options: a) In Look in, click the drive, folder, or network you want to search. b) Click When was it modified? to look for files that were created or modified on or between specific dates. c) Click What size is it? to look for files of a specific size. d) Click More advanced options to specify additional search criteria. 5. Click Search. Notes If you get too many results, try using additional search criteria to make your search more specific. ********************************************* To search for a specific type of file When you know the type of file you are looking for, such as a picture file, you can quickly search for all files of that type by using Search Companion. 1. Click Start, point to Search, and then click For Files or Folders. 2. Click Pictures, music, or video or Documents (word processing, spreadsheet, etc.), depending on the type of file you want to find. Important If you do not see Pictures, music, or video or Documents (word processing, spreadsheet, etc.), you have probably changed your default search behavior. a) Click Change preferences. b) Click Change files and folders search behavior. c) Click Standard, and then click OK. d) Click Pictures, music, or video or Documents (word processing, spreadsheet, etc.). Click the appropriate search criteria, type all or part of the name of the file (if you know it), and then click Search.

Thanks a lot for your thoughts. The answer arrived from a posting in the newsgroup microsoft.public.windowsxp.general. A little program free to download at: http://www.mythicsoft.com/agentransack/default.aspx This program can search folders of binary files for files with selected text. --oldfg