John McGaw wrote:

Or it might just be that PITA indexing going on.

Indexing is not enabled, by default, on removable storage media. You
would have to alter the Windows Indexing configuration to include the
USB-attached drive.

Use the Start menu searchbox to search on "index" and then pick
"Indexing Options" or pick that applet in Control Panel. Notice what
paths are listed for where the service will index what files. Not even
all the paths on an internal HDD/SDD get indexed. Removable devices are
not listed as included. You would have to click on the Modify button to
go pick the root of each drive that you want to index all of it, and
that includes having to select any removable devices or paths on them to
include in the indexing.

https://cdn.ghacks.net/wp-content/up...start-menu.jpg
https://cdn1.tekrevue.com/wp-content...-locations.png

Mine looks a little different on Windows 7 Home Premium. I also have
more internal SDDs and HDDs along with a USB HDD. Entire drives are NOT
selected, just some paths on them, and no removable drives nor any paths
on them are specified for inclusion. If there is indexing on an entire
drive or on a removable drive then you added it to the indexing config.

Because Windows indexing does NOT go hunting everywhere is why it will
not find some files you know exist by looking in Windows Explorer, a
command shell, or using another tool (Search Everything, FileLocator).