Search… command in the context menu for drives and folders is removed Windows Vista Service Pack 1 and Windows 7. REF: Overview of Windows Vista desktop search Changes in Windows Vista Service Pack 1. However, the missing option can be restored using a registry edit.
Thanks to the The SBS Diva blog for publishing the solution on how to restore the Search option in the context menu. For more information, see their blog post Have SP1? Want your search back?
It says to delete the LegacyDisable registry value in this location:
Let me add that, to restore the Search… option for drives, you also need to delete the LegacyDisable value in this branch:
Registry fix
This might very well become one of the most frequently asked questions in Windows 7/Vista. So, here is a .reg file (based on the above registry edit) which automates the work for you. Download shellfind.reg and save it to Desktop. Right-click shellfind.reg and choose Merge.
The Search… context menu option should now be visible when you right-click a file system folder or a drive.
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partial answer – restored search context – but try to run search on directory – “file does not have a program associated …”
cannot figure out how to restore / manage search options
[...] Restore the Search context menu. [...]
Ps. I mean for windows 7.
Why are microsoft trying to treat us all like dummies? Do you know how to get the search button back in windows explorer as well?
Anyway thansk very much for this.
Steve.
I’m still having some problems with my Home Premium Vista Sp2 when I updated to SP2 I lost the Search Ability, and I can’t find anything, it says “Search Failed to Initialize”.
sweet, exactly what I needed :)