Media Thumbnails

[Cah]

I have a lot of folders with mov, mp4 and mts files. I want to make thumbnails automatically so I can see images of the files as soon as I open a folder using Windows Explorer. I've been trying a combination of Media Preview and WinThumbsPreloader but results have been mixed. I can preload thumbnails or visit a folder and have thumbnails made more quickly than before I installed these applications but nothing is "sticking". Yesterday, I finished making thumbnails for my media files but today they seem to need remaking. This is despite the fact that thumbcache_256.db in my AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer folder is 449 mb in size.

Does anyone know of a way to create thumbnails and keep them? Thanks

[HansV]

Some suggestions here: Thumbnails for video files are not showing in Windows 7.

(My Windows 10 displays thumbnails "out of the box")

[Roderunner]

Hi Cah, have you looked in Folder Options?

RR.jpg

[Cah]

Thanks for the replies, I know about folder options. The problem is windows wants to keep remaking thumbnails and this process is slow. I don't want Windows to keep rebuilding thumbnails that have already been made. I want some way of building thumbnails and locking them.

[Roderunner]

What program are you using to access your videos. I use Media Player Classic Home Cinema (portable version on Laptop installed on other PC) and get thumbnails ok.

[DaveA]

If one was not to delete the Thumbs.db files, then the thumbnails would not have to continue to be rebuilt.
This file will be found in almost every folder that thumbnails are being used.

Some cleanup programs will remove these hidden system files.

[Cah]

Does the media player used have anything to do with explorer thumbnails? I use a portable version of Media Player Classic BE. I have no issues with playing videos this is about thumbnails in Explorer. According to a ghacks article thumbnails on Windows 7 are stored centrally at %userprofile%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer. I haven't found any db files in individual folders despite toggling the setting "Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)" in Folder Options > View

There is no indication that my db files are being deleted but they seem to keep rebuilding themselves. Perhaps this is a limitation of Windows and being able to visit a folder and see all the thumbnails automatically is a pipe-dream.

[DaveA]

I see them all the time, as I have the hidden and system files displayed, even on my desktop.

[Cah]

Odd, I don't see them, I assume you are using Windows 7 and not XP. If they should be in every folder this might explain why my thumbnails keep rebuilding but this also contradicts the information in the ghacks article.

[Roderunner]

I looked at my many video folders, all showed thumbnails but only one with a 'Thumbs.db' file some others had 'Desktop.ini' file.

RR.jpg

[Cah]

Out of curiosity, how many files do you have on average in each folder? What I'm currently finding is that some folders get thumbnails rebuilt when I visit them and some aren't but I can't figure out why.

[Roderunner]

Hi Cah, on average each folder has only one, some VIDEO_TS + AUDIO_TS and .AVI formats.
If you look at my last image, you will see it's on a Network Wirelessly Connected Folders. I have other copies on external HDD'S but none permanently connected to any of my pcs.
It is a multi media player connected to my TV and plays any file type audio + video.