Windows Search not searching in files

Solution 1:

Depending on what files you are trying to index, you probably need the appropriate iFilters so Windows Search can go in and actually sift through the binary contents of each file and grab out the text so it can index it.

After the iFilters are installed, go to Control Panel -> Indexing Options Click Advanced button Click Rebuild

PDF iFilters

Adobe -- http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/detail.jsp?ftpID=4025

foxit -- http://www.foxitsoftware.com/products/ifilter/

Microsoft Office iFilters

For office 2010 and prior versions -- http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=17062

Service Pack 1 for above iFilter -- http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=26604

Others

http://www.ifilter.org/

Solution 2:

Any errors from the search service in the application event log? The "search contents" option appears in a couple places. Within Folder Options, and also the Search Service control panel. In the control panel, each file type has it's own option to control content search. Contents of PDF are not searched by default, you'll need to turn that on. I think it was on for the others by default, but you should verify. Or maybe go with Folder Options "always search names and contents". However, I think "Folder Options" settings may apply only to local explorer instances, and for your remote search scenario, you probably need to stick with Search Service Control Panel for all options (folders to be indexed, extensions, index method (properties/contents)).

I'm not using this on a server with much data, can't reproduce your problem. As a last resort, you might want to stop search service, purge the contents of C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\search\data, then restart the service and re-configure the search service options.