External Storage Devices- Search for files

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Hi,

Re: Searching for files from external storage devices (USB, DVD, external HDD)

1. I plug in my external hard-drive or USB drive
2. The corresponding icon appears on desktop
3. I open it and a window pops up
4. At the top right corner of the window, there is a magnifying glass. Within this search field, I attempted to search for a particular file on the external HDD or USB but it only seems to search for files within the computer, not from the external source.
5. I go into Spotlight and Finder, it does not search for anything besides files inherent in the computer.

Please advise.
 
OP
S
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Cool thanks!

Although I have no idea why Apple did not allow that search preference for both internal and external storage files, it will be so much more convenient. From memory, don't quote me, Windows would search all files, external or internal.
 
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By default, when I go into 'Finder Preferences', then 'Advanced' it says search 'from this Mac'. Yet, it doesn't search external devices.
 
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Wait a minute....I actually tried what I think you said and it still doesn't work.

1. I went into Finder (top left corner of desktop)
2. Clicked on 'Preferences'
3. Clicked on 'Advanced'
4. Chose 'search in current folder', which replaces 'search this Mac'
5. Still does not search external HDD
 
M

MacInWin

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Go into Spotlight Preferences, look at Privacy tab. The list in the box will be drives that are EXCLUDED from Spotlight (and Finder search). If the externals are on the list, take them off. It will take the background indexing application a while to do the indexing so that search works.

Also, if you just plug in a drive, that same indexing application needs time to do the inventory of the drive. For a big drive with lots of files, that can be a while. For finding files I use EasyFind as I find it quicker and more easy to use than Finder or Spotlight.
 
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I'm thinking the external harddrive is inheritantly for Windows. I have NTFS
 

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