Photos become permanently corrupted when viewed in Windows Explorer

Hi there, Good day to you.

I have joined forum because after several months, I came across a thread which seems closes to my inquiry. (
Photos turn all black in windows explorer and windows photo gallery



I received a message that the thread was last open 97 days ago. I should consider a new thread. Hence this post for your help.

I attach some interesting photos. When I view photos in Explorer as "Large Icons", or "Extra Large Icons". the thumb nails change colour right in front of me. It is dramatic. If I click on a photo to see in full screen, the enlarged size is also corrupted. There is more. If I go back to the original folder, the corruption is permanent in the folder. Not all photos get corrupted. Not all photos get "attacked" by the same colour.

Photos on the SD Card in the Camera are perfect.

I have used Kaspersky paid version, Avast free version, Windows scanner (Microsoft Safety Scanner - Free Virus Scan with the Microsoft Safety Scanner), Norton, Bidefender on line virus checkers. There is no virus.

If I load the photos form the SD Card again, different photos get corrupted.

I have updated drivers. Made no difference. Memory is not faulty. Monitor is not faulty. The monitor only displays what gets corrupted.

This started happening in the last 6 months. Nothing was changed. I am unable to create travel videos.

I have changed disk and installed earlier version of Acronis image.

I have transferred some photos to DVDs. The images are safe on the DVD. Photos do not get "attacked" on the DVD.

I have not found anything remotely similar (yet) in the camera forums. I am hoping there is some experience in the Seven Forum community.



Computer details are

HP Compaq dc7900 Model Small Form Factor PC, Model KP721Av
Windows 7, 64 bit
Intel (R) Core (TM) 2 Duo CPU 8400@3.00 GHZ
8 Gb GB of Ram
Intel (R) Q45/Q43 Express chipset (Microsoft Corporation-WDDM 1.1)
Motherboard Product Hewlett-Packard Motherboard 3031h
HP LE2201w LCD Monitor
Western Digital Black 1 TB hard Disk

mal1938

Try a clean startup - Troubleshoot Application Conflicts by Performing a Clean Startup

What Antivirus you got now? Scan with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware free (https://www.malwarebytes.org/) and Farbar (http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/farbar-recovery-scan-tool/) as well. If AV complain about Farbar disable until scan is over.

Does it happen is Safe Mode? Did you try with another account?

Dear GokAy,

Thanks for your prompt response. You prompt response made me wish I had joined forum in October 15 when the problem began or joined several year ago. Thanks.

1 Antivirus. At present I am using Kaspersky. Box says Kaspersky Internet Security Multi-Device 2015. (I have tried Avast free version, Windows scanner (Microsoft Safety Scanner - Free Virus Scan with the Microsoft Safety Scanner), Norton, Bitdefender on line virus checkers).

I have tried Microsoft fix it.

I will try those you mentioned.

2 Clean Start Up.

2.1 I tried clean set up on an old 120 Gb Disk. As far I can recollect, same problem. The disk was too small to install my Video Editing software and other support software.

2.2 I carried out clean install of Windows 8-64. No improvement. I have bcome used to Windows 7 64 and hence did not download Windows 8.1 or download any updates.

2.3 I have Windows 7-64 installations on 2 disks at present. (Have licenses. So no breach there. Microsoft have been good at activating repeat installs on formatted disks/ or new disks very generously)

Is there a problem with any of the windows 7 updates?

3 I have tried looking at these sites. I may not have interpreted the content correctly. I could use help.

3.1 Tried this and found no problem. Troubleshoot monitor and video card problems

3.2 This site says "A major problem has been identified in the code used in many Microsoft applications, and those using Microsoft's software libraries in how it decodes JPEG images "
Problems in Microsoft's JPEG decoding

Did I miss anything in the above?

3.3 Windows Confidential: The Mystery of the Recalcitrant JPG https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/.../gg981675.aspx

It is possible I am searching incorrectly.

