Windows XP Tutorial: Thumbs.db - What is It? How to Get Rid of it?

Have you ever notices the file called Thumbs.db in any of your windows folders? I have noticed them in almost every folder on my computer. The Thumbs.db file gets listed in the folder when I am seriously trying to zip the photos or any other documents in my computer. Later, I found more information about what is Thumbs.db and how to get rid of it.

Thumbs.db(thumbnail database) is a system file generated automatically by Windows XP whenever the folder contents is viewed in "Thumbnail" or "Filmstrip" views. Thumbs.db is like a database that contains a cached copy of the images in a tiny thumbnail view so that when the folder is opened, the images are loded and displayed quickly. Thumbs.db also stores other thumbnail and filmstrip settings.

The following steps can be followed to stop your windows from generating the Thumbs.db files:

1. Click Start > Control Panel and select Folder Options
    (or) Open any folder and select Tools > Folder Options
2. Goto the View Tab and Remove the Check(tick mark) against the Do not cache thumbnails option.
3. Click the OK button

Once the above steps are done, Windows will stop generating the Thumbs.db files. If you delete any of the existing Thumbs.db files, they will not be re-generated. But, if your folder contains a large quantity of image files, it will take a long time for that folder to load simply because the thumbnail images will not have been cached in Thumbs.db file.