PDF thumbnails not showing up in folders

Question

I just loaded Vista Ultimate 64-bit. Folders only show thumbnails for JPGs and not PDFs. In past, when I had 32-bit Vista, the thumbnails showed up for PDFs. All view settings are correct. Hidden files, file extensions boxes, etc. Box to always show thumbnails and not icons.

I have disabled user accounts and all security, but, all I get for PDFs is the icon for Adobe Reader 9.2. It won't show a thumbnail. In same folder, all JPGs show up. I really miss this feature which worked in XP and Vista 32-bit. What is going on??

Answer 1

Hi Ben9000,

Welcome to Microsoft answers!

This symptom occur because a 64-bit process that runs on a computer that is running an x64-based version of Windows cannot load the 32-bit .dll files that are required by some program features.

You may try the following work around:

You must use the 32-bit version of Windows Explorer. The 32-bit version of Windows Explorer is located in the %windir%\Syswow64 folder on the computer that is running an x64-based version of Windows.

To use the 32-bit version of Windows Explorer, follow these steps:

Click Start, click Run, type the following in the Open box, and then click OK:

Drive_Letter :\windows\syswow64\explorer.exe /separate

Note The placeholder Drive_Letter represents the drive where the x64-based version of Windows is installed.

For more information:

Some Windows Explorer extensions and some Control Panel items are not displayed on computers that are running an x64-based version of Windows

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/895561#appliesto

Now check if the issue is resolved.

You may want to try the following steps:

PDF thumbnail view via the Acrobat reader:

1. Run Acrobat Reader. In Reader, click File > Open and navigate to the folder(s) containing your PDF file(s). If necessary, move the slider to show all your PDF files.
2. Cancel out of Open and exit Reader.
3. Open Windows Explorer and navigate to the folders(s) containing your PDF file(s).
4. Click Views and move the slider until you see PDF thumbnails.

Thanks and Regards:

Ajay K

Microsoft Answers Support Engineer

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Visit our Microsoft Answers Feedback Forum and let us know what you think.

Answer 2

You may want to try the following steps: 

PDF thumbnail view via the Acrobat reader:

1. Run Acrobat Reader. In Reader, click File > Open and navigate to the folder(s) containing your PDF file(s). If necessary, move the slider to show all your PDF files.
2. Cancel out of Open and exit Reader.
3. Open Windows Explorer and navigate to the folders(s) containing your PDF file(s).
4. Click Views and move the slider until you see PDF thumbnails.

This works perfectly well...I had the same prob and i did this

Open any pdf file using Acrobat...click open and save a copy...

It will prompt for location...just navigate to where your pdf files are and wait till the thumbnails are generated..then just close the window...viola now you will have the thumbnails in your explorer

Unfortunately you will have to open individual folders to generate all thumbnails

Answer 3

When I'm using Windows 7 32-bits, I was able to display thumbnails for shortcuts created from pdf files on the desktop.

Now, after moving to 64-bit, all the shortcuts are not showing thumbnails anymore?

I managed to follow your steps to rebuild all the pdf files thumbnails in explorer.

But, when I re-create the shortcuts on the desktop, the thumbnails would not show!?

Your help is very much appreciated, thank you.

Answer 4

Suvin,

Your steps are by far the easiest and most effective.

I'm running on Windows 7 64-bit, with Adobe Acrobat 8 Standard.

Couldn't view thumbnails in Windows Explorer; now I can.

Followed your steps to the letter and, indeed, voila!--Extra-Large Thumbnails reappeared.

Thanks!

Answer 5

I'm sorry to report that I too am having this problem.  But I'm running WIndows 7 32bit Professional on a Dell laptop.

I've tried uninstalling Acrobat 9.3 and then reinstalling it, but to no avail.

No matter what I do, I cannot get PDF files to display the thumbnail.

Any additgional ideas?

Eric