Enhance Windows/Exchange Search using Microsoft Filter Pack

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How to Enhance Windows Search using Microsoft Filter Pack?

The Windows Search service can be enhanced by installing the Microsoft Filter Pack, which provides additional IFilters to support critical search scenarios across multiple Microsoft Search products. The Filter Pack includes the following IFilters:

  • Metro (.docx, .docm, .pptx, .pptm, .xlsx, .xlsm, .xlsb)
  • Visio (.vdx, .vsd, .vss, .vst, .vdx, .vsx, .vtx)
  • OneNote (.one)
  • Zip (.zip)

When you install the Filter Pack (which you can download for free), the IFilters in the preceding list are installed and registered with the Windows Search service. The Filter Pack is available for x86 and x64 versions of Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003

Exchange Search & IFilters:

Exchange Search uses IFilters to index text content in different file formats. In order to implement that you need to download the Microsoft Filter Pack. This will install and register IFilters with the Microsoft Windows Indexing Service. These IFilters are used by Microsoft Search products to index the contents of specific document formats.

Office 2007/Exchange Server 2007:

You can download (either x86/x64) Microsoft Filter Pack @ https://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyId=60C92A37-719C-4077-B5C6-CAC34F4227CC&displaylang=en. This will install and register IFilters with the Microsoft Windows Indexing Service.

This Filter Pack includes IFilters for the following formats: .docx, .docm, .pptx, .pptm, .xlsx, .xlsm, .xlsb, .zip, .one, .vdx, .vsd, .vss, .vst, .vdx, .vsx, and .vtx. Because Windows Desktop Search (WDS) consumes IFilters from Windows Indexing Service, the IFilters will be automatically registered and available for use by WDS.

To register these IFilters with a specific Search product, please see the associated KB article below:

Office 2010 & Exchange Server 2010:

Microsoft Office 2010 Filter Packs includes filters for Microsoft Office 2010 and Office 2007 file formats. Installation of the Filter Pack is a pre-requisite for Exchange 2010 Mailbox and Hub Transport servers. For details, see Exchange 2010 Prerequisites. The following file name extensions are supported by the filter pack: .docm, .docx, .one, .pptm, .pptx, .vdx, .vsd, .vss, .vst, .vsx, .vtx, .xlsb, .xlsm, .xlsx, .zip. For more information and to download the Filter Pack, see Microsoft Office 2010 Filter Packs.

After you install the Filter Pack, the included IFilters are registered with Windows Search. To allow Exchange 2010 to index Office 2010 file formats, the IFilters must also be registered with Exchange Search.

In Exchange 2010 SP1, Exchange Setup registers the IFilters from Office 2010 Filter Packs with Exchange Search. In the release to manufacturing (RTM) version of Exchange 2010, you must register the IFilters with Exchange 2010 by modifying the registry. You must perform this step after you have installed Exchange 2010 RTM on the server.

Please note: 

In Exchange 2010 RTM, you can meet the prerequisite by installing 2007 Office System Converter: Microsoft Filter Pack. We recommend that you upgrade to the Office 2010 version of the Filter Pack.

Related article:

How to Register IFilters 2.0 with Exchange 2007 and Exchange 2010
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff354976%28EXCHG.80%29.aspx