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Entered CNET Catalog: 09/09/2004
SKU: copernicdesktopsearch
Manufacturer: Copernic Technologies
CNET editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 10/11/2004
Like its competitors, Copernic Desktop Search installs in less than five minutes and requires only 7.1MB of disk space. It uses a configuration wizard to lead you through the basics, such as which file and e-mail folders to index. Once setup is complete, Copernic creates a searchable index of your data, a speedy process that took roughly 15 minutes on our 10GB test drive, then updates the index every time you add or a remove files.
Copernic's interface is the best of the desktop search engines'. A left-side search column allows simple keyword queries or more refined sleuthing based on file size, date, type, or folder. A row of easy-to-read icons at the top of the screen allows you to limit searches by category: stored HTML pages, e-mail, pictures, videos, and so on. Like X1, Copernic is lightning quick, displaying search results as fast as you can type. We also liked the Copernic Deskbar, a search window that integrates with the Windows Taskbar and is handy for quick queries.
Alas, all isn't perfect. Copernic lacks viewers for the popular image formats, and its PowerPoint viewer doesn't display graphics. We'd also like an integrated media player to preview audio and video files.
The Copernic Web site offers a FAQ, and a general support tab within the app has more detailed support for Copernic Desktop Search.
User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35
User Rating: 
9/10
If your goal is to find emails in Outlook, this is it.
Pros: 1) it finds everything (easy to index).
2) it does partial word search (wild card without wild card) . part of an email,I 3) It's simple. Organizes info great. I have free but would pay if needed. I've done every desk search. Copernic is better.
Cons: On rare occassion, may have to reindex, but rare. Wish it was as fast as X1. But it's view and organization still makes it far better. It's not perfect, but it's the best option for functional.
This is a highly functional product. I'm writing the review - which I never take the time to do, because I happened across several nit picky critical reviews that completely missed the point. I tried to use Microsoft Desktop Search thinking it would be the best. I even called Microsoft - for whatever reason on XP, I could never get it to work (though I got tired of calling Microsoft who were glad to help - they just didn't). I use Copernic every day and can always find the email I need with it - no matter how little I remember about the email (and I have 8 years of emails in outlook). I spent considerable time testing and trying to use Google desktop, NEO, X1, Microsoft, and others. This product is intensely undernoticed. It's just good. I don't use it for websearches - just desktop. And that - particularly email - it's just amazingly good, solid simple, reliable. I need reliable - that I find the info pretty darn quick. Their query options are simple and allow multiple combinations that narrow options quickly (a few letters of the from: email, and a few key words and knowing it was the middle of last year can rapidly solve the problem. In doing taxes, it's amazing how quickly it can find partial info on something you bought.
I'm in praise of functional use - and Copernic should be congratulated. Not on bells on whistles but functional and something to be relied on when you absolutely have to find something in email.
User Rating: 
10/10
new version 3.0 is great
Pros: faster, new features
Cons: have not found any yet
User Rating: 
4/10
Now featuring POP UP Banner Ads
Pros: Used to work quite well as per CNET's old review.
Cons: I've used the free version of this program for years and loved it. Now there are flashing popup banner ads! There are many other well regarded freeware choices out there without this new, horrible feature. At first I thought it was a virus.
User Rating: 
1/10
Uninstall...??? Wassup?
Pros: I had a good impression until I wanted to uninstall.
Cons: Uninstall is blocked and will not procede past unregistering files and folders... deadheaded or something or maybe spyware glitch???
User Rating: 
6/10
Good, but my desktop slows down.
Pros: The features are cool (especially for free)
- Preview of the text searched
- Search for files (not text inside, but the file itself)
- Serach tab with the Browser
Cons: It slowed down my PC. If I have the engine on, then its the 2nd in the list after the RTVScan. When u shut down the PC, u has to wait for a long time for the OS to close the application. Prefer 2 manually turn off the app. and then shut down the PC.
User Rating: 
3/10
Multiple Selection Not Supported
Pros: Good search criteria capabilities
Cons: Tthe search results list only allows single selection. For those needing to copy many results into another folder or onto an optical disk, you can only copy files one by one. This makes the tool virtually unusable.
User Rating: 10/10
Great Desktop Search Utility
Pros: Fast Searching, Tailorable Search Directories and scheduling to index, Ability to add file types AND network drives (huge productivity saver for me),
Cons: Haven't really found any yet
I like the toolbar integration with the task bar also, small feature but I find it highly useful. The index hasn't grown out of control so I can't speak to performance when it grows large... I tailored the directories I wanted indexed so that I didn't index our whole network drive, only sections that I know I'll need to search for files in.
User Rating: 6/10
Better interface than Google, mediocre search results
Pros: Intuitive, great interface, and unobtrusive
Cons: Misses results, didn't work with emails at first
I was impressed with the interface. It's very intuitive and easy to sort. When you click on a matching result, you get a preview of the result - great for multiple results.
