Windows Vista Start Bar Search

I have always liked Quicksilver or the search function in Mac OSX 10.4/5 how you can invoke a search bar using keyboard shortcuts and start typing for a program you want to launch (as well as other options). In Windows Vista I found the search in the start menu bar to be some what disappointing. It’s slow and the results were not very accurate to what I wanted. Now I have found a way through the search bar settings to only return a programs in the search list. Before I was using a program called Launchy to do the same thing.

Start Menu Properties

Go to

Right click Start bar > Properties > Start Menu tab > Customize (Next to "Start menu")

The options for search are:

• Don’t search for files – don’t search system files
• Search entire index – Index files only
• Search this user’s files – files located within c:\Users

Search Properties

Set the following:

Search communications – off
Search favourites and history – off
Search files – Don’t search for files
Search programs – on

How to speed up Windows Vista start menu search article
Blacktree – Quicksilver website
Launchy website

Related posts:

1. Waking Windows 7 Controller Error
2. Mac OSX vs Windows Vista
3. Windows Vista Startup Speed Tweaks
4. Windows 7 Monitor Power Test
5. Auto Login & Lock For Linux & Windows

About Danny

Young I.T software professional always studying and applying the knowledge gained and one way to do this is blogging. Dedicated to I.T since studying pure Information Technology since the age of 16, Danny is now in the industry that he has aimed since leaving school. View all posts by Danny → This entry was posted in Windows and tagged quicksilver, search bar, search communications, search files, search programs, search properties, start menu. Bookmark the permalink.