Prevent thumbs.db on network drives

On network drives, Windows 7 and 8 generate the preview file "thumbs.db" for each individual image. This costs bandwidth in the network. This can be prevented with a registry entry.

Prevent thumbs.db by registry

• To get to the registry, type "regedit" in the search field of the start menu or open the "Run" dialog in the desktop view of Windows 8 with [Windows] + [R] beforehand.
• In the registry editor, first navigate to the key »HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Policies \ Explorer«.
• Create the new entry »DisableThumbsDBOnNetworkFolders« with the command »Edit | New | DWORD value «and double-click to edit. Change the "Value" to "1" and confirm with "OK".
• Add this additional value in the key »HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Policies \ Microsoft \ Windows \ Explorer«. Before that you may have to change the last subkey "Explorer" with the command "Edit | New | Key «. Close the registry and restart.

Note: The preview databases of the local folders are retained with this procedure and continue to be used. Existing files "thumbs.db" on the network drives are not deleted either. You have to do this manually, if desired.