Unable To delete thumbs.db

this isn't working at all, neither is disk cleanup. how can i disable this "feature" ENTIRELY

Me too, Windows 8.1 suddenly started showing thumbs.db in all folders and on desktop.  I need to have thumbnail view as I have so many pictures.  I keep dumping it in Recycle Bin but it just comes back. How do you stop it creating and recreating itself?

Elizabeth -

I had the same problem since I had Windows 8.1 regular edition which does not have work groups which has an easy fix for thumbs.db .  My thread here: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows8_1-files/thumbsdb-file-in-use-by-another-program-inhibits/31757847-8be8-439b-8a33-d24599ef3b26 has the solution. 

In summary, it requires an addition to your windows registry which is accomplished by using notepad to make a text file whose file name ends in .reg .  It's pretty straight forward.

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

Copy everything above between the ---------------------- 's and put it into notepad.   Save it as a text file named something like ihatethumbnailcaching.reg on your desktop or documents folder.  The file end of the file name must be ".reg" for this, but the file name and location isn't important.  It is just for your own reference and so you can find it.   It could be win8.1.thumbnail.correction*.reg***, afixYAY*.reg***, or whatever and can be saved anywhere so long as you can find it.  Once it is saved, navigate to where you saved it, double click the file, and it will update your windows registry automatically.

Once you've double clicked it, you're done.  You can delete the .reg text file you created.  Using it more than once doesn't change anything or create multiple registry entries.  You should be able to see thumbnails in your directories and no thumbs.db file will be created anywhere.

I hope this helps.

Regards,

Greg Dixon

interesting, if I activate, "always show icons, never thumbnails" like below, I will see the program icon and not a preview of the photo.

i guess

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