Windows Explorer will only display icons, not thumbnails - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

Wayne · 2011-04-02, 07:05 PM

FYI - my OS in Win7 Home Premium. This problem pertains to folders that contian jpeg picture files.

For some reason a little while ago Windows Explorer stopped displaying thumbnails when using the display options of Extra Large Icons, Large Icons and Medium Icons - instead it just displays the Icons. What will happen is that the picture thumbnail will be visible for a brief instant before it is replaced with the thumbnail.

I have tried checking and unchecking the Always show icons, never thumbnails.
I have tried changing the default display program for jpegs. I have tried several options including Windows Photo Viewer, Windows Live Photo Gallery, Picasa Photo Viewer, Paint, etc.
All I get is a brief flash of the picture and then the icon takes over and the icon changes depending on which program is currently the default.

Note that I have no problem actually opening the picture in one of several programs, it is just that I cannot see thumbnails of photos in Windows Explorer - and this is a very good way to just browse your photo collection.

Anyone have a suggestion?

nospam · 2011-04-02, 09:14 PM

I have heard of this happening when your hard drive is getting close to full. Try cleaning up your drive and emptying the Recycle Bin to see if that has any effect.

Wayne · 2011-04-03, 06:31 PM

I did have a lot of stuff in the recycle bin, I emptied it but that didn't change anything. I also have tons of free space on the drive a few hundred gigs.

BGY11 · 2011-04-03, 07:16 PM

Open Disk Cleanup, ensure "Thumbnails" is checked then run the cleanup. Sounds like the thumbnail cache is messed up.

mateo_f4 · 2011-04-03, 08:00 PM

In Windows Explorer, go to the "Tools" menu, select "Folder Options". On the "View" tab, "Advanced Settings" ensure that the first option "Always show icons, never thumbnails" is NOT checked.

BGY11 · 2011-04-03, 09:06 PM

^Good idea! I wasn't at a Windows 7 desktop when I posted my reply, but that should be the first thing to check.

Wayne · 2011-04-03, 11:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BGY11

Open Disk Cleanup, ensure "Thumbnails" is checked then run the cleanup. Sounds like the thumbnail cache is messed up.

You rule! That did the trick - I had unchecked the Always Show Icons option as I indicated in the original post.

2011-04-02, 07:05 PM	#1
Wayne Veteran Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Scarboro Posts: 5,568	Windows Explorer will only display icons, not thumbnails FYI - my OS in Win7 Home Premium. This problem pertains to folders that contian jpeg picture files. For some reason a little while ago Windows Explorer stopped displaying thumbnails when using the display options of Extra Large Icons, Large Icons and Medium Icons - instead it just displays the Icons. What will happen is that the picture thumbnail will be visible for a brief instant before it is replaced with the thumbnail. I have tried checking and unchecking the Always show icons, never thumbnails. I have tried changing the default display program for jpegs. I have tried several options including Windows Photo Viewer, Windows Live Photo Gallery, Picasa Photo Viewer, Paint, etc. All I get is a brief flash of the picture and then the icon takes over and the icon changes depending on which program is currently the default. Note that I have no problem actually opening the picture in one of several programs, it is just that I cannot see thumbnails of photos in Windows Explorer - and this is a very good way to just browse your photo collection. Anyone have a suggestion?

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2011-04-02, 09:14 PM	#2
nospam Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Calgary, Alberta Posts: 299	I have heard of this happening when your hard drive is getting close to full. Try cleaning up your drive and emptying the Recycle Bin to see if that has any effect.

2011-04-03, 06:31 PM	#3
Wayne Veteran Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Scarboro Posts: 5,568	I did have a lot of stuff in the recycle bin, I emptied it but that didn't change anything. I also have tons of free space on the drive a few hundred gigs.

2011-04-03, 07:16 PM	#4
BGY11 Veteran Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Calgary AB Posts: 3,168	Open Disk Cleanup, ensure "Thumbnails" is checked then run the cleanup. Sounds like the thumbnail cache is messed up.

2011-04-03, 08:00 PM	#5
mateo_f4 Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Calgary, Alberta Posts: 82	In Windows Explorer, go to the "Tools" menu, select "Folder Options". On the "View" tab, "Advanced Settings" ensure that the first option "Always show icons, never thumbnails" is NOT checked.

2011-04-03, 09:06 PM	#6
BGY11 Veteran Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Calgary AB Posts: 3,168	^Good idea! I wasn't at a Windows 7 desktop when I posted my reply, but that should be the first thing to check.