Windows 7: No thumbnails on desktop for PDF's and Docx

Hmmmm. First of all Antman, I didn't post the thread a second time. Brink didn't realized I had already posted the issue and moved my specific question to him later in the day back to this part of the forum.

As far as check marks (ticks) to enable PDF thumbnails.... they should all be set correctly since JPG's display their thumbnails 100% of the time without issue.

I have found numerous registry edits on other forums to resolve the problem (supposedly). I'll test them later today and report back ASAP.

I found the registry values that supposedly turn on and off the view of PDF thumbnails. Deleting this key "supposedly" turns off Thumbnail PDF view and adding it "supposedly" adds the ability.

I deleted the key and re-booted. No change. Added the key back and rebooted. No change. You can find the article at PC'sPLACE.com.

I give up. I believe this is an issue related to Windows 7 X64 RTM.

Thanks.

Charlie

If this is the only annoyance in Windows 7 that’s bugging you ..
Consider yourself lucky.

Some of the pdf Hacks I’ve been reading about ...
only apply to the Thumbnails in the Adobe reader when it’s opened.
They don't seem to work there either ??

Issues like this seem to be changing rapidly ..
Maybe it’ll settle down a few months after Windows 7 is released to the public … Or maybe Windows 7 SP1 ???

Changing rapidly??? That is an understatement!! Today when I got home the thumbnails were back! I didn't touch the machine today and neither did Windows Update! How weird is that?

I then copied a PDF from My Documents to the desktop.... no thumbnail. Copied the same file to Vista ... thumbnail shows up!! Even weirder!

None of the 15 articles I read along with their associated reg hacks have made any difference.

This has got to be a Windows 7/Adobe issue.........

Charlie

The problem is in the desktop manager ... not the registry.

Want some more fun ??
Put some office 2003 files on your desktop .. somewhere.
Then open them .. edit them .. and save them.

I have no clue.... The issue is not just on the desktop... every folder exhibits same no thumbnail issue.

i have been reading this and other threads about the PDF thumbnail issue and and are still waiting for "adobe patch" that address's the problem.
Like others, for me it's on seven x64. no other system has the issue.
but I just tried something... I opened a PDF and used the save as command = which opens a window... suddenly the PDF's in the folder got thumbnails!!!!
I went through folder after folder and rebooted and the thumbnails were still there... Which lends the issue being a interaction issue between seven x64 and Adobe.
but for now I have a way of getting PDF thumbnails back even if it means ploughing through folders.

I just tried the "save as" with no success. I am using Reader 9, are you? Did you overwrite the existing PDF for the hack to work?

The issue with .PDF is due to acrobat reader not supporting 64bit for the explorer extension that renders the preview image. I have seen workarounds where use of a 32bit explorer may solve the issue, but I'm not that worried to start hacking at explorer.

A related issue may be seen with certain applications that add a context menu item, (open with ..... Etc), the context menu entry does not work in x64. I know that 7Zip has this issue.

I have looked at various alternative readers but none I can find at the moment cure this issue, (although several are better readers than Adobe's )

I have come to a compromise where I need to visually inspect my library of PDF's - I open he preview pane and this, (using a Foxit renderer), gives me all the detail I need until a suitable 64 bit reader comes along, (maybe Reader 10+)

I have Acrobat Pro and I came across the thumbnail generation when I had opened a PDF and went to "save it as", and the existing PDF's started getting thumbnails.

Also no I did not actually save the PDF, I just browsed folders using the save as window and thumbnails would be generated AKA how it would if you where just using explorer normally.

One other thing I noticed the generated thumbnail does not get bigger (as in when you change views it will only show in a smaller size) so it still has to be a Adobe (7even x64) issue in how the OS uses the app to generate thumbnails. I guess a fix will appear for Adobe eventually...