The origin of the issue may be a recent installation of Dreamweaver - I
have read that this can perturb fila associations ...

I have lost my wallpaper - neither images shipped with vista, nor my
own show on the screen and the only options windows wants to give are
flat colours (a bit monotonous)

I have lost thumbnails - mainly in Windows Explorer and I don't get an
option in viewing parameters I only get different sized icons to look
at. Curiously this is not a problem in xplorer2 (my preferred file
managing software). But as windows uses explorer to open files in
applications this makes life difficult - the dialogue box opens and all
I see are a series of square blanks.

I have also lost the sexy folder icons that give a view of whats inside
them

I have been on all the different preference dialogues unchecking,
checking, setting defaults booting rebooting but without any results...
either a file has been corrupted or something

Anyone with any ideas PLEASE help.


--
old_nick

have seen a few people with this problem if you look at 'this thread'
(http://www.vistax64.com/general-disc...s-folders.html)
there are some possible answers although not everyone has been
successful it may be a repair install is required depends on how bad the
corruption is :cry:

have a look at the possible solutions who knows something may work

BTW welcome to the forums arty:


--
barman58

Regards,
*Nigel*
the beginning of knowledge is the discovery of something we do not
understand.,- frank herbert

"old_nick" wrote in message
...

The origin of the issue may be a recent installation of Dreamweaver - I
have read that this can perturb fila associations ...

I have lost my wallpaper - neither images shipped with vista, nor my
own show on the screen and the only options windows wants to give are
flat colours (a bit monotonous)

I have lost thumbnails - mainly in Windows Explorer and I don't get an
option in viewing parameters I only get different sized icons to look
at. Curiously this is not a problem in xplorer2 (my preferred file
managing software). But as windows uses explorer to open files in
applications this makes life difficult - the dialogue box opens and all
I see are a series of square blanks.

I have also lost the sexy folder icons that give a view of whats inside
them

I have been on all the different preference dialogues unchecking,
checking, setting defaults booting rebooting but without any results...
either a file has been corrupted or something

Anyone with any ideas PLEASE help.


--
old_nick


Have you tried System Restore?

C.B.


--
It is the responsibility and duty of everyone to help the underprivileged
and unfortunate among us.

Been to the link - which shows in graphic detail the same symptoms.

I think the problem is in Windows explorer.



- I noticed that on my desktop I keep a .pdf of local train times -
this shows as a thumbnail - so I tried moving an image to the desktop
and I got a thumbnail !
- As I said above I get thumbnails in Xplorer2 but this is a seperate
process from the usual icon system of presentation. Which is to say in
the display choices one has the option of small, medium and big icons
AND thumbnails. I have a feeling that thumbnails and icons are merged
in Windows Explorer - I never thought to look before, but in fact
unless you -turn off- miniatures in options it -defaults- to
thumbnails - the option icons / miniatures is not on the desktop as
with the other application, but under the lid, so to speak.
- Windows image files seem to have a default status of large icons -
and this gives the blank window - -if I change the size of icon to
medium I get thumbnails - -too small to be of any use but I get them
nonetheless.

This seems to point towards a glitch in the rendering process in
Windows Explorer - does this tie into Wallpaper and sexy folder icons ?


--
old_nick

I would suggest that explorer2 generates it's own thumbnails either
through a cache or on the fly which would explain why it's not affected
by your problem. and I believe that PDF thumbnails are rendered by
acrobat reader [or one of the alternate readers]

You might try a 'System File Check '
(http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/66...ommand.html)to
see if any files have been changed by the dreamweaver install,

The "fancy" folders display is controlled by a hidden "Desktop.INI"
file in each directory have a look 'here'
(http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/90...r%20Settin gs)
for possible cures but of course may be related to other problem.

If you have no luck with My 'original link
'
(http://www.vistax64.com/general-disc...s-folders.html)
then


--
barman58

Regards,
*Nigel*
the beginning of knowledge is the discovery of something we do not
understand.,- frank herbert

Repair installation being impossible as I don't have cd - my version is
shipped on HD therefore only a complete re-install (and loss of
configurations and programmes etc)

I found a serendipity solution an application called Combofix (download
from 'Bleeping Computer'
(http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/comb...o-use-combofix) )

Frankly I hadn't much of a clue what I was doing - I set the thing
going in a completely haphazard way, rebooted and got everything back
!!!

Apparently it smells out things on its own and alters things in the
register...

I had run everything I could think of and none spybot... - different
malware programs a list too long to quote - The only one that showed
issues was Gmer.exe but I couldn't quite get the hang of the data

All this leaves me
a : relieved
b : with the question as to why Microsoft puts on the market something
which has more bugs than a shanghai doss-house and/or is so easily
penetrated.

Was it the prospect of serious competition from Ubuntu Compiz ?
I have to keep Vista on this machine throughout its guarantee period -
then I will wipe all go back to XP and install Ubuntu...


--
old_nick

Thanks barman58 for trying to help !


--
old_nick

For your future peace of mind have a look at option 1 of 'this tutorial
' (http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/14...y-disc.html)to
download a vista repair disk as a last resort before a manufacturers
restore program.

glad to hear your working "normally" again


--
barman58

Regards,
*Nigel*
the beginning of knowledge is the discovery of something we do not
understand.,- frank herbert

This looks interesting and reassuring - the only thing is the link for
the .iso file goes to a blank page !! - I'll trawl around on the net to
see if I can find it somewhere else !!


--
old_nick

It's here !
'Windows Vista Recovery Disc Download — The NeoSmart Files'
(http://neosmart.net/blog/2008/window...disc-download/)
it seems to be the same place as in your link page but this one works
!!
I think I am going to give up trying to understand - it may lead to a
simpler calmer life !!
I'll certainly be much happier with this bit of kit - Thanks again


--
old_nick