Windows stores several file types by default in thumbnail database caches. File types that are included in those databases are image formats such as jpg or bmp but also video files live avi and document formats like pdf or html. The generation of thumbs.db files is enabled by default and it is not as easy as in Windows XP to disable it (where it was an option in the Folder Options). One option to disable the creation of thumbs.db files is to use the Group Policy Editor which can be started by entering gpedit.msc in the Start menu run and search box.
The option to disable the caching of thumbnails and thus the generation of thumbs.db files is available by following this path: User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Explorer. The entry “Turn off the caching of thumbnails in hidden thumbs.db files” is not configured by default. Enabling that policy will prevent that thumbs.db files are created.
This does not delete the thumbs.db files that are already stored on the computer system. That’s where the software Thumbs.db Cleaner comes in handy. It can be used to crawl a hard drive or specific directory for thumbs.db instances. All files that are found will be displayed in a list with information like the file size, data of creation or modification and file path.
Checkboxes are used to mark files for the cleanup process with all entries selected by default. A click on the Clean button will remove all selected thumbs.db files from the computer system. Thumbs.db cleaner is a portable Open Source application for the Windows operating system that can clean thumbs.db files effectively from a computer system. Ideal for a sweep after disabling the automatic generation of thumbs.db entries in Windows. (via JKWebtalks)
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“such as jpg or bmg but also video files live avi…”
You probably meant “such as jpg or bmp but also video files like avi”…right?
You are right, corrected and thanks!
But what exactly is the purpose of generating the thumbs.db files? What and where are they used for?
Jojo they are used for caching purposes for the thumbnail display in Windows Explorer.
I was running this today to check it out.
I discovered that the thumbnail.db for “My Pictures” was nearly 1MB! Yet I only have 11 items in that folder. So it looks like the .db files don’t get compressed as files are deleted or get corrupted.
If old stuff is left in these files, then it might cause trouble for some people. So maybe deleting them regularly (using this program) or turning their creation off might be a good idea.
Also, the column sorting in this program does not work very well!
Nice little app. To bad it doesn’t work because of the locked directories.
I also can’t get into the gpedit.msc at all in win 7.
@Twolane – works fine in my WinXP.