Search for All File Types (Windows XP)

Registry Guide for Windows
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Registry tweaks, tricks & hacks to optimize, enhance and secure Microsoft Windows.

Search for All File Types (Windows XP)
Category: Home > Windows > Windows Explorer > Search

This tweak can be easily applied using WinGuides Tweak Manager.
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Windows normally only includes registered file types when searching for files and folders. This tweak can be used to enable searching of all file types.

Open your registry and find the key below.

Create a new DWORD value, or modify the existing value called 'FilterFilesWithUnknownExtensions' using the settings below.

Exit your registry, you may need to restart or log out of Windows for the change to take effect.


(Default)	REG_SZ	(value not set)
FilterFilesWithUnknownExtensions	REG_DWORD	0x00000001 (1)


	HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\ContentIndex

Settings:

System Key: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\ContentIndex]
Name: FilterFilesWithUnknownExtensions
Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value)
Value: (0 = default, 1 = all file types)

Disclaimer: Modifying the registry can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. We cannot guarantee that problems resulting from modifications to the registry can be solved. Use the information provided at your own risk.

Last Modified: January 23, 2003

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