'Search' finder strange results

[tomf]

Hi,

11.4 Big Sur

I have a folder of .png files, i click one and press spcebar - it previews it fine. But when i search the folder for a name, it pulls back all those files in the reuslts sure, but it gives them all a different icon, and when i press space bar to preview them they start playing music or just dont preview at all.

The files are still named .png - it's like its linking them to other random files on my hd.

does anyone know how to solve this very strange behaviour?

Thanks

 

[orbital~debris]

Perhaps the Spotlight index has become corrupted.

Follow these instructions (Apple Support page) to rebuild the index and see if that helps.

 

[tomf]

I did try that but its still the same. Its a real problem this is. It has rendered searching in the finder window pointless as the results it yeilds can't be viewed properly.