Google Desktop Search may get all the press, but Ava Find is a strong competitor. The first time it starts up, this substitute for Microsoft Find scans your drives and stores the locations of your files in a cache. Once finished, it delivers results instantly as you type. You can limit search results by folder or drive and specify whether you're looking for videos, music, applications, or recent downloads. This real-time approach delivers outstanding results, but it requires a lot of computing power. A scan of a 20GB hard drive took about a minute, slowed our PC, and couldn't be stopped. Also, after 30 days, Ava Find won't let you delete, rename, or perform most other file functions from the results window. Those essential features are limited to the Professional version--and that, sadly, keeps us from giving Ava Find our highest rating.
As usual -- "free" is REALLY 30-day "trial."
Another TIME-WASTER.
Summary
Just more crap.
Program Doesn't Work at All on Windows 7
danbovinich
Pros
Program Doesn't Work at All on Windows 7
Cons
Program Doesn't Work at All on Windows 7
Summary
Terrible. Featureless. Junky replacement for nothing.
bluebaroncanada
Pros
Nothing. Does exactly what Windows search does in a more bulky interface.
Cons
Doesn't search the contents of files.
Summary
Terrible.
This product is so horrible, its funny
bearbetaz
Pros
There are no pros connected to this disater product.
Cons
Only cons. Biggest one is the creation of this product.
Summary
GO TO HELL!!!!!!!!!!
Greatest find since sliced bread!
BettyMaxine
Pros
I own it! It lives up to it's advertising! Finds any and everything I need it to find. I bought the full version. I was a Webmaster on an Embroidery Design site and had so many files and I couldn't find anything until someone told me about Ave Find!
Cons
If you are always trying to find files this is for you!
Summary
Best software that will truly help you find anything on your computer and externals. I have two attached to my computer and Ave Finds will locate something in "backup"!
A free product that is MUCH better than Windows search
VinylLetterGuy
Pros
Freeeeeeee
Cons
None, not any
Summary
A free product that is MUCH better than Windows search, what else can I say.
Liked well enough to make it my default search utility.
atruewitness
Pros
Installation: No problems at all
Ease of Use: It doesn't get any more intuitive than this.
No overcomplicated & unnecessary features to bog down the system performance.
Search results come up very quickly because of continuous drive indexing.
Cons
More control of search results with an improved filtering system is in order.
Summary
I love it, and I've tried a bunch; and I do mean a BUNCH of search programs. The rest either: didn't work, kept freezing & crashing, were too bloated, or had an interface that simply didn't agree with me for some reason.
I have only a few suggestions...
1) It would be great to be able to copy-to-folder, or move-to-folder from the search results.
The "Save Result Listing As" is very handy--Possibly future releases may include the ability to save as a delimited, Excel, and even Access files?
Wasted time trying this program.
Surgeman
Pros
Looks okay.
Cons
Once you find the files you cannot copy them.
Very limited options.
Not intuitive.
Summary
1- Could not search a directory. Had to search a whole drive.
2- Sorted by "Rank?" What the F is that? Not file size, or date or alphabetically.
3- Could NOT do anything with the files after I found them. (Specifically, I could not copy them to another location.)
4- It told me I had to buy the pro version 20 minutes after I installed it.
Don't waste your time on this program.
Bad program. Very limited ability.
Overall I like this program but it could be more stable
goldrush
Pros
IT LIKE THE FILE SIZE SORT & CURRENT FILE ACTIVITY.
Cons
It is good but recently has been crashing so I had to remove & reinstall and seems OK.[5-24-2011]. I gave it a 3 because it hasn't been updated for a very long time. This stability issue has just occurred so my comment now includes that point as well
Summary
Works for what I needed at the time I 1st installed it, but the crashing and the lack of an update has let it fall by the wayside for me. I do use it but not as often. I guess its easy to comment, as I am not a programmer as to it's what and when, but I still Thank the author of this freeware.
Love this tool so much
dsuraj
Pros
I love this tool so much, very fast and easy to use.
Cons
user interface should be more attractive and user friendly.
Find any file on your computer instantly.Ava Find speeds up your daily computing experience by letting you find any file on your computer instantly. Open music and video files from any folder using convenient one-click browse buttons. Ava Find can list folders by size instantly, making hard-drive cleanup simple and easy. The Scout Bot feature lets you discover newly downloaded files instantly without the need to run a search. Ava Find includes free search functionality and includes a 30-day preview of Ava Find Professional features, such as the Scout Bot.