4 Does it happen is Safe Mode?

A friend suggested this. Did not resolve the problem. Moreover I cannot use all my software in this mode.

5 Did you try with another account?

By this did you mean another install? See item 2 please and comment.

6 Extras

The SD Card is not faulty.
I have tried using different SD Cards
I have tried using a different SD Card Reader
I have downloaded images directly from the camera to the computers

7 XP Computer

I used old slow Windows XP computer. (Core 2 Duo). There is no corruption of images on that computer. (XP is not supported by Microsoft. My Video Editing softwares are not compatible with Windows XP.)

I look forward to your comments and any comments from other Forum users.



Regards
mal1938

In the last post should have said October 2014

To make sure, you only have 1 AV at the moment, right? Just Kaspersky?
Get Malwarebytes Anti-Malware free (https://www.malwarebytes.org/) regardless, it is a good product. It runs as a complimentary to your AV.

You didn't read the clean startup link! What you are telling me is a clean install of Windows.

Safe Mode is for diagnostic, only basic/generic drivers are loaded. So most programs won't run.

But having the same problem in several OS installations (it was not obvious in your first post) looks like a software you are installing. How many Video editing/image editing (and the sort) do you have installed?

Try:
- Uninstall your Video Editing software, restart and see if the issue continues.
- Uninstall any other similar program (anything that has to do with pictures/videos - you get the idea I hope) one by one, restarting after each and checking if the issue will correct.

- If the above fail, clean install Windows once again (on an unused drive for example) and see if it is correct without any software installed. Then one by one install your software, restart after each (and open the program after restart) and see if you can find the culprit.

Here is something I found that looks like it's working.
The problem is driver related but if the jpeg decoder is contained in the driver files (like AMD catalyst) you can simply remove/rename them so pictures are viewed using the embedded windows decoders and the graphics chip driver still works (it seems).
look in C/program files/common files/ATI technologies/multi media
rename all jpeg-decoders to .txt or something, example : amf-wic-jpeg-decoder64.odll
I disabled the R5 device before I did this and uninstalled AMD Catalyst control center, etc so it wouldn't because it kept re-enabling the R5 driver. Not sure if this was necessary, but it seems to work. I couldn't delete the file above because it was being used, so I renamed it. Pictures instantly started working again.
Time will tell about the crashes, but now I can play with the AMD drivers and (hopefully) keep the picture issues resolved.

Hi NatalieGreen,
Very thankful for your response. I attach a word document, "Windows 7 Forum response to Natalie Green.doc". I I have found ATI Technologies folder under Program Files and under Program Files (x486). The computer does not have the folder you mentioned. Could it be located under a different location? I have Intel (R) Core (TM) 2 Duo CPU on this computer. Thanks again for your time. mal1938

Eh, why is there an ATI folder in your PC? Did you have an ATI card at an earlier date?
I have the same folders but under AMD, however my motherboard is AMD. Yours are all Intel. Can you check in Programs and Features (Control Panel) for any ATI/AMD entries?

CCC is short for Catalyst Control Center.

Hi GokAy,

Thanks for your interest, zeal and energy to help in the forum

No idea why I have ATI folder/s. Should I consider removing it? I may consider writing to the HP forum

The compute is exactly as I bought it. (Not new) When I bought the computer, it had operating system only (Windows 7 64)

I have an Acronis image of the original instlltation. If I find an old SATa disk, I will examine the original installation.

I will reply to your previous post separately.

On a separate issue, please send me link to log in to the forum. At present I can reach the forum only from the link to your posts. Thanks

mal1938

No, don't delete them on your own.
Scan with CCleaner Free and fix. Also scan the registry and fix. Then go into Tools - Uninstall (should be default) and Save to text file. Attach (install.txt) here.

You can start trying after we check the install.txt:

- Uninstall your Video Editing software, restart and see if the issue continues.
- Uninstall any other similar program (anything that has to do with pictures/videos - you get the idea I hope) one by one, restarting after each and checking if the issue will correct.