Q How do I customise the Find Files or Folders command so that it will automatically search all of my hard drives and not just Drive C:?

A Windows' Find command isn't the most cooperative of utilities. But with a little workaround, you can get it to start with the search parameters you desire. The trick lies in the Save Search function.

In Windows 95, choose StartûFindûFiles or Folders. In the Named box, type the file specifications you prefer, separating multiple entries with a comma, a space, or both. For example, if you usually search for text files, you might type *.txt *.doc. (Wildcard characters like "*" and "?" are optional.) In the Look in box, type the paths you use most often, separated by a semicolon (plus an optional space) ù c:\doc; d:\temp; e:\, for example. Use the Date Modified and Advanced tabs to limit the search by date, file type, size, or text content.

Caption: Speed up file searching by saving Find settings and even the results of searches

When everything is set, click Find Now. If the resulting list of found items is one you expect to work with regularly, choose Options and make sure a check mark appears next to Save Results; if it's not there, select Save Results. Now choose FileûSave Search. Unfortunately, Windows doesn't let you choose where to save the file or what to call it; it simply appears on the desktop with a name of its own choosing ù such as "Files named @.txt.fnd". But you can rename the file and move it to a convenient location, such as a folder within the Start menu folder. If you frequently perform a series of different searches, save each of them for fast access.

Windows NT 4.0, Windows 98, and Internet Explorer 4 marginally improve customised finds. For starters, you can choose Local hard drives from the Look in drop-down box rather than typing in each path. And Win 98 and IE 4 save the last location you entered in the Look in box so you don't have to choose FileûSave Search. Unfortunately, no version of Windows preserves the Find window's position or size.