Picture thumbnails

I know there must be an easy fix to this annoying little glitch, but I haven't been able to find it. I used to see thumbnails of my pics in my picture files.......now I just see the logo of whatever default I have chosen to open said picture. How do I fix this? (I have not idea what occurred to make my thumbnails go away, but it is quite the p.i.t.a. when trying to share pics)

OS: Vista Home Premium

I don't know if you need any further info, but I will be glad to give anything I can because I appreciate any help you can offer.

 

I'm not a Vista user but in XP when I first install it, since I prefer the DETAILS view I set one of my folders to details then go to Tools > Folder Options in Windows Explorer and under VIEW I select "apply to all folders" And since this will also apply to my pictures folders I go there and then set them back to thumnails and I also set my Control Panel to Icons. But for some reason If I set too many folders to Icons my Control Panel will revert back to Detail view. I read somewhere that Windows has limit to the number of changes you can make and after that it starts to screw up. Vista may be the same, I don't know, but you should be able to set the view from Windows Explorers top menu.

 

Vista and XP are completely different on changing the icons to thumbnail preview icons. Unfortunately, I don't recall how to set the option in Vista (I did it once on a friend's PC, but I run XP), but if I recall correctly, it involves right clicking on one of the icons, and going to some Advanced or something option. I suggest Googling something like "change to Vista thumbnail view". I do know it's a little more complicated than changing the folder view in XP.

 

Thanks guys. Come to find out, you have to go to performance information on the control panel. Select "adjust visual effects" and click the box that says "show thumbnails instead of icons". It was an easy fix once I learned what the problem was. I appreciate your responses and help.