Can I configure Spotlight to search everywhere, including system?

Not easily.

Some users have had limited success with editing the Spotlights plist file, but it was on 10.4.

Here is the link

Use at your own risk!

EE

Actually it is very simple to allow spotlight to search for system files. Start a Spotlight search in a Finder window. RIght under the text edit box you should see a Save button and a +. Click on the plus. On the other side of the window you'll see Search and below that you'll see 2 pop up menus. The one should be labeled Kind. Click on it and select Other. You'll see a sheet pop out and a long list which is alphabetically sorted. Search for System Files and click on the checkmark to select it. This will add System Files to the menu.

Now any time you want to perform a search that includes a system file, start your search, click on the + and select System Files and then in the popup menu next to it select are included.

Do note that Spotlight still won't return everything. E.g., search for system.log, ensuring that System files are included, and compare that to what you see when you view the contents of /var/log/, using this Terminal command: ls -al /var/log/ | grep system Spotlight is basically useless when returning results for OS components.

But the typical user isn't likely to be searching for item in hidden directories but is likely to be hunting for prefs and other items in the Library, right?

dwb wrote:

But the typical user isn't likely to be searching for item in hidden directories but is likely to be hunting for prefs and other items in the Library, right?

The OP stated

Spotlight refuses to search system folders such as 'Library' and 'System'. Is there a way to configure Spotlight to search everywhere, including those system folders?

Everywhere includes those hidden folders. That's where the interesting stuff is buried.😉

Funny, they aren't hidden on my computer though of course there are hidden files inside. And of course many of those interesting ones are logs which can be accessed more conveniently with the console.

Hmmm! private, bin, sbin, etc, are hidden on my machines. BTW, I wasn't talking about /Library or /System. 😉

Does not work for me. Searching for a string in a draft email (Apple Mail) but spotlight system search does not see the string at all.

Aha, must also set "include Sytems Folders" in options.

Message was edited by: William Donelson

William Donelson wrote:

must also set "include Sytems Folders" in options.

Where is "include System Folders"?

The actual criteria is System files. Might also require File visibility, as well. Here's the canned savedsearch I use that finds almost everything. Note that I seldom search for criteria or within Mail (since I primarily use Eudora).

baltwo wrote:

The actual criteria is System files.

Thank you. I am aware of that. But William Donelsonwrote "System Folders". To my knowledge, such criterion does not exist; but my knowledge is extremely fallible.

Folders aren't a selectable item. However, you might be able to create a raw query that would handle folders. See https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/#documentation/carbon/conceptual/spotlig htquery/Concepts/Introduction.html for the details construction Spotlight Queries.

baltwo wrote:

Folders aren't a selectable item.

Sorry, don't follow you there.

you might be able to create a raw query that would handle folders. See

Once again, thank you. I do happen to have some small degree of familiarity with that reference. (Incidentally, my favourite quote is, "kMDItemPath: Complete path to the file. This value of this attribute can be retrieved, but can't be used in a query or to sort search results".) But I don't see any "System Folders" therein.

Take a look at EasyFind, it lets you easily search for system files, invisible/hidden files, and even files within bundles. Basically fills in all the gaps for Spotlight.

It's free to boot!