Windows XP Picture preview VERY slow!

[bobolito]

My job's computer is Windows XP with SP2 with all the updates. Brand new Gateway PC with Pentium 4 with HT, 2.8Ghz, 512 RAM, 80GB HD, built-in Intel 82915G/GV/910GL video chipset. I don't understand why when I try to open (double-click) a JPG file, either big or small, it takes about 30 seconds for the Windows Picture Viewer to show it. I have to stare at the blank screen saying "Generating Preview" for like 25 to 30 seconds and then it shows. It is actually faster to open up Photoshop! I just tried it with a 10kb JPG file and it took 28 seconds! During that time, the computer was basically frozen. Clicking on the taskbar, start menu, etc. did not cause any reaction. Only Ctrl-Alt-Del works during those 25-30 seconds.

The only thing I've been able to figure out is that this lag only happens whenever the files are directly on the Desktop (it's not a shortcut). However, if I put the file inside a folder that I created directly on the desktop (again, it is not a shortcut), then the same file opens up instantly in the viewer! They also open up instantly in the viewer if they are stored elsewhere in the hard drive. I've tried a number of different JPG files and the same thing happens to all of them. The same thing happens to GIF files of all sizes. A 17kb GIF file took 25 seconds to open up while it was directly on the Desktop, but as soon as I put it inside a folder that sits on my Desktop the file opens up immediately.

It doesn't seem to matter the file size. I tried with a 1kb BMP file and it took 22 seconds while it was sitting on the Desktop. I also tried a 7.5MB JPG file that was in My Documents and took less than a second to open, but when I put the same file directly on the Desktop (I used the MOVE command) then it took 28 seconds for the previewer to open it!

Just for the record, I log in as Administrator.

Anyone else experienced this annoyance? I've searched in this and other forums and so far haven't found anything about this or how to fix it. It's getting on my nerves because I work with pictures a lot.

[bobolito]

I guess nobody else has this problem? I've also noticed the same thing in my home computer, but it takes only about 10 -15 seconds to open images sitting on the Desktop. If the same file is inside a folder, it opens up immediately. I'm starting to think it is a bug in Windows XP.

[glc]

Why don't you just download and install Irfanview, and associate it with all images. It's a great free image viewer and editor.

[patrickt]

I don't have the problem but I seem to remember I did. I tried everything I could think of like stopping indexing but didn't solve the problem. When I did a fresh install the problem went away and didn't come back. Sorry, I can't be of more help but I assume that in my tweaking I screwed something up that I didn't screw up on the fresh install. I moved three JPEG files to the desktop and they all open in less than a second.

[bobolito]

That's weird because the installation of Windows in my home computer is pretty fresh. It must be one of those patches that Microsoft released that has that side effect.

[Cetus35]

I have the exact same problem: namely, opening a preview of an image on the desktop is very slow,
however, if the file is in another folder it opens instantly.
This seems to be totally unaffected by the size of the file. (2k opens the same as 10mb)
I have Photoshop CS3, but this does not seem to be the problem. I un-installed and it has no effect.

Solution: (?)
I also have Office 2007 and if I associate .jpg, .gif, etc with the Microsoft Office Picture Manager, all open
instantly, regardless of their location or size.
I like the Windows Picture and Fax Viewer (the Windows default) better though, so my solution is to drop
the pics from my desktop into a "sub" folder and just view them there.

Good luck to anyone with this problem,
Hugh

[glc]

my solution is to drop the pics from my desktop into a "sub" folder and just view them there.

That's my suggestion also. Desktops are for shortcuts, not files.

[Dia]

When you open from the desktop do you hear a lot of harddrive activity (or see through HD Led)?