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Want Faster Thumbnails?


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I always hate looking for something in my stash and waiting to see thumbnail images painted, especially when I've set them to be Large or Extra-Large. Fortunately PC World did an article on making them FAST, and wow, does it work well! It especially helps when images are stored on an external drive, which normally paints _slowly_. In doing housekeeping, Windows deletes the thumbnail caches too readily.

 

Here is the link to the article, http://www.pcworld.com/article/3096606/windows/when-windows-10-thumbnails-seem-to-be-missing-or-slow-to-load-try-this.html

 

I'm going to try to create simpler directions. My directions are in Windows 10, but this works in Windows 7 & 8 also. I've done screenshots ONLY of the key sections; the PC World article shows complete screens.

 

First, make a System Restore Point, just in case you want to go back or "make a mistake."

 

Open File Explorer. On the VIEW tab, check the box for HIDDEN ITEMS on the right side--you want to see them.

 

Next go to: C:\Users\YOUR_accountname\Appdata\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer. This folder is normally hidden; you can also type the address explicitly to go there if you don't un-hide hidden items or if you don't see it.

post-17172-0-45591400-1470610907_thumb.png

 

On the HOME tab, Click on PROPERTIES. Go to the security/permissions tab, and click the button for ADVANCED, which opens the ADVANCED SECURITY SETTINGS window for the location above.

 

At the lower left, click ADD...

 

On the PERMISSION ENTRY WINDOW displayed, click "Select a principal."

post-17172-0-16830400-1470611181_thumb.png

 

In the Object Name window, type System (case does not matter.)

post-17172-0-78014800-1470611227_thumb.png , then click OK. You can "Check Names" first if you like.

 

On the pulldown RIGHT below "select a principal", Switch to DENY.

post-17172-0-81794100-1470611961_thumb.png

 

Then on the right-side, click SHOW ADVANCED PERMISSIONS.

post-17172-0-49969900-1470612165_thumb.png

 

In the second column, CHECK ON both DELETE and DELETE SUBFOLDERS and FILES. No need to touch anything else!

post-17172-0-44271900-1470612198_thumb.png

 

Click OK to dismiss these windows (three times for me.)

 

You are done!

 

The first time into a folder, it will still take a little time to paint the thumbnails, and you'll want to scroll through it doing all of them. But then, when you go out of the folder, and back in, you'll be astonished at how fast you see your images! It also retains speed if you change the view to LIST or DETAILS, and then back to LARGE ICONS again. Enjoy!

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