No thumbnails on desktop for PDF's and Docx

[charlieo]

Using Windows 7 RTM Ultimate x64, (2) Nvidia 250 GTS SLI. I always dump PDF's and docs on my desktop. I use the large icons. At first the thumbnails worked perfectly for PDF's and Docs, as they did in Vista..... nice large thumbnails of the PDF's and documents. Initially they didn't show up... but after a couple of reboots... they were there. After two days, they are all gone again. Oddly, my JPG's still show their thumbnails.

I have absolutely no idea what changed. I have tried all the settings I can find and they seem to be correct (especially since my JPG's display). Yes, I have added programs and tweaked a few things, but nothing that should have affected the thumbnails. I am using the latest Nvidia driver (190.56). I have a couple other W7 machines and they also seem to afflicted with the issue.

Any suggestions would be appreciated! I need my thumbnails back

Charlie

 

[noyb]

Why ???

I’ve noticed that the Thumbnails of pdf’s have been changing as Adobe updates reader…
or I get different versions of W7.

But it makes no sense to me to show a Thumbnail of a pdf or a doc file in place of an Icon on the desktop.

If you have a Thumbnail of the contents of a pdf or a doc file for an Icon on the Desktop
How can you tell it’s not an Image file ??

I’m not sure, but I think adobe is trying to fix a problem that Vista > W7 shouldn’t be having in the first place.

 

[charlieo]

I am not sure I understand what you are asking.

If it is in fact just an Adobe issue, then that doesn't explain why the docx and doc files don't display the thumbnails. As I said, all JPGs display thumbnails perfectly.

All PDF and Word thumbnails have a small overlay in the lower right corner that identifies them as PDF, Word, etc. (at least they did) "Try it, you'll like it" as they say.

Do I believe this is a Windows issue? YES. I am looking for some corroberation.... that is all.

 

[noyb]

It seems to me that M$ has forgot there's a difference in the purpose for ..
(and the display of) .. Icons and Thumbnails.
If they think Thumbnails are good Icons .. Why don't they show Thumbnails for all image file types ??

They should have at least given us the choice to display Icons or Thumbnails on the Desktop.

Not being able to see Icons on my desktop is the biggest reason why I can't work in Vista or W7.
I can't see what I have or want to work with .. easily

My newest W7 install .. The pdf's have been changed back to an Icon.
and doc or docx seem to be undecided at this point.

 

[Barman58]

I have found this to be a little hit & miss with the last few variations (OS/Reader/Office)

I know there are issues with Reader and PDF thumbnails when you install other adobe products such as photoshop and there is a lot of discussion on workarounds on the adobe site

The only thing I find that helps is to clear the thumbnail cache regularly, give it a try and see if it helps

 

[charlieo]

I assume the cache can be cleared by changing color depth and logging off and back on or deleating the iconcache file? What do you suggest for doing this?

I am pleased to hear that it is NOT only my installations of RTM!!!

 

[SquonkSC]

I think it's a brilliant option.

Just takes a second, to find the right file, instead of reading the filenames.

And still working with latest reader on rtm.
Also on the desktop.

You can never mistake it for a picture file since the adobe reader logo is in the lower right corner.

View attachment 23232

 

[charlieo]

Ok... So what am I doing wrong? I am so jealous!! I want my thumbnails for PDFs back!!

Any ideas?

 

[noyb]

Try an older version of Adobe reader maybe ??
Now where did my animated gif file go ???

 

[tw33k]

Ok... So what am I doing wrong? I am so jealous!! I want my thumbnails for PDFs back!!

Any ideas?

I'm trying to replicate your problem but without success...I have Acrobat Pro 8 installed on the RTM and have no problems seeing the thumbnails

 

[charlieo]

Hmmmm. I am using Reader 9.1.3. Always worked perfectly in Vista SP2. I wonder if the video driver could be part of the issue? Or, maybe a WinBubble tweak? All I did was remove the shortcut arrow... putting it back had no affect. I think I'll leave the arrow visible and see what happens.

How/where do I find an older version of Reader?

 

[noyb]

Somewhere .. there's a setting to allow applications to control Icons ??
I've seen it before ... I can't find it now ??
I wonder if that will change anything ??

 

[noyb]

How/where do I find an older version of Reader?

For security reasons .. That is not really a good thing to do ..
Download Adobe Reader 9.1 - FileHippo.com

 

[Barman58]

The best way to reset the thumbnail cache is to delete the Hidden thumbs.db file in each folder, (search for all thumbs.db files across a drive or folder structure, select all, delete, done), or in a particular folder

 

[charlieo]

I am at a loss..... Older Adobe Reader does nothing different. I am now thinking it is an Nvidia issue.... I do have two laptops that DO show the thumbnails.... but they were Vista upgrades.... but, they do not have Nvidia drivers...... Oh well, who knows????

Thanks for he advice.

Charlie

 

[SquonkSC]

I am at a loss..... Older Adobe Reader does nothing different. I am now thinking it is an Nvidia issue.... I do have two laptops that DO show the thumbnails.... but they were Vista upgrades.... but, they do not have Nvidia drivers...... Oh well, who knows????

Thanks for he advice.

Charlie

I'm almost 99.9% sure it has nothing to do with the video drivers.

There must be an application that overwrote the function in the registry.

Ever installed Foxit? Or Adobe Acrobat? Or any other PDF reader?

Better go back to the latest reader, because it's working ok here.

Then try this trick.
Right click on a pdf, chose open with, select MS word.

don't worry if it gives error.

Now repeat this sequence and chose adobe reader again.

Maybe it will reset the settings.

Just a thought.

good luck

 

[charlieo]

Thank you....

I agree, I don't think it is an Adobe issue either. I will give it a shot and get back to the forum.

 

[Barman58]

One other thing that has not been mentioned of course is that it is I believe possible to create a PDF file that does not have an included thumbnail .

If the thumbnail is not present in the file the system cannot show it.

I know that this is tru for office files where the thumbnail is not included but am not sure if the OS generates it's own PDF thumbnails or not

 

[charlieo]

not the issue... they all displayed in Vista ... and . . . on again off again in W7

 

[antt]

I know in word (2007) there is a tick box in the 'save as' dialog that you must tick to save a thumbnail with the documents. You only need to tick it for the first document you save, then it becomes the default. for some reason its not normally :S
Failing that I'd go disk cleanup and tick 'delete thumbnails'