Explorer Window folder thumbnails disappearing

[Stieglfan]

This started suddenly after I turned my desktop pc off before going away for a week. When I came home and turned it back on, it hasn't been "normal" since.

When I start my computer, go to my user folder, documents etc., all appears fine. Folders/thumbnails and images within the folder appear as normal.

However, if I open (for instance) my "downloads" folder, the folder icons and associated icons are initially displayed as "normal", but I see that the explorer bar (where I see C:/user/downloads, etc) is "computing items" but it never stops. A green "progress bar" SLOWLY moves across that "text window" and then it stays green. As if the pc is having trouble reading what is in the folder.

Once that happens, if I back out of the folder and then go back in to it, most of the folder icons/thumbnails/pictures are no longer visible. If I navigate to other folders, it's the same thing; many (but not all) of the folder icons and the thumbnails within are not displayed. Example: in my "user file" the AppData and Tracing folders, the icon is non existant....yet my Contacts, Desktop, Favorites, Documents etc. are shown as standard windows "yellow folders" but not the thumbnails that I have associated with them. Also, the file info (if I highlight a file name) does not appear at the bottom of the explorer window, as it normally would for me.

I have run my anti-virus, malwarebytes, which are showing no problems and I have also tried "indexing" but no luck.

I do have an external drive that is close to full, but it is disconnected. My C drive is
currently 873gb full of 1.35tb. Recovery partition is 1.63gb free of 13.2gb - which I have never "messed with", though I have previously done 2 "reset to factory settings"

I have taken some screen shots to illustrate. If they might help, I can add them here.

Anyone have an idea of what is going on? I'd rather not do another restore if I can avoid it.

Thanks!!!

edit: I have also just noticed that when I go to start/control panel, computer, network etc. the windows are completely blank. No icons, no file names displayed.

 

[FliGi7]

Launch an elevated command prompt and type "sfc /scannow" to see if there are corrupt Windows files preventing windows/items from properly displaying.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/783-elevated-command-prompt.html

 

[Stieglfan]

Thanks FliGi7,

While waiting for a response, I restarted my system in safe mode. It still did the same thing, however when I tried to restart in "normal mode" I received a windows start up error. It ran some repair scan and restarted normally after that.

I then read your message and ran the scan as you suggested. It did not show any errors.

So far, the behavior hasn't repeated itself. Maybe the start up error scan has repaired the issue? I'll give it some time before assuming it is fixed.

Thanks again!

 

[FliGi7]

In that case the Startup Repair has probably fixed what the SFC scan would have as well, so you probably killed two birds with one stone there.

 

[Stieglfan]

Edit: I spoke to soon! It appears to be an issue with my downloads folder specifically (or just coincidence?). Opening other folders was fine, files were read instantly (no green bar). Downloads folder, green bar appeared and thumbnails/folders disappear.

Should I attempt to delete the folder and create a new one?

 

[FliGi7]

So no other folders that were previously exhibiting this behavior are doing the same? It's just your Downloads folder? It's possible that there's a file in there that is causing the thumbnailing process to freeze up. What happens if you put it into list view?

 

[Stieglfan]

That appears to be correct, but I am not 100% sure. I am only noticing the problem when/after opening the downloads folder.

If I put it into list view, I can see the standard yellow windows folders, etc. And when in thumbnail view, if I click on a where the folder/file icon should be (above the file name), it opens without problems.

 

[FliGi7]

If there are no problems in list view, then it appears something is awry with the thumbnailing process. Have you installed any third party codecs or video/picturing viewing applications?

 

[Stieglfan]

It hasn't done it again in the past hour. But I think you're on the right track. Seems to be thumbnails in that downloads folder.
I haven't added any codecs or programs recently, everything has been on this pc for several months. I have divx, quicktime, real player installed and the K-Lite video codec pack.

 

[FliGi7]

From my experience on the forums here, K-Lite seems to be notorious for causing issues on Windows. That codec pack interfaces with the Windows thumbnailing process and has caused issues like this in the past. Personally, I would completely uninstall the K-Lite codec pack and install something like Shark007's codecs. Those are what I, and many others, run with much less issue than the K-Lite pack. It wouldn't surprise me if your issue went away once you did that. It's just a hypothesis, though.

 

[Stieglfan]

Thanks for that info! I've uninstalled k-lite. I also discovered one file in the downloads folder that would not allow me to delete it. I ran "file assassin" in MalwareBytes to get rid of it.

But now I have a new problem when starting in "normal" mode. I am getting what I would call a BSOD or similar behavior. When I start the pc, my toolbar does not "pop up" and I am unable to click on any desktop items. When I try to click, I get a blue "swirling circle" (windows is "doing something" etc.).
I had a similar issue several months ago, which appeared to be a "network adapter" driver issue.

I am currently in safe mode with networking. Everything works.

 

[ConfusedTomato]

Hey I'm getting the same problem with my laptop. Can you tell me how you resolved it?

 

[Stieglfan]

Hi. I had issues for several days after removing k-lite and then one day upon restarting the computer "normally" everything worked fine and have had no issues since. Eventually it basically fixed itself. Sorry I don't have a better answer!

 

[lehnerus2000]

I use K-Lite Mega Codec Pack and I haven't had any issues with it.
When I install K-Lite Mega Codec Pack, I always disable all of the thumbnail preview options.

I did have a problem with rmvb files, but it went away after I stopped using Real Player (several years ago).
I only used Real Player for ripping CDs (its CD database gave the best results for me in those days).

 

[ConfusedTomato]

I don't use K-Lite. I formatted my system to factory settings and i believe its got something to do with either Daemon Tools or Windows update. Some have even suggested turning off the windows search services, doesn't feel right though. Thanks anyway

 

[lehnerus2000]

Check your Folder Options settings

Try checking the "Always show icons, never thumbnails" setting on the "View" tab, in your "Folder Options" window.

Type "Folder Options" (without the quotes) in your Start Menu search box and choose "Folder Options" from the results list.

 

[ConfusedTomato]

I had tried that before but it didn't work. As I suspected it had something to do with windows updates. I restored the system to an initial stage and didn't download optional updates so its working fine...for now! Thank you so much though

 

[lehnerus2000]

Backup HDD Image

I had tried that before but it didn't work. As I suspected it had something to do with windows updates. I restored the system to an initial stage and didn't download optional updates so its working fine...for now! Thank you so much though

Sorry that I wasn't much help.

Now that your PC is working you should create a backup HDD image immediately.

Tutorials
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/663-backup-complete-computer-create-image-backup.html
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html

I prefer to use Macrium Reflect.

 

[ConfusedTomato]

I had tried that before but it didn't work. As I suspected it had something to do with windows updates. I restored the system to an initial stage and didn't download optional updates so its working fine...for now! Thank you so much though

Sorry that I wasn't much help.

Now that your PC is working you should create a backup HDD image immediately.

Tutorials
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/663-backup-complete-computer-create-image-backup.html
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html

I prefer to use Macrium Reflect.

The problem's returned...and this time its become something of a monster! System freezes, applications close without any reason, loads of error popups, Alerts telling me to close applications otherwise there'll be memory loss, missing files....Cyber hell if you ask me! :/ I give up! Gonna hand this one over to the company! Can't be wasting too much time on this! Thank you very much anyway