1. The folder is not indexed
Windows Search only pre-reads the locations listed in Indexing Options. A second drive or a network share outside that list is scanned on demand — slowly, or not at all.
When Windows Search comes up empty
Windows Search is already on your PC and costs nothing to try. Yet documents you know exist often fail to appear. Usually it is one of three reasons.
2. It cannot read that format
Reading a document's body requires an IFilter for that format to be installed. Hangul (HWP) is the clearest case: the text is only readable on a PC that has Hangul installed. CHATDA reads it either way.
3. The index has quietly stalled
A Windows Search index that is rebuilding or stuck looks exactly like one that is fine. You just get no results — with no way to tell "not there" from "not found".
What is different
Only what each tool states about itself.
| CHATDA | Everything | Windows Search | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Find by filename | yes | yes | yes |
| Find by document contents | yes | no | partial |
| Hangul (HWP) contents | yes | no | partial |
| Korean initials · KR/EN typo recovery | yes | no | no |
| 12-language keyboard & transliteration | yes | no | no |
| Free | yes | yes | yes |
△ depends on format — Windows Search reads HWP contents only on PCs with Hangul installed. Everything is among the fastest filename search tools and states in its official FAQ that it does not index file contents. As of September 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to turn Windows Search off?
No. CHATDA does not use the Windows index; it builds its own. The two never touch.
Will rebuilding the index fix it?
It helps if a folder was simply missing. It changes nothing when the format cannot be read for lack of a filter.