click edit>find>search messages and create a simple search. Then click the button to save as a search folder. Then, there is an option to add additional folders. With this, you can make the search folder search all desired folders, but NOT the archive folder. Twiddle with this a bit and I think it will do what you want.

That sounds easy, but there's no way to save a search on a set number of folders. I did at one point have a box come up to tick boxes, but when I clicked on search nothing happened. The search folders I did create don't appear anywhere, there's no way to access them.

I rechecked what I suggested, using a saved search on multiple folders on different accounts and it works properly. I encourage you to try this again.

Well I tried and tried and am sick of trying because nothing works. Maybe as usual the portable version I have doesn't do what the normal version does. Thanks for your time anyway.

Try a screenshot of the search pane just after clicking 'create search folder.' That may give ideas.