avi/mpeg all video icons nolonger shows th-nail preview

stuartrozier · 10 Mar 2010

Hello,

My first time ever in a forum so please be gentle :)

I have windows 7, i used to be able to see thumbnail previews on all my video files.
avi/wmv/dv-rms/mpeg etc....

I had nero installed at one point, uninstalled it.
I think this may have been around the same time the thumbnails no longer decided to appear.

I then read on a forum somewhere that installing a codec pack would displays these thumbnails, so i installed k-lite codec pack - but still no joy, so i un-installed that.

I then read in another forum that running the following command in "RUN" would make them appear....REGSVR32 SHMEDIA.DLL - But still no joy on that attempt.

I then looked in my system32 folder for this specific file "shmedia.dll"....and its not in there? .... Should i have this file in windows 7, or is it vista only?

I have tried the basic attempts of going to "folder option" and clicking then un-clicking the nessary tabs to show/or hide thumbnail icons etc...

......but yet again, still no joy.

Im really hoping someone out there can shed some light,

Many thanks for reading my post...

Stuart

Unk75 · 10 Mar 2010

Start -> Computer -> Right Click -> Properties -> Advanced system settings in left panel -> Click the first button named "Settings" in right panel, and check Show thumbnails instead of icons

Thumbnail Previews - Enable or Disable

Brink · 10 Mar 2010

Hello Stuart, and welcome to Seven Forums.

In Default Programs, double check to make sure that Windows Media Player is set as your default program with all of it's associations set to it as well.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

stuartrozier · 10 Mar 2010

Thankyou you guys for your quick responses....

I have tried both of your suggestions, but still no luck.

Just out of interest, should i have a file in the windows/system32/ dir, called "shmedia.dll" ?

If i should, i currently dont....could it have been deleted by mistake when i un-installed nero and the k-lite codec pack?

Thanks again,
Stuart

Brink · 10 Mar 2010

Stuart,

I do not have that file in my system.

Do you have thumbnail previews for image files (ex: JPG or BMP)?

stuartrozier · 10 Mar 2010

Yes i do... all images preview fine, just the video files....hmmmm....

Thanx
Stuart

Tiffer · 10 Mar 2010

Hi Stuart

On the "shmedia.dll" I would say no, as I haven't got it either in Windows Ultimate (x64).

On the AVI front have you tried downloading and installing VLC Media Player. I use it in preference to WMP and it plays just about any media file you throw at it with no need to install multiple codecs.

If you make it the default player you should see the previews with VLC's traffic cone icon on them.

avi/mpeg all video icons nolonger shows th-nail preview-clipboard05.jpg

stuartrozier · 10 Mar 2010

Hello, i tried the software you suggested, installed, made it the default player....but no video preveiw thumbnail.....
Just an enlarged image of the softwares icon displayed over the video files....i have attached an image to show you, hope ive attached it correctly << amateur

Stuart

Tiffer · 10 Mar 2010

Hi Stuart

Not sure whats going on but it may be a naming issue.

I found two files of my own that displayed as yours. Notice the .divx extension on them.

avi/mpeg all video icons nolonger shows th-nail preview-clipboard01.jpg

I used rename (F2) to change the extension to .avi, you'll get a warning from Windows but ignore it as you can always rename them back if it fails.

avi/mpeg all video icons nolonger shows th-nail preview-clipboard02.jpg

After renaming the extension, "cones" become thumbnails!

avi/mpeg all video icons nolonger shows th-nail preview-clipboard03.jpg

Based on your screenshot can I suggest maybe "Smallville S09 - Eps 10.avi" for the first one and then repeat for the others just changing the episode number. Notice the use of a single period (.) followed by the extension.

I'm guessing if you double clcik on the "cone" files as they stand they do play in VLC?

Brink · 10 Mar 2010

Ok Stuart,

Try the downloads in the tutorial below for each file extension that is happening to. It will restore all default associations for that file extension, and hopefully fix this for you. If one is not lists, then just let me know and I'll add it.

Default File Type Associations - Restore