Default Search Location

[Sebastian42]

When I right-click 'Start' in my WinXP, the SEARCH lists StartMenu as the default location, whereas, in another WinXp system there is a blank i.e. NO location is prompted. So it must be selectable - how would one change that default ?

[SpywareDr]

Use Start>Search instead, or [Winkey]+[F]

[Sebastian42]

It seems to me I am getting advice on how to search. That is a misunderstanding of my question. I have evidence that the default location for starting a search is NOT 'set in concrete', so I'd like to know where/how that can be option is exercised.

[Steve R Jones]

The "default" location is the folder from where you start....

Your pc without a folder is the exception...so maybe you have some app you've installed that allowed you to tweak it.

[Sebastian42]

"The "default" location is the folder from where you start" That explains why Start Menu is the default folder when I get SEARCH from the context menu of START. I noticed that SEARCH from the list shown when START is double-clicked presents a blank. Very interesting ! I STILL suspect that there must be some tweak (and would like to know what it is), because my first post referred to different results from the same procedure on different PCs.

[Steve R Jones]

Since you can't start a search from "blank" (it's an invalid folder) do you have a specific location you'd like to start from?

[Sebastian42]

<<Since you can't start a search from "blank">> The phenomenon that prompted my post was the fact that another WinXP system actually does NOT prompt a location - so in fact starts from 'blank'. That made me realise that the default start point is not 'universal', so I want to know how to set it. Rightly or wrongly I typically search the whole drive.

[SpywareDr]

If you mean:

C:\

or:

C:\>

that backslash ("\") is called the root directory|folder. All other files and folders are contained within it.

[Sebastian42]

I know what C:\ means; C:\> baffles me

[SpywareDr]

"C:" is the drive, "\" the root directory and ">" the cmd prompt symbol.