Windows Vista's Media Center; missing picture/video thumbnails?

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

bugs | rant | technology | windows vista

Tuesday, April 10, 2007 2:02:26 AM UTC

Scott Hanselman writes a blog post about missing image previews under Media Center in Windows Vista. I recently faced something similiar, but with video files. I tried everything, and nothing would bring back the preview icons for .MPG, .WMV, etc… I eventually wound up reinstalling Windows Vista. And I believe I tracked it back to an older version of Nero.

So if you’re having the same problem, you too may need to reinstall. Or try the registry tricks from Scott. Maybe you can add that “PerceivedType” key to the different video files and get it working again. Who knows. I’m just frustrated that a company I have trusted for years (Nero) could have released a version that blows those away with such ease.

Tags: bugs, video, pictures, vista, registry

Comments [11] | Trackback

Wednesday, August 08, 2007 8:34:12 AM UTC

I uninstalled Nero and am still having the problem. What's next please?? Thnx in advance...

bliss | bliss_writerAT NOSPAMyahoo dot com

Wednesday, August 08, 2007 1:25:08 PM UTC

Bliss, did you look at the solutions suggested in my post?

I ended up trying all sorts of registry hacks, but didn't know about the PerceivedTypes part of that. I believe if you update those, you'll be back to normal.

Other than that, you may have to repair your installation of Vista, or do a completely new one. Sucks, but that's the damage that (the older version of) Nero does.

Nicholas | iransofarawayAT NOSPAMgmail dot com

Monday, October 08, 2007 8:54:52 PM UTC

I was frustrated when I would open my Wallpaper folder (that I had created)for my Vista desktop. Instead of the familiar thumbnail images (as I had enjoyed in XP), a generic icon had replaced each file (one form for JPEG, another for Bitmap, etc.) The solution is very simple. Start > Control Panel > Folder Options > View tab > Clear check box "Always show icons, never thumbnails." This restored the thumbnail images to my video files.

Wes Duckett | wesduckettAT NOSPAMcableone dot net

Wednesday, October 10, 2007 12:21:39 AM UTC

To get your video thumbnails back in Vista media center, you need to make the system files visible then delete the ehthumns_vista.db file that the video files are stored in, the next time you start Media Center you should have your thumbnails back.

Matt | mattbrownsettAT NOSPAMhotmail dot com

Wednesday, October 10, 2007 12:23:07 AM UTC

sorry that should say "delete the ehthumns_vista.db file from the folder that the video files are stored in

Matt | mattbrownsettAT NOSPAMhotmail dot com

Wednesday, October 10, 2007 6:37:26 PM UTC

I am having the same kinda problem with the preview icon of video file in regular windows explorer. This happend about 3 weeks after buying my Windows Vista premium system. Wen I put the files on I had previews and in the morning they worked but after turning off my computer when I left the house and turning it back on later that day, they no longer gave previews of any video file (avi, mpg, mpeg, wmv, asf) but my image previews still work. The file allocations display that the open with DivX Player or Window Media Player but that doesn't seem to be the problem Anyone know how to fix it?

Colin | Solar_breezeAT NOSPAMhotmail dot com

Thursday, October 11, 2007 2:24:51 AM UTC

Colin,

Try this site: http://www.winhelponline.com/articles/105/1/

Nicholas | iransofarawayAT NOSPAMgmail dot com

Thursday, October 18, 2007 10:50:56 PM UTC

http://windowsxp.mvps.org/videothumb.htm

Go to this Site and try this. I'm still using XP so not sure if it will work with Vista. Also, I linked the problem to Nero as well.

Kyle | emissionblueAT NOSPAMyahoo dot com

Wednesday, November 07, 2007 8:28:02 AM UTC

i use to have the problem called "com surrugate" but i fixed it with the combined community codec pack. now its as though the folders aren't loading. i use vista and where a green loading bar would load in the background of the folder address it no longer does it anymore. how can i solve this loading problem?

Peter | mysterio_guyAT NOSPAMhotmail dot com

Tuesday, June 03, 2008 8:14:15 PM UTC

Uninstall Adobe Reader. it fixed mine

Hero | eliAT NOSPAMfurryplay dot com

Wednesday, July 30, 2008 10:29:39 AM UTC

M77GA
I have not even got Nero installed on my Vista laptop and it's just happened in the last day or so - no new progs installed McAffee running - so what should I do now my lovlies?

lottietotts | lottie_afcAT NOSPAMhotmail dot com

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