The thumbs.db file is generated by Windows. It is a database file containing
the small images displayed when you view a folder in Thumbnail View (as
opposed to Tile, Icon, List or Detail View).
A thumbs.db file contains the thumbnails for that particular folder where
the thumbs.db is located.
Windows XP uses a compressed database file (Thumbs.db) to increase
performance. Supposedly.
To get rid of Thumbs.db files, open Folder Options...
Open Folder Options...
Start | Run | Type: control folders | Click OK |
View tab | Check: Do not cache thumbnails |
Click Apply | Click OK
Do not cache thumbnails...
[[Disables automatic storage of folder thumbnails in a cache file. When you
store thumbnail images in a cache file, Windows can reuse them instead of
creating new ones every time you open a folder. If you disable this
automatic storage function, folders that contain thumbnails might take
longer to open.]]
If you do not change the Do not cache thumbnails setting, deleting any
thumbs.db will be a waste of time because they will just be recreated again
in folders that are set in Thumbnail View.
If you use Thumbnail views a lot, you may want to UNCheck Do not cache
thumbnails.
To recreate the Thumbs.db file, click the folder whose contents you are
trying to view in Windows Explorer and then click Thumbnails on
the View menu.
Note: To see the Thumbs.db file, you must be able to view hidden files. To
view hidden files, click Folder Options on the View menu in Windows
Explorer, click the View tab, click Show All Files and then click OK.
Hide protected operating system files (Recommended) needs to be UNChecked
also.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
Value Name: DisableThumbnailCache
Data Type: REG_DWORD
Value Data: 0 or 1
0 = enabled
1 = disable cache
Stop Windows from saving the thumbnail cache (THUMBS.DB)
http://www.annoyances.org/exec/show/article03-204
Disable the automatic display of thumbnails in certain folders
http://www.annoyances.org/exec/show/article03-203
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Hope this helps. Let us know.
Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
In
