win8 Start screen doesn't search shortcuts (lnk files)

[iron2000]

The search in my copy of Win 8 can't seem to find any shortcuts except those in the Start Menu folder.

Using the search in the Start screen.

I did this to test:

1) Create a shortcut at an indexed location thats not the Start Menu folders

2) I waited a bit and notice the item count in the "Indexing Options" increase by one

3) Went to search for the shortcut at the Start screen search

And I can't find the shortcut.

Not in Files, can't be in Apps and Settings.

I tried the search in Start8 and Pokki too but it seems that they use the Win 8 search as well.

What does work is the search field at the top right of the File Explorer, Launchy works too.

And also it worked in Win 7 as well.

Maybe someone can try the steps to confirm this?

[iron2000]

No response?

[iron2000]

No one can try?

[DudeBro]

Confirmed. Lnk shortcut files don't show. Fortunately, I don't use Windows Search. Maybe try Everything or Locate32? They're better for file searching.

Googled around and found your question and the canned answer on the microsoft site. Funny.

[iron2000]

Thanks DudeBro!

Finally someone confirmed it!

I'm using Launchy now, skinable UI and it really search the filetypes you catalog.

Hope they fix/reinsert this function in coming patches or that 'Blue' update.

Until that theres no use for the Start screen or the Start menu replacements.

[MS Bob 11]

Start screen doesn't return in search a lot of stuff. Outlook emails don't show. Folders in your document folders don't show. Many things like network path results that show up in Explorer search don't show in the Start screen. It's a half-baked POS.

[Azimah Nazry]

The search in my copy of Win 8 can't seem to find any shortcuts except those in the Start Menu folder.

Using the search in the Start screen.

I did this to test:

1) Create a shortcut at an indexed location thats not the Start Menu folders

How exactly you know that the location is an indexed location and not the start menu? I believe you need to index the location first before you can search with start screen.

By the way, there I found not problem with the search.

[iron2000]

How exactly you know that the location is an indexed location and not the start menu? I believe you need to index the location first before you can search with start screen.

Yup, the location is indexed but not a Start Menu folder.

I set what folders to index so of course I know they are not Start Menu folders.

By the way, there I found not problem with the search.

Just tried again.

Shortcuts I placed in the 'Programs' folder still don't show up in Start screen search.

Worked fine with Start Menu search in Windows 7, indexed the folders the same way too.

Anyway its fine if Microsoft don't fix it, I'm fine without the Start screen and using Launchy.

Windows 8 is still usable.

[iron2000]

Looks like the problem is still in Windows 8.1

[russds]

I found this forum doing a google search, and same problem here, I couldn't get windows search to find my .lnk file. As a work around I created a simple .vbs file to open the .lnk file.

 

Set WshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
WshShell.Run chr(34) & "C:\path\to\shortcut.lnk" & Chr(34), 0
Set WshShell = Nothing

This worked.  Windows search finds the .vbs file, and opens the shortcut.  It's a little bit of work for just a shortcut, but for my needs it's working good so far.

 

As a note: I tried creating a simple .bat file that would just simple open the .lnk file.  Windows search found the .bat file, but when I clicked it from the search results, it would open the cmd window briefly, and the shortcut would never open.  The .vbs file didn't do that. 

[zoharzenica]

Search in Windows is broken since Windows Vista release.

[iron2000]

This still doesn't work on Windows 10 (at least for me?).