Unable To delete thumbs.db

Anonymous
2013-01-21T09:48:54+00:00

Since I moved to windows 8 I have been increasingly having a problem  with deleting any thumbs.db. I do not have the files in the folder open nor did I have them open at any point prior to trying to delete the files. But I continual get the error " file is one in explorer" . I never had this problem in windows 7 and if I did have it I would simply restart.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Files, folders, and storage

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Anonymous
2013-01-22T05:38:50+00:00

Hi,

From your issue description, I understand that You are not able to delete thumbs.db. Please let me know if you are not facing this issue.

Thumbs.db is created when using thumbnail preview. I would suggest you to try the following steps.

a. Press Windows + C and Type Control Panel

b. Click "Appearance and Personalization"

c. Click "Folder Options"

d. Open the "View" tab

e. Uncheck "Display file icon on thumbnails"

f. Click OK, and exit control panel. You should now be able to delete the folder and the thumbs.db file.

Hope this information is helpful and do let us know if you need further assistance with Windows in future. We will be glad to assist.

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  1. Anonymous
    2014-04-22T01:30:39+00:00

    Hi,

    From your issue description, I understand that You are not able to delete thumbs.db. Please let me know if you are not facing this issue.

    Thumbs.db is created when using thumbnail preview. I would suggest you to try the following steps.

    a. Press Windows + C and Type Control Panel

    b. Click "Appearance and Personalization"

    c. Click "Folder Options"

    d. Open the "View" tab

    e. Uncheck "Display file icon on thumbnails"

    f. Click OK, and exit control panel. You should now be able to delete the folder and the thumbs.db file.

    Hope this information is helpful and do let us know if you need further assistance with Windows in future. We will be glad to assist.

    This process does not work on my machine running Windows 8.1. This is a new error that never occured when I ran Windows 7. If I press Windows and C, I get the Charms bar only. If I open Control Panel directly, I do not have a section for Appearance and Personalisation. Personalisation does not contain these Folder options.

    In any case, this is a workaround, not a fix.

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  3. Anonymous
    2014-04-30T17:47:35+00:00

    Hi,

    Start your computer in safe mode and check if you can delete it.

    Refer this link to start the computer in safe mode.

    http://windows.microsoft.com/en-IN/windows-8/windows-startup-settings-including-safe-mode

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  4. Anonymous
    2014-05-29T22:21:47+00:00

    I had this problem and someone was able to explain a solution by registry editing.

    The entire thread is here or you can cut and paste:

    http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows8\_1-files/thumbsdb-file-in-use-by-another-program-inhibits/31757847-8be8-439b-8a33-d24599ef3b26

    You copy the following into notepad and save it as a .reg file.

    Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]

    "NoThumbnailCache"=dword:00000001

    "DisableThumbnailCache"=dword:00000001

    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer]

    "DisableThumbsDBOnNetworkFolders"=dword:00000001

    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]

    "NoThumbnailCache"=dword:00000001

    "DisableThumbnailCache"=dword:00000001

    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced]

    "DisableThumbnailCache"=dword:00000001

    "NoThumbnailCache"=dword:00000001

    You then double click the .reg file you just created.  It should stop thumbnail caching. 

    Thank you to DaveOtt chasing down the final solutionand thank you Karthik Vengaloor for explaining it in more detail.

    Regards,

    GregD

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