How to Do a Search in Windows XP for Multiple File Extensions
The Windows XP operating system includes a search function you can use to search for a particular file or to build a list of all files that end in a specific file extension. For example, you can use the XP search to display a list of all your .txt document files or all your .xls spreadsheet files. Search in XP supports some complex functions you can use to construct a Boolean search to build a list that displays multiple file extensions.
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Instructions
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Click "Start" in the lower-left corner of your screen and then click the "Search" icon to open the Search dialog box.
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Locate the All or Part of the File Name text box to search on just the file names in your directories. If you want to search, instead, on text within files, use the A Word or Phrase in a File box.
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Type the file extensions you want to search for, separated by "OR" in capital letters. For example, search on "txt OR doc OR xls" to build a list of all files ending in the txt (text), doc (Word document) or xls (spreadsheet) extension.
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Select the directory you want to search using the "Look In" pull-down menu in the Search Options box.
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Click "Search" to conduct a search on Windows XP that will display multiple file extensions in the results.
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Tips & Warnings
You can also use the capitalized Boolean search operators AND or NOT in your XP search.
Searches using the "A Word or Phrase in a File" option must build an index of the content of the files and usually take a long time to run.
