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OSX Finder Search SUCKS. HELP.

C

cyanbaby101

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 22, 2020
17
0
It's pretty amazing that I even need to ask this, but how do I search a file name in finder and have it actually search all content on my computer like it should? Regardless of hidden or location etc. It just gives me results on whatever it feel like depending on what I have selected. So annoying.

Just a SEARCH ALL seems so difficult for mac. Would make uninstalling applications so much easier. How??

Thanks in advance

Running Mojave
 

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Agreed. I often search for "ABCD.jpeg" and it shows no results, whilst I can have another Finder window open showing that exact file in place.

Conversely I can sometimes have the exact opposite problem where I search "ABCD.jpeg" and it overanalyses every file and throws up irrelevant folders from Application Support.
 
cyanbaby101 said:
That's dumb. I want to search the whole computer always. OSX is to dumb to do this I guess.
Click to expand...
Try and find a file on a Windows machine........ 🤪
TBH I cannot fault search in either Finder or Mail or Calendar.

Don’t knock it, just because you don’t know how to use it........ ;)
 
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Assuming you know the file name (or part of it) then just use Command+Space Bar.

Can search for apps, files, anything at all. This is all I use. No need to use Finder, but if you do want to see results in Finder, click the 'show all in Finder' option at the bottom of the list.
 
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Gregg2 said:
Finder Preferences > Advanced

At that point, it should be obvious.
Click to expand...

No its not obvious and there is no option that actually searches EVERYWHERE and all Hidden Files.
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Moakesy said:
Assuming you know the file name (or part of it) then just use Command+Space Bar.

Can search for apps, files, anything at all. This is all I use. No need to use Finder, but if you do want to see results in Finder, click the 'show all in Finder' option at the bottom of the list.
Click to expand...
 
No this doesnt work. It operates like finder and does not search EVERYWHERE and all hidden files
 
MarkC426 said:
Try and find a file on a Windows machine........ 🤪
TBH I cannot fault search in either Finder or Mail or Calendar.

Don’t knock it, just because you don’t know how to use it........ ;)
Click to expand...


I do know how to use Finder. And since no one in this thread has offered a solution I am beginning to think OSX simply can not do a search EVERYWHERE and all HIDDEN FILES.

Which is really lame and crazy that an entire OS can not do an essential command.
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Ritsuka said:
In the Finder preferences window.
Click to expand...


No this doesnt work. It operates like finder and does not search EVERYWHERE and all hidden files
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Madonepro said:
⌘ F

View attachment 946799
Click to expand...


No this doesnt work. It operates like finder and does not search EVERYWHERE and all hidden files
 
cyanbaby101 said:
No this doesnt work. It operates like finder and does not search EVERYWHERE and all hidden files
Click to expand...

You need to select the option in search to include system files for that.

Here's how your finder search window should look:

Search everywhere.png
 
Nope doesnt work. Still didnt find some log files.

It's just crazy there is not a SEARCH ALL in finder. This is what it should DEFAULT to and it doesn't exist.
 

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cyanbaby101 said:
Nope doesnt work. Still didnt find some log files.

It's just crazy there is not a SEARCH ALL in finder. This is what it should DEFAULT to and it doesn't exist.
Click to expand...

Out of curiosity, what's the location of that SoundminerLogs folder?
 
What you typed into the search box has been found in post #1.......!
If you want SoundminerXferLogs then type that in the search box.

Plus you know where the file is anyway.
 
I am going to agree with the OP on this. I tried to use Finder to search for the Logs folder that resides in my user account Library folder. Everything I tried failed, including setting up advanced search criteria, Kind=Folder, System files=are included, and select to search start from my user account. Downloaded EasyFind app and it managed to find it no issue.
 
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As I said originally It's astonishing that OSX can't do a simple SEARCH ALL. Absolutely retarded.
 
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