[Firelight79]

The Problem(s):
My computer recently lost the ability to display both the "file type icons" (showing AVI, FLV, MKV, etc.) in the icon view and "thumbnails" in the thumbnail view of all my video files located on my hard drive (C drive). Additionally (and separately), the video files located on my external hard drive WILL display the "Thumbnail" without a problem BUT WILL NOT display the icon as it once did either. Instead it displays a blank generic system icon for all my video files, no matter the "view". This is what it looks like:

The Icon Itself (showing on my external and C drive):


The "Icon" File View (w/ file names redacted) (showing on my external and C drive):


The "Thumbnail" File View (w/ file names redacted) (showing on my C drive):


Here's what I would like to know:

1. How can I restore (or whatever) my computer's ability to display "File TYPE Icons" (such as AVI, FLV, MKV, etc) as it once did, preferably w/o having to perform an entire system restore?

2. How can I restore my computer's ability to display "Photo thumbnails" of each video when viewed in "Thumbnail View"?

3. And if I'm not PUSHING it by asking this, I'd also like to be able to "CHOOSE" the program my video files associate with in order to display "File Type Icons". For example I prefer "GOM Players" icon style when displaying my icons.

*In case someone doesn't know what that it, GOM Player is just one of MANY free open source media players you can use to watch video's in (or music, etc.).

*The way it USE to work was that whatever the last media player was I installed, THAT is the program my computer would use to associate all my file icons with, so if I wanted it to be GOM icons I would just install it last. If I wanted them to be displayed as DivX icons I would install DivX last, you get the picture. If I could at least get that capability back that would be good enough for me but if I could set the file icons to STAY which ever way I choose, unless I consciously change it, that would be my preference.

The 5 things I have already tried that did NOT work:

1. First I tried, simply opening a folder with video files in it and going to:
View > Thumbnails > Tools > Folder Options > View Tab > Apply To All Folders Button > Yes > OK. Didn't help.

2. http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm
Then I was directed to the site linked to above > scrolled down to #17 Restore AutoPlay Icon:Restore Thumbnail views in XP > clicked it and a .exe file for "autoplayiconrestore" automatically downloaded.

When you click on the downloaded program to RUN it, from what I was told it is SUPPOSED to open with "Registry Editor" and once that opens you should be able to pick the files you need help with displaying. I ran it but it didn't open in any sort of program. When I double clicked on it, expecting for it to open up somewhere or lead me through a wizard of some kind (just guessing), it didn't. This is what it did:

First Window:


Second Window:


Third and Last Window:


So as you can see it said it was "successful" but nothing happened in the way of solving my problem and it didn't open up into the program I was shown screenshots in another forum, that it would open into.

*It's probably important to note that this seems to have worked for many people from all the forums I visited that suggested it, but it did NOT work for me.

3. http://support.microsoft.com/default...en-us%3B322756
I went to the Microsoft address linked to above in order to learn how to "Back up and restore the registry in windows XP". Maybe I'm just mentally challenged, and I'm not negating that very real possibility, but I didn't quite understand HOW this was supposed to help me? But, many of the sites I visited trying to find a solution to this problem suggested it. If someone could explain that, I would appreciate it, but if it's not going to help me with this issue, don't worry about it.

* From what I could gather, I think this was designed to make sure your system saved your current settings as they were now, so that if you did a system restore to a date before your problem appeared and something went wrong, you could at least go back to where you where before you started. But I could be wrong.

4. Then I tried this suggestion of going to:
Start > Run > Type in the following code: REGSVR32 SHIMGVW.DLL (Yes, there's a space between 2 and S) > Click OK > A dialog box should report the following: DllRegisterServer in SHIMGVW.DLL succeeded. Did this and it too didn't solve my problem.

5. http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=256986#Topic2
Another suggestion was to go to the Microsoft site linked to above. I did so and read all of that article but I'm not exactly an "advanced user" as it states in it's heading the information in this article is for. I didn't really understand what I was reading so I didn't do anything with that.

I "think" that about sums up all I have read to TRY and as you can see, none if it has helped me. In fact, in doing all of that I wonder if I could have done more damage than good? The problem hasn't gotten worse though and I haven't noticed any new ones so maybe I'm ok. I've included all of this information to give you as much detail as possible and also if someone happens across this post b/c they are having similar problems, maybe some of the above will work for them, as it has with many people evidently, unfortunately I'm just not one of them

If ANYONE could please help me figure out how to fix these 3 problems mentioned under the section "Here's What I Would Like To Know" or any part of it, I would GREATLY appreciate it. It's driving me crazy!


My System Information:
Microsoft Windows XP (Home Edition), Version 2002, Service Pack 3

Computer:
Dell Inspiron Mini (1011) Notebook
Intel Atom
CPU N270 @ 1.60GHz
1.60 GHz, 0.99 GB of RAM

[Phantom010]

Have you tried uninstalling and reinstalling the GOM Player to recreate the associations?

[Firelight79]

Yeah actually that is the way I use to get it to work.

I would uninstall GOM until I was threw installing whatever other player I was trying out, then when I was done I would reinstall it and the icons would resume looking like pictures of footprints w/ the type of file in big letters over it (GOM style). That's what I mean, for some reason that process stopped working the other day.

The last time the icons DID work was when I installed DA Player, the icons took on that players style, I decided I didn't like the player, so I uninstalled it, then re-installed GOM and...nothing. And now I don't know how to get ANY players style back. The files just won't associate with ANY player's icon style (not VLC or DivX or KM Player or any of the various players I have) which it use to ALWAYS associate with the last media player I installed. Now, it's just that generic system icon I showed a screen shot of at the top of this thread, no matter what I install That's why I need help or @ least ppl throwing some more ideas out at me to try.

But thank you Phantom010, it was worth a shot to ask. I appreciate it. Any other ideas? I'm really trying to avoid having to do a "system restore" back before I had this issue. There's no guarantee it'll even work and I think I'll lose a lot of the stuff I have done since then and programs and preferences I've installed. Am I wrong?

[Phantom010]

When clicking on those generic icons though, does the media open with the proper player?

[Firelight79]

Originally Posted by Phantom010

When clicking on those generic icons though, does the media open with the proper player?

You mean when I right click on the icon and go to "Open With" and choose a player, does it open up in the player I've chosen without a problem? Yes, it opens up just fine. Thank God. It's only the thumbnails and icons that have stopped working (or displaying) but everything else seems to be working properly.

[Phantom010]

No, not with "Open With". What happens when you left-click the files?

[throoper]

I believe Phantom wanted to know if they open with the desired program when double clicking (left mouse button) on the files.
Whatever they open in when doing that is the program they are associated with as the default.
If that's not the program you want as default, you need to change the file association to use the desired program.

If they open in, say, Windows Media Player and that's what you want as default, you can still use the icons from GOM Player if you prefer them.
You just need to change the default icon for the file type in the Folder Options>File types tab>File type>Advanced>Change icon.

[Phantom010]

Or, read:

http://blogs.mccombs.utexas.edu/the-...ms-in-windows/