Windows Media Player 11 Shows Thumbnails Only for Certain Files

Dellius · 05-05-2009, 05:49 AM

Windows Media Player 11 shows thumbnails only for certain video files, although it can play all of the files bellow.

Here are the files it shows thumbnails for.

Mpeg, Wmv, Avi sometimes.

Here are the files for which it shows only plain icons.

Mkv, Divx, Avi.

Here is a list of all codecs I have on my system.

Help me get Windows Media Player to show thumbnails for all my files, please.

TJ Belfiore · 05-05-2009, 10:06 AM

By default WMP11 (well, any of them really) don't give their logo (icon, .ico) to ALL media formats, ONLY the ones it can play default (meaning, if you install codecs, WMP won't add their logo to that file(s))

Dellius · 05-06-2009, 04:04 AM

Windows Media Player is the default media player set for those formats.

TJ Belfiore · 05-06-2009, 04:12 AM

You mean default for those codecs, or default as in the files it plays by default without codecs?

Dellius · 05-06-2009, 07:07 AM

What do you mean by "default for those codecs" ?

I mean all those file types are associated to be opened with Windows Media Player. When I click them, Windows Media Player pops up and plays them.

Here is exactly what I mean.

http://milfotos.org/images/89cb7bd7e...8c2dfbeed2.png

Here is what my Video folder looks like.

http://milfotos.org/images/8fb90776d...bbd34f298e.png

TJ Belfiore · 05-06-2009, 02:16 PM

What I mean is those file extensions were added due to the codecs, right?

Dellius · 05-07-2009, 06:05 AM

I find it hard to tell weather the codecs added anything to the list.

I know I associated everything manually and that's all I know for certain. I accessed the "Default Programs" section for the first time ever when I had to take the screen shot I posted. I can only guess what extensions were there before I installed the codecs.

I found an article on Microsoft's website which lists all file formats Windows Media Player associates with by default, codecs or no codecs and when I compared it to the list from "Default Programs", it seems like the extensions from the screen shot I submitted earlier are the default ones and nothing has been added to, or removed from the list.

TJ Belfiore · 05-07-2009, 05:05 PM

What you could do is uninstall the codecs, look at your list - make a personal note of what you see, then reinstall, and then you can which are added.

Dellius · 05-08-2009, 01:32 AM

Okay I got it. Seems like 64 bit Explorer can't hook into 32 bit codec dll's in order to generate the thumbs. I launched a 32 bit explorer process and navigated to the Video folder and most of my thumbnails were generated right away.

Still, tell me please, how do I solve this issue in a way that I don't need to use a 32 bit explorer window to generate the thumbs manually.

TJ Belfiore · 05-08-2009, 09:27 AM

What do you mean by "32 bit explorer?" ?

05-05-2009, 10:06 AM	#2 (permalink)
TJ Belfiore I said no but I wanted it Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Paradise, California Posts: 3,436 OS: 7 x64, XP x86	Re: Windows Media Player 11 Shows Thumbnails Only for Certain Files By default WMP11 (well, any of them really) don't give their logo (icon, .ico) to ALL media formats, ONLY the ones it can play default (meaning, if you install codecs, WMP won't add their logo to that file(s)) __________________ Regards, TJ Belfiore

05-06-2009, 04:04 AM	#3 (permalink)
Dellius Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 13 OS: Vista SP 1 64 Bit	Re: Windows Media Player 11 Shows Thumbnails Only for Certain Files Windows Media Player is the default media player set for those formats.

05-06-2009, 04:12 AM	#4 (permalink)
TJ Belfiore I said no but I wanted it Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Paradise, California Posts: 3,436 OS: 7 x64, XP x86	Re: Windows Media Player 11 Shows Thumbnails Only for Certain Files You mean default for those codecs, or default as in the files it plays by default without codecs? __________________ Regards, TJ Belfiore

05-06-2009, 07:07 AM	#5 (permalink)
Dellius Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 13 OS: Vista SP 1 64 Bit	Re: Windows Media Player 11 Shows Thumbnails Only for Certain Files What do you mean by "default for those codecs" ? I mean all those file types are associated to be opened with Windows Media Player. When I click them, Windows Media Player pops up and plays them. Here is exactly what I mean. http://milfotos.org/images/89cb7bd7e...8c2dfbeed2.png Here is what my Video folder looks like. http://milfotos.org/images/8fb90776d...bbd34f298e.png

05-06-2009, 02:16 PM	#6 (permalink)
TJ Belfiore I said no but I wanted it Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Paradise, California Posts: 3,436 OS: 7 x64, XP x86	Re: Windows Media Player 11 Shows Thumbnails Only for Certain Files What I mean is those file extensions were added due to the codecs, right? __________________ Regards, TJ Belfiore

05-07-2009, 06:05 AM	#7 (permalink)
Dellius Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 13 OS: Vista SP 1 64 Bit	Re: Windows Media Player 11 Shows Thumbnails Only for Certain Files I find it hard to tell weather the codecs added anything to the list. I know I associated everything manually and that's all I know for certain. I accessed the "Default Programs" section for the first time ever when I had to take the screen shot I posted. I can only guess what extensions were there before I installed the codecs. I found an article on Microsoft's website which lists all file formats Windows Media Player associates with by default, codecs or no codecs and when I compared it to the list from "Default Programs", it seems like the extensions from the screen shot I submitted earlier are the default ones and nothing has been added to, or removed from the list. Last edited by Dellius; 05-07-2009 at 06:13 AM.

05-07-2009, 05:05 PM	#8 (permalink)
TJ Belfiore I said no but I wanted it Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Paradise, California Posts: 3,436 OS: 7 x64, XP x86	Re: Windows Media Player 11 Shows Thumbnails Only for Certain Files What you could do is uninstall the codecs, look at your list - make a personal note of what you see, then reinstall, and then you can which are added. __________________ Regards, TJ Belfiore

05-08-2009, 01:32 AM	#9 (permalink)
Dellius Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 13 OS: Vista SP 1 64 Bit	Re: Windows Media Player 11 Shows Thumbnails Only for Certain Files Okay I got it. Seems like 64 bit Explorer can't hook into 32 bit codec dll's in order to generate the thumbs. I launched a 32 bit explorer process and navigated to the Video folder and most of my thumbnails were generated right away. Still, tell me please, how do I solve this issue in a way that I don't need to use a 32 bit explorer window to generate the thumbs manually.

05-08-2009, 09:27 AM	#10 (permalink)
TJ Belfiore I said no but I wanted it Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Paradise, California Posts: 3,436 OS: 7 x64, XP x86	Re: Windows Media Player 11 Shows Thumbnails Only for Certain Files What do you mean by "32 bit explorer?" ? __________________ Regards, TJ Belfiore