Overall, it's a lot easier to find what you need that with Google Desktop, which I was using before. It seems to run faster and take up less system resources as well. Unfortunately, it has a nasty habit of overlooking some results so will be uninstalled from my system soon.
User Rating: 
2/10
hits target sometimes
Pros: pretty interface
Cons: just doesnt find those files
I want to get to an actually email I would have to confirm the date and then look up the date in the email app. It's a step ahead of seach so that why it escaped a "one" rating.
User Rating: 9/10
The best thing since sliced bread
Pros: SUPER fast, easy interface
Cons: slows system ONLY SLIGHTLY
User Rating: 6/10
I would Rate it at 6, good interface but does not provide last accessed file first.
Pros: Good interface, fairly fast. - see cons.
Cons: Does not search by last access time - big minus.
But does not provide results of files by the last access time and date of the file.
This is definitely a big disadvantage as most times I would refer back to the files that I have accessed recently first.
Windows Desktop search shows the last accessed file first and I like it, thought its interface is not as good as Copernic.
Another minus on Copernic is that it does not show as many files list as the windows Desktop search shows when you type the keyword. You need to open the main window to see more than 5/6 matching files.
Windows Desktop search tool show almost 15 or more files when you type in the keyword in that little search bar on the toolbar.
User Rating: 
7/10
Misses emails
Pros: Good looking user interface
Cons: Incomplete index
User Rating: 9/10
awsome, fast, reliable
Pros: fast, finds everything you ask for
Cons: some limited preview capabilities
User Rating: 
5/10
Good search job but annoying quirks
Pros: fast and unobtrusive
Cons: random system resource monopolization
User Rating: 9/10
It works and is VERY fast.
Pros: I have found nothing faster. Good results presentation
Cons: It seems not to index folder names
Updated on Jan 21, 2009WARNING!! Version 3.0 is hobbled. It will no longer index network drives for example. Do NOT install Copernic 3.0. If you do, you will not be able to make Version 2 work across the network any,more, and you will have to purchase their PAY version!
User Rating: 9/10
Homecoming - Reverted from Google desktop
Pros: easy, simple, direct, superb GUI
Cons: launching can be improved
had to remove all the s/w and when i got back thought to try the others. yahoo, google, etc.
finally came back home to copernic.
can use the invoking style of DOUBLE-CLICKING CTRL BUTTON to launch quick search bar, rather than hoggin taskbar space...
but fantastic.
User Rating: 
8/10
Consistently finds documents on my desktop and network
Pros: Consistent, fast, can be customized
Cons: I have not found any cons. I use this in my office.
User Rating: 9/10
It's quick - it's easy and it does the job !
Pros: Fast indexing, simple interface, not intrusive.
Cons: Have to add the file types you want searched. Can't select multiple files.
I used to use WinGrep, which was great, but it searched anew every time and didn't index.
I tried google desktop, and whilst it might be great for some people, I couldn't get on with using the browser.
Copernic is fantastic, it's quick and it's simple to use. You have to tell it if you want to search for particular file types, but that can be seen as an advantage or a disadvantage depending on your point of view.
The interface is more explorer-like than google's web one and I like it. You can even cut/copy and paste files you find into a directory in explorer.
I'd like to be able to select multiple files for copying or opening, but otherwise I love it !
User Rating: 10/10
Great product. replaced a $350 program
Pros: versatility, speed, user friendly
Cons: occasional search not found
User Rating: 6/10
Great, but one big flaw
Pros: Very fast. Previews, great interface.
Cons: Search criteria too wide so brings up dozens of irrelevant files
User Rating: 9/10
Overall the best of the desktop searches out there
Pros: Searching Outlook offline outlook folders, network drives
Cons: Can not tell it to use Google for websearch instead of all the web, can not get multiple categories searched at once
I have found it better than google because it will search network drives and outlook archive folders. Also allows me to search both Outlook emails and thunderbird - which is great.
The only drawback to date is that I can do a search for multiple categories, like Files and Email in a single place.
Copernic has good preview options, viewing most file formats and in general runs hassle free.
Oh.. and great support. I have submitted two queries to copernic, both were responded to in less than 24 hours.
User Rating: 9/10
The best FREE desktop search tool
Pros: Free, fast searching, supports firefox
Cons: Can't support more than 1 browser at a time, thumbnailing for pictures could be better
I use this program daily at work and at home, and I honestly can't live without it. This is the closest thing to Apple's spotlight that the PC will probably ever see.
My only reasons for not giving it a 10 are that it can't index more than one web browser at a time (I personally use firefox 80% and IE 20%), and the thumnails for picture and video results could be better. It would be nice if you could define how large they are.
The preview pane should also display side by side with the search results as well as below.
