Is Thumbs.db is a virus?

For users of Windows XP (and Mac OS X), sometimes to meet the attributes hidden thumbs.db file system (hidden system files), sometimes for those who do not know yet considered as a virus. Actually what is thumbs.db?

Thumbs.db is a file that is used to store a copy of the image files (thumbnail view) in Windows Explorer. This file is located in the folder that contains pictures or photographs. Its function is to accelerate the process of displaying a preview image in the folder.

Windows stores thumbnails of graphics files thumbs.db, format-the format is: JPEG, BMP, GIF, TIF, PDF and HTM. Each display images stored in JPEG format with smaller size, regardless of original format. With the existence of these files is to accelerate the process of image display when the selected view>thumbnails, but if there are pictures in each folder, then sometimes we do not want this file is automatically generated. Here are steps that can be done

To stop the windows automatically generate thumbs.db file, follow these steps:


1. Click Start
2. Double-click Control Panel
3. Double-click Folder Options
4. Click the View tab
5. Eliminate check-in option Do not cache thumbnails
6. Click OK


Can also be done through the Registry:
1. Open the Registry Editor (regedit.exe).
2. Open following location HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced.
3. Double-click DisableThumbnailCache, if no, make through the menu Edit ->New -> DWORD and enter his name with "DisableThumbnailCache"
4. Enter a value that produced no thumbs.db
5. Click Ok and close the Registry Editor. To see the effect must log off or restart the computer first.

Windows XP Media Center Edition also produce ehthumbs.db which contains a preview of the video files. In Windows Vista, Microsoft changed the thumbs.db files with one file to make it "thumbcache_xxxx.db" located at
\Users\[user name]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer.