Dealing with Thumbs.db Open in Windows Explorer – Simple Tips

Today, I messed around with something that kinda drove me nuts for a while, and I figured I’d share my little adventure. It’s about those pesky “*” files that pop up in Windows Explorer. You know, those little files that store thumbnails of your pictures? Well, they can be a real pain sometimes, especially when you’re trying to delete them or clean up folders.

So, first off, I couldn’t even see these * files at first. Turns out, they’re usually hidden because they’re considered system files. To show them, I had to go into the Control Panel, click on “Folder Options,” and then uncheck “Hide protected operating system files.” Easy enough, right? But that was just the beginning of my quest.

Once I could see them, I tried to delete them, but guess what? Windows kept telling me they were “open” and couldn’t be deleted. Frustrating! I figured it’s probably because Windows Explorer is always using them in the background.

After digging around the internet a bit, I found that some people suggested using the command prompt or PowerShell. I thought to give it a try. I opened up the command prompt, navigated to the folder with the * file, and tried using the “del” command. Nope, still couldn’t delete it. Windows kept saying it was in use.

Then, I stumbled upon this idea of disabling the creation of these files altogether. It’s in the Folder Options again, under the “View” tab. There’s a checkbox that says “Do not store the thumbnails in the cache memory.” I unchecked that, hoping it would solve everything. But honestly, I’m not sure if it’s a permanent fix or if I’m just sweeping the problem under the rug. It says it can also act as a policy, but I don’t know how.

• Step 1: Go to Control Panel.
• Step 2: Open Folder Options.
• Step 3: Switch to View tab.
• Step 4: Uncheck “Hide protected operating system files” and “Do not store the thumbnails in the cache memory”.
• Step 5: Click “Apply” and “OK” to save the changes.

I also learned that these * files don’t actually hold any folder settings. They just store image thumbnails. And they’re definitely not viruses, which is a relief! Just a bit of a nuisance when you’re trying to keep your folders tidy.

A few thoughts.

It seems like this is a common issue with Windows, and there isn’t a straightforward, one-size-fits-all solution. You can try different methods, like using the command prompt, changing folder options, or even using third-party tools, but your mileage may vary.

Anyway, that’s my little journey with * files today. It wasn’t the most exciting thing, but I hope my experience can help someone else out there who’s struggling with these little buggers. If you’ve got any other tips or tricks, feel free to share!