User Rating: 3/10
Very Limited Indexing
Pros: Very configurable, many options and easy to use interface
Cons: Just does not find much information on your system.
Like some other uses have reported it never found any file I was looking for. I believe that is because it apparently can not index very deep into your directories. The built in search function of windows did a better job of finding what I was looking for.
This is a feature rich software package, unfortunately because of its limited ability to index its basically useless.
I went through the help file and there are many tweaks you can apply but none actually improve the poor performance.
I would recommend a very basic desktop search with few options like Ask Jeeves over this product.
User Rating: 10/10
the best desktop search i have found.
Pros: Fast Fast Fast
Cons: can't think of anything.
User Rating: 1/10
very bed software! can do nothing but waste your resource
Pros: no any good thing to say
Cons: never find the file I need!!!!!
Waste my time, so never hesitated to uninstall it.
User Rating: 4/10
Misses too many files
Pros: Quickly assembles search results with different criteria
Cons: Untrustworthy, will try another desktop search program.
User Rating: 9/10
indexes network drives
Pros: I can find stuff on the network!!
Cons: *maybe* it hangs stuff
I have noticed that these search programs do not like to co-exist, so I make sure to have only one open at a time, and also, the fellow who rated it "7" commented on how it seems to grab on and not let go of some things, so it is not 100% friendly. But it is fast, accurate, and is my favorite search program so far.
My 2nd favorite is X1 (Yahoo Desktop Search) but that one does not index the network drives.
User Rating: 4/10
Can't necessarily trust the results
Pros: Fast, convenient
Cons: Searches frequently miss files
User Rating: 7/10
Fast but be AWARE
Pros: Fast finder, very accurate !!
Cons: Carefull in combination with other software
When Copernic Desktop search is active and you use Outlook 2003 (with .pst files - archiving files included) my Retrospect backup software (from Dantz) will NOT backup the .pst files (error code : the file(s) is (are) locked).
Even the very simple XCOPY command 'hangs'.
But Copernic Desktop Search finds the data very fast, so I only start it when I need it.
User Rating: 9/10
Awesome finder - 100x faster than Outlook's own search, 100x faster than Windows Explorer search
Pros: searches documents including PDFs, as well as email
Cons: the initial indexing can take up to a few hours (but then, what would you expect?)
The newer version provides results for both files and emails, meaning that if you search for "bob smith project" as a file search, you will get a list of all files that have those words... but you will also get a notification that 4 emails have those words too.
On my system - with about 3 gigabytes of email, and 25 gigabytes of HD space - it took about 3 hours to do the initial index. After that the index just keeps updating in the background.
I also added a few extra text file types to index (.SQL, .cshrc), but mostly I have found that the program knows about most of the filetypes that I may be interested in.
About the only thing about this program that I would like to see added to it is an ability to generally search on ANY FILE NAME on my computer, so that I could use it to completely replace the Windows Explorer (whose SEARCH function is so incredibly slow that I almost always end up searching manually rather then relying on it).
Go Copernic! You rock!
User Rating: 9/10
I wouldn't be without Copernic
Pros: Fast searching done in background, finds all my files and emails, very quick
Cons: You have to switch between panes for email or file search
User Rating: 9/10
The best desktop search on the market!
Pros: Fast user friendly
Cons: I would like to see Coppernic improve its Refine Search a bit more
User Rating: 9/10
Better than all the other desktop search engines
Pros: Rock solid performance, never crashed, no spyware or advertising, great user interface
Cons: Searching for FILENAMES can be enabled only by a rather obscure change in the advanced options dialog, does not index Thunderbird, quick preview could be better
What I will do is debunk some inaccuracies in some other reviews and I will point out a way for the program to become even more useful.
First of all the program DOES NOT come with spyware or advertising as has been suggested by one reviewer (who by his own admission never used the program --- how he can review it, claim that it comes with spyware and at the same breath give it a 10!!!?).
Second, my biggest gripe with copernic was that *I thought* that it didn’t index filenames. Then I read the FAQ and I found out that by making a minor change in the [ Options | Advanced | Additional file types to index ] settings dialog you could do just that: search for filenames and/with their relevant properties.
If copernic came with (a) filename indexing on by default and not had to make changes in the option dialog and (b) indexed Thunderbird emails it would had merited a perfect 10!!!
As it stands it is a (nearly) perfect program which never crashes, has low resource utilization, and does exactly what I demand from it. I believe that it is better than the competition, I find it incredibly useful and I wholeheartedly recommend it to every user.
User Rating: 9/10
Excellent, Fast, Love the search capabilities,
Pros: Excellent, Fast, Love the search capabilities,
Cons: none so far
User Rating: 8/10
Works great, lightning fast results , doesn't slow my system & FREE!
Pros: Intuitive resource control, fast results list, easy to use.
Cons: Limited viewer/previewer, limited file indexing, application errors when previewing music files.
