Windows Search Help Please

murphydavid

When I use windows search it refuses to display previews of microsoft files like .doc and .xls. I think this is because I installed MS Office 2010 Beta trial then uninstalled it and put back my MS office XL (2002 version). I have unistalled windows search 4 and re installed it but that did not cure it.
Any help please?

victor2

It's probably your default program settings. Fixing it is pretty easy but varies with different versions of Windows. Which version are you using?

murphydavid

victor2 wrote: »

It's probably your default program settings. Fixing it is pretty easy but varies with different versions of Windows. Which version are you using?

Windows XP SP3.

Ah I noticed I said that my office version was XL but I meant XP as well.
I'm pretty sure my default is correct because if I double click on a .doc file in windows explorer it happily opens directly into Microsoft word XP (2002). etc.

Further info.

If I use windows search to find a word it finds all of the .doc files that contain that word but when I click on one it comes up with a box that says "Error the operating system is not presently configured to run this application" (and the icon representing the box in the toolbar is that for MS Word 10 beta). In windows search the preview window says " generating preview" which after some times changes to "unable to display preview". But if I double click on one of the found files it opens fine in MS word XP (2002). Its only the preview that is missing and only for microsoft's own files. Very irritating as I don't want to open every document till I find the one I want.

victor2

Try this...

Search for an existing document.
In the search results window, right click on the document and select Open with...
You should have a list of programmes, which includes Office/Word XP.
Select Office XP and check the "Always use the selected..." box.
Click OK, then see if that fixes the problem.

murphydavid

victor2 wrote: »

Try this...

Search for an existing document.
In the search results window, right click on the document and select Open with...
You should have a list of programmes, which includes Office/Word XP.
Select Office XP and check the "Always use the selected..." box.
Click OK, then see if that fixes the problem.

Thanks - Did that except can't check the "Always use the selected..." because it does not come up because word XP is already the program that opens it. I was careful to select "open with" but in this case it does exactly the same as "open" in both windows explorer and windows search. Afraid it did not solve it.

Thanks again

victor2

Just noticed in your first post you mention it not displaying "previews". What exactly do you mean by that? Maybe I misunderstood you when I thought of the default program. If you open a file found in the search window, does it open with the currently installed version of Office?

murphydavid

victor2 wrote: »

Just noticed in your first post you mention it not displaying "previews". What exactly do you mean by that? Maybe I misunderstood you when I thought of the default program. If you open a file found in the search window, does it open with the currently installed version of Office?

Windows search (actually at this stage "windows search 4") for XP is the program by microsoft that on updating windows XP fully; replaces the original "Dog" search thingy in windows explorer with an indexing search that now sits in the toolbar at the bottom of windows desktop. When the full search is open it has two windows one is the list of files found and the other a quick preview of any file highlighted in the other window. That is the preview I refer to that does not display. If I double click a file found in the search window it does open with the currently installed version of Office OK. It is only the preview that does not display.

victor2

Thanks, I understand now. It's not a tool I have any experience with, but wouldn't be surprised if it hasn't hooked itself into the trial Office you had via the registry, so that even an uninstall and re-install doesn't change it.
Maybe somebody else can come up with a suggestion for getting it working.