# Searching a Private Message Board I Belong to

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searching-a-private-message-board-i-belong-to/640790>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 12, 2012, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searching-a-private-message-board-i-belong-to/640790 "2012-11-12T16:29:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Bpelta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Bpelta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bpelta)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2012, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searching-a-private-message-board-i-belong-to/640790/1 "2012-11-12T16:29:38Z")

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I belong to a private message board; since it’s password-protected, it’s impossible to search for threads via google. The search option the board has only allows me to search for thread _titles_, as opposed to letting me search the text in the threads and posts (it’s a “runboard,” FWIW).

Is there a search engine which would allow me to search the forum?

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**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2012, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searching-a-private-message-board-i-belong-to/640790/2 "2012-11-12T18:47:12Z")

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Have you thought about asking the users or admin on that board?

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**Author:** ![Bpelta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Bpelta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bpelta)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2012, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searching-a-private-message-board-i-belong-to/640790/3 "2012-11-12T19:25:07Z")

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> [@Omar\_Little](#):
>
> Have you thought about asking the users or admin on that board?

Yes, thank you.

Other recommendations?

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**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2012, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searching-a-private-message-board-i-belong-to/640790/4 "2012-11-12T19:34:33Z")

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There is no way to use a 3rd party search tool to search a Web site that has explicitly prevented itself from being indexed or accessed by a 3rd party.

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**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2012, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searching-a-private-message-board-i-belong-to/640790/5 "2012-11-12T19:43:05Z")

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If there’s no view limit, you can use software like HTTrack to download every single thread and then search through it all on your own computer.

Not recommended for big boards, obviously.