CNET Editors' review
Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo aren't the only ones bringing more search power to consumer desktops. Copernic's Desktop Search tool makes it fast and easy to find documents, e-mails, and other files on local drives. Like other desktop search tools, it creates a searchable index of all the data on a computer's drives, and updates it every time a file is added, removed, or modified.
A left-side search column allows simple keyword queries and more refined searches based on file size, date, file type, or folder. Easy-to-read icons at the top of the screen let you limit searches by category, such as stored HTML pages, e-mail, and videos. The program is lightning-quick, displaying results as fast as you can type.
We especially like the Copernic Deskbar, a search window that appears in the Windows Taskbar and makes quick queries very handy. However, we would like an image viewer, and we wish the application's PowerPoint viewer could display graphics. Copernic comes with optional search toolbars for Internet Explorer and Firefox.
Overall, Copernic offers an efficient way to search your PC, especially for multiple or large hard drives.
Publisher's Description
From Copernic:
Copernic Desktop Search Home allows individuals to instantly search their files, e-mails, and e-mail attachments stored anywhere on their PC's hard drive. Copernic Desktop Search - Home Features: - Easily search your entire hard drive in less than a second to pinpoint the right file, email, music or picture. - Fresh New and updated files and new emails are indexed the instant they arrive on your hard drive. - Utilizes CPU, memory, and disk space efficiently to ensure continued high levels of system performance. - Easy to Use Simply type words into the deskbar, and CDS finds all relevant documents in an instant. - Fault-tolerant technology ensures that your PC is searchable at all times. Find your files instantly. - Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF, HTML, Word Perfect, text, ZIP files. Emails or attachments from Outlook, Outlook Express, Eudora and Mozilla Thunderbird. - Over 150 other types of files like MP3, JPG, WAV, MPEG.
Streamline your results. Optimize your search by refining fields or using advanced search keywords. - Instantly preview filtered matching results. - Trace keywords in document previews using dynamic word-find buttons. - Pinpoint your targeted information using auto-scroll to first occurrence and highlighted keywords. Control your search experience. - Sort and group search results. - Choose files and email folders to index. - Control computer resources usage when indexing documents. - Benefit from automatic, seamless real-time indexing of new or updated files and emails. - Save battery power by suspending the indexing process. Get Web results for your desktop queries. - Search the Web or your computer from the same lightweight, intuitive interface. - Use convenient toolbars: deskbar and browser toolbar. - Set Copernic as your default Web search engine.What's new in this version: High capacity index. Indexing of Microsoft Outlook 2010 x64 items is now supported. new deskband for x64 Operating Systems. Fixed indexing of Firefox 4, 5, 6 and 7 (Bookmarks and History). Fixed multiple User Interface issues.
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All versions:
3.6 starsout of 177 votes
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Current version:
3.2 starsout of 5 votes
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My rating:
Write review
Results 1-5 of 5
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"The best tool out there !!!!"
Version: Copernic Desktop Search Home 3.5.1.10
Pros
Faster than windows search
Cons
none that i can think of
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"Good, but it is not as good as Google Desktop (RIP!)"
Version: Copernic Desktop Search Home 3.5.1.10
Pros
It is a useful search facility
Cons
No shortcut keystrokes to open a search box
Not very fast
Doesn't appear to search through emails in OutlookSummary
I don't hide the fact that now that Google Desktop has been dropped for Windows users, I am forced to look elsewhere, and anything I look at is by comparison to the brilliant Google DT. (GDT)
I have yet to find anything which :
At th double tap of a key gives me a search box - I didn't even have to think about it - I just tapped twice on my control key and typed my question and my results came up straight away - if I then clicked Enter, the search was then executed on the web... So simple and soooo rapid.
If you know of anything which offers me that, PLEASE post here...
The speed and efficiency and efficacy of search that I had with GDT. -
"Some stability concerns"
Version: Copernic Desktop Search Home 3.5.1.10
Pros
Excellent replacement coming from a XP system with Windows Desktop Search for the most part, especially if you are not happy with Win 7 "Desktop Search".
Cons
Ironically being a Microsoft product, I found Windows Desktop Search to be very robust. I wish I could say the same for Copernic.
Summary
After just 3 months I've had 3 instances I've contacted Copernic Support. Please add comments to this post if you know of fixes to these issues or if there is a better tool. These are the 3...
1. No timer to tell you how long indexing takes. Support told me this is a feature they do not have. I would recommend letting it grind for at least 10-15 hours.
2. Best feature ever would allow you to find an email in Copernic, highlight any number of emails within that search, and drag directly to an Outlook sub folder without modifying the date. When you try it, it copies the email, not "move it", and the date/time changes to when you moved it, not the date of the original email. Sent in a support question...no reply from Copernic.
3. PC turned off unexpectedly overnight while it was in sleep mode. Now my Copernic is hosed...search results say "n/a" by the contact and subject line. Submitted a support message today...hopefully I hear back soon. If I have to un-install and re-install and re-index all over again? Very painful for a problem such as an improper close...I would hope this is one of the most basic failure modes Copernic would have tested.
All in all a great product, but instability is not a good thing. -
"This program doesn't find new files."
Version: Copernic Desktop Search Home 3.5.1.10
Pros
No pros at all.
Cons
This program doesn't find new files.
Summary
After 5 hours (!)of creating a searchable index of all the data on a computer's drives I tried to find something on hard drives. My first impression was very good - the program has found instantly not only files with the name I inserted in search field but also the searchable word within some files. But when I created new files and manually started new indexation that also continued a few hours, the prigram couldn't find the new files. Removed this program.
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"Been using this for 10+ yrs. Just keeps getting better!"
Version: Copernic Desktop Search Home 3.5.1.10
Pros
Beats Windows Search and indexing hands down, and even Google Desktop Search.
Cons
Haven't found any yet!
Results 1-5 of 5
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