Brandon Paddock's Blog

# New Enterprise Version of MSN Search Toolbar and Windows Desktop Search available

My team and I have just shipped a new version of MSN Search Toolbar and Windows Desktop Search. By colleague Brandon Paddock has done such a good write up that I'm going to copy it outright! :) New version of Windows Desktop Search! Well, sort of :) Tonight we've officially launched the Enterprise editions of Windows Desktop Search and the MSN Search Toolbar. Unlike the current consumer release, there are 2 seperate installs (one for WDS, one for MSN Toolbar). Unfortunately, the consumer version won't be updated right away. But we're working hard to deliver a new version for consumers that will upgrade the current “MSN Search Toolbar with WDS” package. That way everyone can enjoy the latest and greatest we have to offer :) So what's new in the Enterprise release of WDS? 1) First and foremost, this new version has been enabled for management via Group Policy and deployment via SMS. 2) A lot of work was done to make sure that WDS meets the needs of IT administrators at even the largest of companies. 3) WDS now features light-weight integration with Intranet search services (like SharePoint, or a Google appliance). 4) This version of WDS can replace the “Search Companion” functionality on Windows XP, and provides UI for advanced search queries. 5) Lots of bug fixes and improvements all around. What's new in the Enterprise release of the MSN Search Toolbar? 1) The Toolbar is now group-policy enabled just like WDS. 2) It also features light-weight Intranet search integration. 3) An enhanced Outlook bar provides optional integration of search results into the Outlook 2003 window if WDS is installed. 4) Numerous enhancements to tabbed browsing and other functionality. Both the WDS and MSN Toolbar teams have worked very hard to bring out this release. Hard work indeed! It's been a wild ride since I joined back in May! Wheeeeee!... 11/15/2005 1:49 AM | decheung - The Dennis T Cheung B

# re: New version of Windows Desktop Search!

Well done to you and your team on the new (enterprise) version, have been playing around with it for a while now. I like the advanced deyploment features and the full integration of WDS into Windows Explorer, replacing the former search companion. Also a huge plus is the seperation of WDS from the MSN toolbar, an excellent move as far as corporate deployment goes.

BUT...

Is it possible to specifiy a search service (MSN, Google, etc.) for the "SEARCH WEB" button in WDS enterprise? The help documentation indicates that this is possbile, but the options dialog has no settings available, instead informing me that the "web search will be carried out by your computer's default browser". This was previously possible with the consumer version of the MSN Toolbar with WDS, but it appears to have been removed from the enterprise WDS. On my installation, the search web features fails to function properly with both Internet Explorer and Firefox. Is this a bug? 11/20/2005 3:53 AM | Christopher

# re: New version of Windows Desktop Search!

The "Search Web" button should load up your default browser and pass it "? <your query>" - which should go to your default search page.

In FireFox 1.0, it will default to Google's "I'm feeling lucky" page. I'm not sure about 1.5 but I think they're planning to change it to match IE's behavior (full search results for your default provider).

Maxthon behaves the same way, although it has a bug or two that they need to iron out.

Not sure about Opera, but hopefully they'll follow what appeas to be the standard command-line syntax going forward. 11/20/2005 1:07 PM | Brandon Paddock

# re: New version of Windows Desktop Search!

it would seem like MS really doesnt want to support X64 as ready for prime time. So many of the things I want to run even from MS and they don't support. 6/15/2006 12:57 PM | robert towne

# re: New version of Windows Desktop Search!

Indeed a x64 implementation would be very very welcome! 7/21/2006 5:13 AM | rooc

# re: New version of Windows Desktop Search!

i see Version 3 no longer indexes Outlook mail, only Outlook Express.

Back to v2 for me!
12/28/2006 1:51 PM | Ian Boyd

# re: New version of Windows Desktop Search!

Ian - Version 3 definitely indexes Outlook!

Which version of Outlook are you running? Did it now show up in the list of indexed locations in the Indexing control panel? 12/28/2006 7:04 PM | Brandon

# re: New version of Windows Desktop Search!

Brandon,

Does the WDS API allows to specify dsk file/folder to be indexed in without fail and ASAP and later check if all necessary files are in Index? I mean HTML, text files.
Thank you!

1/25/2007 5:55 AM | Alexander Bednyakov

# re: New version of Windows Desktop Search!

Little late to the party but as I'm pushing this out today to a small business I support was noticing that the Indexing Options window from the Windows Desktop Search window list C:\Documents and Settings & Outlook Express by default. There isn't any item that represents Outlook so this is confusing. Perhaps the .ost & .pst files will be indexed with Documents and Settings as that is where they reside. With that Outlook Express listing and no Outlook listing this is confusing. Furthermore, the help refers to installing an Outlook toolbar but there isn't any information on where to trigger this installation or even if a new installer is required where to download this. I now this may not seem relevant in the era of Vista but I'd lobby that businesses aren't jumping at the bit and could still leverage productivity gains with this tool while XP usage continues ahead for the next year or so. 3/25/2007 6:09 PM | Dale - DUIT

# re: New version of Windows Desktop Search!

WDS 4 won't search Outlook 2003 for me either, no option to include it in search, shows only Outlook Express. 7/17/2008 12:47 AM | Myles Boyd