Explorer Image Thumbnails disappearing

[Editor]

I'm a long-timer user of CCleaner and recently noticed Win7-64 `Explorer Thumbnails´ are GONE the next day after I run nighty sweeps and backups before PC is put in Sleep mode.

I'm suspecting CCleaner is deleting the thumbnails, which take a LONG time to generate given how many there are! The Explorer `Thumbnail Cache´ box is unchecked in CC Windows setting.  It might be because I have an older version of CC:  v5.12.5431 (64-bit)

Tried a Forum search of "Explorer Thumbnails" first, but wheel kept spinning and spinning with no results.

Thanks,

[Andavari]

That version is very old. Try updating to at least CCleaner v5.63.7540 (wouldn't try v5.64 it has issues).

Old versions were known to cause issues with things like FontCache, etc., which they've fixed in newer versions.

[Editor]

Ok thanks, will do that and report back.  You all know how long it can take scanning and generating a few thousand thumbnails, especially from compressed folders of BMPs.

 

[Editor]

Just realized the thumbnails in my image editor Paint Shop Pro have to be regenerated each day too.

We'll see what happens, can get to the software update sometime this afternoon.

 

 

[nukecad]

You do have 'Thumbnails' unticked in CCleaner so that they don't get cleared?

[Editor]

35 minutes ago, nukecad said:

You do have 'Thumbnails' unticked in CCleaner so that they don't get cleared?

Yes, it says in the OP above:  The Explorer `Thumbnail Cache´ box is unchecked in CC.

Thx,

 

 

[Editor]

4 hours ago, Andavari said:

That version is very old. Try updating to at least CCleaner v5.63.7540 (wouldn't try v5.64 it has issues).

Old versions were known to cause issues with things like FontCache, etc., which they've fixed in newer versions.

Turns out I already downloaded v5.63.7540 on 10/16/2019.

I'm running 64-bit CCleaner Free, is that ok?

[Andavari]

Yes that's fine. Like I stated in my previous reply don't bother upgrading to the next version though -- as seen on the forums it has way too many issues.

You don't have Thumbnail cleaning enabled/ticked in CCleaner, then the only other culprit I can think of is actually built into Windows itself:
Disk Cleanup

In Disk Cleanup disable/untick: Thumbnails

Edit:
Depending upon where you have your images stored you "may, or may not" have to configure Disk Cleanup on multiple drives to ignore cleaning Thumbnails. I'm not entirely sure about that, however I'm just putting it out there just in case.

 

[nukecad]

Quote

I run nighty sweeps and backups

It might help to know just what those 'sweeps' consist of, it may be something other than CC which is clearing the thumbnail cache or otherwise causing it to update.

There is also the possibility that it's Windows itself which is doing this automatically, especially if you have a lot of thumbnails:
Apparently Windows deletes/rebuilds your thumbnail cache at startup if it is bigger than about 700MB, see this article:
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-windows_install/stop-windows-auto-deleting-thumbnail-cache-revised/5d09ef73-7777-4d59-8e47-965379fb91f0

[Editor]

Thanks, great article!  I had some crashes recently from power outages and a blue screen while poking around inside the box messin' with HD cables.

Went ahead and installed the suggested version last night, and found a NEW section at the top dealing with Internet Explorer which I don't use at all. After that tried to update an alternate browser and that turned into a mass, so decided to System Restore back before CC update.

 

Edited March 8, 2020 by Editor

[Andavari]

23 hours ago, Editor said:

Just realized the thumbnails in my image editor Paint Shop Pro have to be regenerated each day too.

 

 

If Paint Shop Pro has a forum it might be worth asking them if the thumbnails are by chance not stored in a different location particular to the program itself instead of the default Windows location. Then after that in CCleaner click Options > Exclude, to of course exclude them.