Windows 7: I cannot view my photos in Windows 7 Explorer

I recently purchased a new 64 bit computer running Windows 7 with an AMD dual processor & immediately UpGraded to 8GB of RAM from 6GB. I also UpGraded to a 1GB graphics card & added a sweet TVtuner.

I never purchased, nor UpGraded to VISTA as I had a 5 year warranty on my last 32 bit computer purchase (thru FRY's Electronics [ACES!]). Plus, I heard too many VISTA complaints. Nevertheless, I am in Complete XP ShellShock. I am without question a stranger in a strange land. I'll spend months of days off learning my new OS. I've already DisAbled the Libraries. I had hoped DisAbling the Libraries would have resolved this to no avail.

I've read enough of these threads to realize there are scores of PCwisePPL here, so I am gambling some 1 among you might help.

For some odd reason .. I cannot view my photos in Windows 7 Explorer. All I see is .. ummm .. like a watermarked icon of the File Type, representing the photo WHERE the actual #@%$ photo represented itself in XP Windows Explorer. THIS is a NIGHTMARE .. trying to navigate among MANY 1000s of pngs, jpgs, gifs, icons.

I am the Administrator of My PC. IS There SomeWay to .. IDK .. Change Internet Properties, Change Security Settings, Tweak, or RegEdit (with Expliiicit Instructions) that Allows Me to .. VIEW .. Actual Photos, Rather than 10,000 Representations of File Types .. in Windows 7 Explorer? The Context 'VIEW' Menu only assists me in viewing Larger or smaller file type representations, which further adds to my frustrations.

I pray I've explained this adequately W/O sounding like a NoZZleDorF. HOPEFULLY, some 1 can help me correct this without having to resort to installing a classic shell exe. I mean I DID pay for something new & plan to make Windows 7 progress before Microsoft forces me start over with a new OS.

DaZZle-BaFFled, SUN

Hello,

Try this.
Control Panel - System - Advanced System settings - under performance option choose settings button - click in box next to show thumbnails instead of icons.

Thumbnail Previews - Enable or Disable

see pic.

Why did you disable the Libraries?

BeyondtheSUN; I recomend you spend a little time going through the Tutorials section.

Not to add to your frustration but by now you've noticed outlook has been replaced by Windows Live Mail. Jumping right into a New OS is easier said then done. Navigation, installations, etc. You may want to tone down UAC untill your comfortable. I would guess your looking at the way 7 represents the Control Panel must seem frustrating, unless you've altered those settings.

I'm more accustomed to the XP style of the Windows Explorer TREE .. for navigation throughout my hard drive. Simply my personal choice.

SIMPLY AMAZING !!GGRRTTDD!!
Your Knowledge of the [(I Imagine Simple)]
Things I Have Yet to Grasp is Simply Amazing.
TYVM .. BIG Respect & Many More !THANxxx!

OBVIOUSLY That CouldN't Hurt. Applying the Actual KnowHow to an Individual's Skill Level Seems .. IDK .. Maybe, a PreRequisite.
I Never Spoke Much LATIN Either But IT Appears Required in a Law Degree. THX 4 the TIP Good Sir .. Tutorials IT IS.

I like to think of libraries as a new way or 7's forward thinking. For example with mp3's or videos. I can open a library and the selections / folders are there from whatever 3-4 folders they are realy in. And then I like to use speech to tell the computer to play them. And then you can of course add a folder to any library so you eliminate searching and old style navigation, and have custom libraries as well.

I just want to say that I LOVE this posting thread. I converted from XP to Win 7 in June 2011, and as of 9 Dec 2011 I am still recovering, having spent literally hundreds of my personal man-hours (not to mention dollars) simply getting back to where I was before "upgrading." I came across this thread today because I "simply" wanted to view my jpg photos with the same ease I had in Windows Explorer under Win XP. (I am just getting to this because I have been dealing with other more important problems since June: Office 2010, Naturally Speaking, Adobe Photo Deluxe, etc etc - every application has been a steep learning curve.)

In fact, I got Win 7 Pro for another $90 just so I could run a couple of old programs (Calendar Creator and Access Manager) for which there is no Win 7 equivalent. I spent a month getting it to work, when upon opening one day it said I had a CHKDSK error. After I ran the check disk procedure in Virtual XP, I could not get back into it. I then spent a record 3 hrs 50 mins on the phone with Microsoft Tech Support in the Philippines, during which the guy got on my computer and uninstalled and reinstalled my Virtual XP while I watched. He reassured me many times that I would not lose my data, and if I did I could call back for help. Well, I did lose my data (45 days of calendar, leaving me not knowing my appointments) and when I called 3 times for help, each time they would be nice, until (I think) they would look in the file, after which the line would go dead! I think the first guy put a note in the file that I was the "customer from hell", even though we were both cordial during our help call. In fact, it was a "Product from Hell."

Anyway, Sir, I want you to know that there was nothing wrong with you. I have been over the same ground. I wonder if Apple users have these issues...