Windows 8.1 keeps reseting thumbnail cache every 4 days

windows8thumba

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Hi guys, I've had this problem since I got a new laptop with Windows 8.1: The thumbnail cache resets.
I've tried the methods outlined here:
Prevent Windows 8 File Explorer From Deleting Image Thumbnail Cache
[Fix] Thumbnail Cache Automatic Deletion Problem in Windows - AskVG

Basically I disabled deleting to the thumbnail cache folder and also removed automatic maintenance tasks. However, I still get my thumbnail cache deleted every once in a while! It won't delete when I restart my computer, and the deletion time seems random, so I started jutting down the time the cache deletes.

I'm on my computer almost all the time so I can tell when the cache is getting deleted. It happens that the computer seems to be high on activity, with the fan buzzing. When that happens, if I open a picture folder, all the thumbnails have been deleted and are rebuilding slowly. It seems that there's some background activity running. Based on the dates I took down, it seems that this cache deleting business occurs every four days.

Is there a way to check what programs have been running every four days? Does anybody have a solution to this problem? Thanks all.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
Do you have any 3rd party cleaning tools or Disk Cleanup set to run when it reaches a certain quota? What is your disk space like, are you running out of storage space? Disk Cleanup could be triggered automatically if you are running low on disk space...

Check event viewer. Is there anything in there that sticks out?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win8 Pro
My computer fan started blowing so I knew my thumbnails were being deleted. I opened up process monitor to check it out, and it looks like my antimalwarebytes program was doing something to the thumbcache.dll. However, I remember the thumbnails getting reset even when I didn't have antimalwarebytes running, so I'm not sure if that's the root cause of the reset or just the program scanning for new programs. Can anyone tell me what's going on? I have attached a screenshot I took. Thanks all.
 

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My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
Definitely looks like Malwarebytes is your problem. Even though you may not be actively running it, it certainly could be running in the background. Do you have any kind of real-time protection turned on? Are there any scheduling options in the software that could be setting it off periodically?

Since I noticed you are using the Sysinternals Process Monitor app, try running Autoruns (if you have it, if not, go to the Microsoft Sysinternals page and download it) - look to see if there is anything related to malwarebytes being loaded upon startup.

Even if you only have the free version, which doesn't come with real-time protection I believe, there still could be other processes or tasks being run by the program in the background. That's the other place I'd check, if you can't find anything in Autoruns, and you've scoured the software for anything that might be scheduled, etc., have a look in task scheduler for any tasks that Malwarebytes might've created in there to run periodically, or with a trigger (ie., when your thumbnail cache gets a certain size, etc.) - although Autoruns will show you tasks that are scheduled to run at startup, I don't think it will show you anything that is set to run on a schedule - so double-check task scheduler anyways...

Try and check the size of the thumbnail cache in process monitor, is it being deleted at an even number like 100mb or something similar? If so, it could be a cleanup function attempting to maintain the size of the cache...

I would also check for anything similar in task scheduler and autoruns, in regards to any kind of 3rd party utilities you may have installed like CCleaner or GlarySoft...also, comb thru event viewer...
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win8 Pro
There has been a host of issues about 'Windows folders slow to load' and 'Windows deletes icon/thumbnail cache' and I am almost certain it has something to do with the suspicious 'File Manager' system in Windows.
As I have no use for One Drive or the Photos app with a 'Local' account, I've deleted the entire 'File Manager' folder, also the 'Explorer' folder referred to earlier, and have had no problems since with folders loading or icon/thumbnails deleted.
(Only at boot; Restart is a different story!)
(Done lots of testing and research with this, suggest you do likewise before messing around with system files!)

Greets.
 

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My Computer

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  • OS
    windows 8.1 Update 1 Pro 64bit
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Thanks for all the replies,

Hi lastof, I checked Autoruns and malwarebytes shows up under the services tab. I have the full version and maybe it runs in the background even though I don't personally start the program. My task scheduler doesn't have anything related to malwarebytes. My thumbnail cache resets at around 4-5 days, for at least three times so far. I don't think it has anything to do with the size, but rather it's like it's getting reset at specific intervals. I don't have any other utilities.

Edwin, I agree it's something weird going on with Windows 8. Thanks for the suggestion, but I don't want to deleted anything like that lest I mess up my computer.

Nuccii, I had posted your link in my opening post. I tried it and it doesn't work at all. You could try that and reboot your PC thinking it works, but for me my thumbnail gets reset at 4-5 day intervals, not at every reboot. So it may seem to work, but you'll be disappointed after a few days.

Anyway there's another thread about thumbnail cache problems, it's here http://www.eightforums.com/performa...mbnail-cache-changed-folder-permission-5.html
I recommend trying Det87's scripts. You basically backup your thumbnails and can restore the cache in case it gets deleted. It's manual but you guys should give it a try.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
I have this issue as well & it is very annoying, basically After a few days Windows 8.1.1 decides it will clear all image & video thumbnails, you would think this would be easy to solve, all Microsoft have to do is stop the thumbnail cleanup.

Very annoying when like me you have folders full of images & videos.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro x64
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    PC/Desktop
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    PC Specialist
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    AMD BULLDOZER EIGHT CORE FX-8150 (3.60GHz/8MB CACHE/AM3+)
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    ASUS® SABERTOOTH 990FX - TUF SERIES MILITARY GRADE MOTHERBOARD
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Not sure that is a program that should be advertised here. One of their tutorials is labeled:

Using API Monitor to crack copy protected software

Having said that, it looks like a really great program that can be very helpful for many problems.
 

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System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro X64
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    PC/Desktop
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    Intel Quad Core i7-4770 @ 3.4Ghz
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I apologize if you interpreted it that way - there are certainly many legitimate uses for the program, and had never even looked at their user-submitted forum tutorials until now, but I could see why you might think that. On the other hand, I guess you could say that most programmer's utilities could be used for nefarious activities...anyways, it was not my intention to provide a link to an app that would be considered inappropriate for this website - was only trying to help the OP go beyond Process Monitor, and be able to dig a little deeper into solving his problem.

I will remove the link and all references to it...
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win8 Pro
I didn't want the link removed, I wanted the PTB's here to look at it and decide.

I agree it's a great tool, as I said:

Having said that, it looks like a really great program that can be very helpful for many problems.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro X64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo IdeaCenter K450
    CPU
    Intel Quad Core i7-4770 @ 3.4Ghz
    Motherboard
    Lenovo
    Memory
    16.0GB PC3-12800 DDR3 SDRAM 1600 MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel Integrated HD Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    HP h2207
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050@59Hz
    Hard Drives
    250GB Samsung EVO SATA-3 SSD;
    2TB Seagate ST2000DM001 SATA-2;
    1.5TB Seagate ST3150041AS SATA
    PSU
    500W
    Keyboard
    Wired USB
    Mouse
    Wired USB
    Internet Speed
    3GB Up, 30GB Down
    Browser
    SeaMonkey
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender; MBAM Pro
    Other Info
    UEFI/GPT
    PLDS DVD-RW DH16AERSH
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