Older versions of Windows use a thumbs.db file to save images of thumbnails seen on folders. This process is called "caching." By caching thumbnail images, Windows makes folders appear faster when you view them in Windows Explorer. Windows 7 also uses a thumbs.db file to cache the images on network folders. Cached thumbnails cause no harm, but anyone looking through your computer files can view the thumbnail.db images, if they know where to look. You can prevent Windows 7 from saving these images by turning off thumbnail caching.
Instructions
Use Group Policy Editor
1. Proceed to the next section if you use Windows 7 Home Premium.
2. Click the Windows "Start" menu and type "Gpedit.msc" in the search box.
3. Press "Enter" when you see "Gpedit.msc" in the Start menu. Windows launches the Group Policy Editor.
4. Click "User Configuration," then click "Administrative Templates."
5. Click "Windows Components" to expand that folder and reveal the "Windows Explorer" folder.
6. Click "Windows Explorer." Options will appear on the right side of the editing window.
7. Locate the option named "Turn off Caching of Thumbnail Pictures" and double-click that option to open a pop-up window.
8. Click "Enabled" to put a check mark by that option. Click "OK" to close the pop-up window.
9. Double-click the option named "Turn off the Caching of Thumbnails in Hidden Thumbs.db." A pop-up window containing options opens.
10. Click the "Enabled" option and then click "OK." Click "File," then click "Exit" to exit the Group Policy Editor. The following section applies to Windows 7 Home Premium users.
Use Registry Editor
11. Click the "Start" menu to open it. Type "Regedit." Windows will display the "Regedit.exe" icon in the Start menu.
12. Click that icon and then click "Yes" when Windows prompts you to continue. The registry editor opens and displays its keys in the left side of the editor.
13. Double-click "HKEY_CURRENT_USER," then double-click "Software."
14. Double-click "Microsoft" to reveal the "Windows" key. Double-click "Windows." Double-click "CurrentVersion," then click "Policies."
15. Proceed to the next step if you see the "Explorer" key beneath "Policies." Otherwise, right-click "Policies," click "New," then click "Key" to create a new key. Right-click that key, click "Rename" to display a text box and type "Explorer" in that text box. This creates a new key named "Explorer."
16. Click "Edit" and then click "New." Click "DWORD (32) Value. Type "NoThumbNailCache" (without the quotes) to create that value.
17.Double-click "NoThumbNailCache" and type "1" (without the quotes) in the "Value Data" text box. Click "OK."
18. Double-click the "HKEY_CURRENT_USER" key to collapse it. This removes the other keys from view.
19. Double-click "HKEY_CURRENT _USER" to reopen it. Locate "Policies" and double-click that key to expand it.
20. Double-click "Microsoft" and then double-click "Windows." Proceed to the next step if you see the "Explorer" key under the "Windows" key. Otherwise, right-click "Windows," click "New" and then click "Key" to create a new key.
21. Right-click that new key and click "Rename" to display a text box. Type "Explorer" in the text box to create a new key named "Explorer."
22. Click the "Edit" button at the top of the editor, then click "New." Click "DWORD (32) Value." Type "DisableThumbsDBOnNetworkFolders" (without the quotes) to create that value.
23. Double-click "DisableThumbsDBOnNetworkFolders" and type "1" (without the quotes) in the "Value Data" text box. Click "OK." Click "File" and then click "Exit" to exit the registry editor.
Tags: then click, Start menu, without quotes, Click Windows, Group Policy, Group Policy Editor
