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Note that this issue is not the common issue fixed with making sure “Always show icons, never thumbnails” is not checked.
This machine is running Windows 7 Pro SP1 64bit (all available updates installed), 32gb memory.
Prior to several days ago Windows Explorer/File Explorer (WE) worked fine. Now when starting the computer, all desktop icons load fine, then the screen “blinks,” the icons refresh and they still look fine.
When after starting the computer and running WE the first time, WE starts fine, the navigation panel on the left populates, and graphic files show as Thumbnails. Then the folder that has been opened in WE will “update” with the green bar at top running from left to right very slowly. Note that the view is set to Pictures and Large icons (there is no thumbnail option, but thumbnails still are produced).
During/after the WE update (green bar), the Thumbnails turn into icons (either a white piece of paper with the right top corner bent over or a blank icon with a graphic of the program associated with opening that type of file), the “preview file” button does not show a preview of the image associated with the file (if you click on the file it opens in the associated program to view), and the navigation panel does not fully populate, rather it only shows Desktop, and two subfolders (Libraries and Homegroup), and no other folders or Computer. Any time after this that WE is opened, it onlys show icons when it should show Thumbnails, the navigation panel does not fully populate, and the Control Panel is empty (see discussion below).
Prior to this happening, I installed an update to VLC media player for Windows. I don’t think however caused the issue (VLC does cause issues in Win 7, but this doesn’t appear to be one of them). (Note later I described that I uninstalled VLC).
My initial thought was to check in the Organize tab in the folder to see what was checked under “Folder and search options.” I verified that “Always show icons, never thumbnails” was not checked (and it was not checked). I also checked several other folders and it was not checked in those either. Note that folders are set for pictures and Large Icons.
I then opened the Control Panel to uninstall VLC to see if that would fix it. Control Panel when opened however was empty, no icons nor Categories. I was finally able to get into the Control Panel by using Group Policy Editor and checking Disabled in “Show only specified Control Panel items.” I then ran uninstall for VLC. Uninstall was successful. I then rebooted. As before, WE opened fine then “updated” as mentioned above. Note also that when opening Control Panel now, it opens empty, even though Disabled is still checked.
My next guess was the icon file was corrupted. I ran Disk Cleanup and deleted thumbnails, and rebooted to create a new icon cache file. As before, WE opened fine then “updated.” So deleting the icon file did not fix the issue.
My next fix attempt was to do a System Restore. I went to my most distant restore point in early Feb 2021, rather than any points closer to today figuring that would be the safest option. System Restore was successful, but when booting the computer that did not fix the WE problem. I then undid the System Restore.
I have another file explorer type program called PowerDesk. When I run it, the navigation panel displays everything correctly. When selecting display thumbnails however, rather than seeing thumbnails, it displays icons with the graphic of the program that is associated with the file (previously before the WE issue it would show the thumbnail). Preview file does work however in the preview file pane, unlike WE.
At this point the “answer” is beyond my skill set, and it makes no sense to me that WE isn’t working correctly. As such I am reaching out for some help and insight to what may be the issue and how to fix it.
I have done Google searches, as well as searched this and other Win 7 forums, and while there are like discussions, they either have suggestions that match what I have already done, or don’t really address the issue.
There are several options I have thought about but have not tried:
> I thought about deleting Explorer.exe and replacing it, but not sure that would help.
> I have not run System File Checker yet since I think WE is working, but somehow the options to display thumbnails are not working correctly.
> I thought about converting to a Windows 10 operating system but there are a lot of reasons I would rather not do that at this time (hardware and driver issues mostly). Plus I am concerned that the issue would only carry over to the new “upgrade.”
Given this computer supports my photography, having WE without thumbnails is not an option.
So if you have any thoughts, need more information, have questions, and more importantly a fix, I would be forever grateful.
This machine is running Windows 7 Pro SP1 64bit (all available updates installed), 32gb memory.
Prior to several days ago Windows Explorer/File Explorer (WE) worked fine. Now when starting the computer, all desktop icons load fine, then the screen “blinks,” the icons refresh and they still look fine.
When after starting the computer and running WE the first time, WE starts fine, the navigation panel on the left populates, and graphic files show as Thumbnails. Then the folder that has been opened in WE will “update” with the green bar at top running from left to right very slowly. Note that the view is set to Pictures and Large icons (there is no thumbnail option, but thumbnails still are produced).
During/after the WE update (green bar), the Thumbnails turn into icons (either a white piece of paper with the right top corner bent over or a blank icon with a graphic of the program associated with opening that type of file), the “preview file” button does not show a preview of the image associated with the file (if you click on the file it opens in the associated program to view), and the navigation panel does not fully populate, rather it only shows Desktop, and two subfolders (Libraries and Homegroup), and no other folders or Computer. Any time after this that WE is opened, it onlys show icons when it should show Thumbnails, the navigation panel does not fully populate, and the Control Panel is empty (see discussion below).
Prior to this happening, I installed an update to VLC media player for Windows. I don’t think however caused the issue (VLC does cause issues in Win 7, but this doesn’t appear to be one of them). (Note later I described that I uninstalled VLC).
My initial thought was to check in the Organize tab in the folder to see what was checked under “Folder and search options.” I verified that “Always show icons, never thumbnails” was not checked (and it was not checked). I also checked several other folders and it was not checked in those either. Note that folders are set for pictures and Large Icons.
I then opened the Control Panel to uninstall VLC to see if that would fix it. Control Panel when opened however was empty, no icons nor Categories. I was finally able to get into the Control Panel by using Group Policy Editor and checking Disabled in “Show only specified Control Panel items.” I then ran uninstall for VLC. Uninstall was successful. I then rebooted. As before, WE opened fine then “updated” as mentioned above. Note also that when opening Control Panel now, it opens empty, even though Disabled is still checked.
My next guess was the icon file was corrupted. I ran Disk Cleanup and deleted thumbnails, and rebooted to create a new icon cache file. As before, WE opened fine then “updated.” So deleting the icon file did not fix the issue.
My next fix attempt was to do a System Restore. I went to my most distant restore point in early Feb 2021, rather than any points closer to today figuring that would be the safest option. System Restore was successful, but when booting the computer that did not fix the WE problem. I then undid the System Restore.
I have another file explorer type program called PowerDesk. When I run it, the navigation panel displays everything correctly. When selecting display thumbnails however, rather than seeing thumbnails, it displays icons with the graphic of the program that is associated with the file (previously before the WE issue it would show the thumbnail). Preview file does work however in the preview file pane, unlike WE.
At this point the “answer” is beyond my skill set, and it makes no sense to me that WE isn’t working correctly. As such I am reaching out for some help and insight to what may be the issue and how to fix it.
I have done Google searches, as well as searched this and other Win 7 forums, and while there are like discussions, they either have suggestions that match what I have already done, or don’t really address the issue.
There are several options I have thought about but have not tried:
> I thought about deleting Explorer.exe and replacing it, but not sure that would help.
> I have not run System File Checker yet since I think WE is working, but somehow the options to display thumbnails are not working correctly.
> I thought about converting to a Windows 10 operating system but there are a lot of reasons I would rather not do that at this time (hardware and driver issues mostly). Plus I am concerned that the issue would only carry over to the new “upgrade.”
Given this computer supports my photography, having WE without thumbnails is not an option.
So if you have any thoughts, need more information, have questions, and more importantly a fix, I would be forever grateful.