Thumbnail not viewing photos

Hi there, I'm a complete computer dork and really can only use the internet haha. Anyway my windows explorer was crashing quite often so I googled it and it said to run regsvr32 shmedia.dll so I did and I wasn't able to open pics or videos. So I googled again and it said to run it again so I did and was able to open videos but not pictures. There are some very important and treasured pictures on their, passed friends, babies, holidays that I really want back. Does anyone have any help please? Prefferably nice and easy lol.

 

I don't think that your files are damaged in anyway. First of all and before trying anything, move them to a safe place (any drive other than where Windows is installed - generally it is located on C: drive, so move your photos and other files to other partition/drive)

Repairing Windows may solve this, or even installing a good image viewer (like ACDSee Photo Manager 2009).

The problem is I can't get much info from your description...try to be more specific..

:confused

 

First just to be on the safe side make multiple back up's of these files even if they are corrupt just becuase they may be corrupt does not mean they are unsaveable.

This way now you ahve multiple back ups we can fiddle with the originals as much as we want with out totally loosing them for ever.

Please post once you have done the back up's and we shall continue

 

Thanks very much, I've moved them to a folder in the c drive, whats the next move please

 

Oh and what sort of specific info would be helpful? I use windows XP home edition on a compaq presario V6000

 

Right so now you have two copies on the same drive, do you have a DVD burner? a USB Stick? External hdd to have one more copy of them away from the original storage.

Once you have this one copy that cannot possibly be lost or destoryed we will move onto fiddling with the two copies on the C drive.

 

Thanks very, very much for your help captain Would an iPod work? I can put them on disk but could only get like 100 photos per disk and would need hundreds lol. I can get Mums USB stick from her work if iPod not suitable.

 

Don't worry about it Fee3131 I love to help! Yes the ipod will do Anything you can store them on externally so that there is atleast one copy not on the C drive.

 

Righteo, they're being transfered over as I type

 

Fantastic. Right, now just a few more questions as the answer to these questions decides how we go a head on trying to repair the files.

What exactly is the issue? You can't see thumbnails for photos? Do the photos still open or not?
Do you have access to any other computers?
Do you have a Windows XP CD?

 

I see the generic boat on sunset thumbnail and can't open those, but I can open AVI files. We have a old and slow desktop comp with windows xp that I could most probably start up again. Um no both laptop and desktop came pre loaded with XP.

 

Have you tried opening the files on another computer? If there is another computer available please using the copy on your ipod try and open the photos on the other machine.

So can you open no photos at all? Or just a specific type of photo?

 

Mum's just told me she got rid of the screen for the desktop......I'll try with my friends laptop tomorrow. No photos will open, thery're all just jpg ones.

 

Let's try some very simple stuff first.

Open paint -> File -> Open -> (open one of the photos)

And see if that opens it.

If that fails lets try a thirdparty piece of freeware to see if this can shed some light on the photos (http://www.irfanview.com/)

 

IT OPENS!!! OMG IT OPENS!!! You my friend are a legend! Should I go through and re-save them and see if they open or is there some quick way?

 

First try right clicking a photo -> Open with... then if you have to choose from a list click paint and click use this as the default to open these

So is everything working now?

 

I now open them through microsoft office picture viewer which is alot easier than paint haha. I firgured if they're are openable but just choosing not to, could it be a setting thing that the thing I typed in run changed? Thanks once again

 

Could of been a few things but happy to see its all sorted but remember to keep a backup of all those photos! Don't want to loose them.

I suggest make an account on photobucket, upload all your photos you never want to loose on there and set the ablum to private

 

I will don't you worry haha, not having this happen again. I'm going to get them all put to disk things by the pros who can get hundreds on

 

Good luck

Hope you can avoid all issues like this in the future

Was a pleasure to help.

Good day to you.