Start Buttons Search Function

What is up with the Start button's Search Files and Folders function in Windows 7 Home Premium?

How can I search for all .exe files for example?
How a about all *.txt files using the asterisk wildcard character?
This search box is almost useless...and the ENTER key often times does nothing after putting text in the search.

Also, Is there any way to shut off the dynamic search that takes place right away with every additional letter typed into the search function...what an annoyance.

Can I arrange for a "find" choice on the start button somehow like in previous versions of Windows to get a nice neat list AFTER I hit the ENTER key?

You could use something like Everything search instead. I use it on my XP and 7 systems. It's free and way faster than Windows Search. This is not exactly your answer, but it's worth a try.
http://www.voidtools.com/

The Windows Search options are limited. There are keywords you can use to customize search, but you'd have to learn the syntax.
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/conten...-settings.html

Also note that Windows Search will only look in the Indexed files by default. If you choose "Always search file names..." instead of "indexed locations", it will be a lot slower.

Robert M--I agree with Midknyte that Everything would be faster for something simple like you suggest (all .exe files).
But any Search facility is only as good as the indexing.
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/w...dexing-options

This tutorial on Search should also help
http://www.thelongclimb.com/win7powersearch.pdf