Windows 10: No Thumbnails on Photos in Folders Created as Symbolic Links to UNC Paths

My previous post on this problem was locked without reason.


This is the same problem as described in https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...rk-paths/8e9497d5-ef71-429d-b8ca-cf74672dc8f5 but for Windows 10.


I have a NAS box at \\DSxxx where I have a shared folder at \\DSxxx\Pictures. If I access this UNC path directly in Windows explorer then everything looks fine. I can see thumbnails for the photos stored in this share and the details are filled with EXIF data when I view the file properties. And for folders with a large number of pictures the refreshing of thumbnails can take time but every single picture eventually is shown with its thumbnail.


But if I access the same folder through a symbolic link at %USERPROFILE%\NAS\Pictures, most thumbnails are not shown and the file properties are missing all EXIF data. A few pictures have thumbnails but I have not been able to figure out for which pictures Explorer decides to show thumbnails. It seems more or less random.


I have confirmed the same works fine in Windows 7. It seems something happened with Windows Explorer starting at Windows 8 and the problem still remain unfixed in the latest version of Windows 10. I have not been able to find any article stating that this functionality was removed intentionally.


Please note that the forum post linked above is from 2012. We are now in 2020 with this bug remaining unfixed.

:)

 

No Thumbnails on Symbolic Links to Network Paths

This is the same problem as described in No Thumbnails on symbolic link network paths but
for Windows 10.

I have a NAS box \\DSxxx where I have a shared folder at \\DSxxx\Pictures. If I access this in Windows explorer directly everything looks fine. I can see thumbnails for the photos stored in this share and the details are filled with EXIF data when I view
the file properties. But if I access the same folder through a symbolic link at %USERPROFILE%\NAS\Pictures, no thumbnails are shown and the file details are empty. I have confirmed the same works fine in Windows 7. It seems something happened with Windows
Explorer starting at Windows 8 and the problem still remain unfixed in the latest version of Windows 10.

 

How to move and link files

1. Place your batch file (or a shortcut to it) on your desktop, then drop the file to be moved and linked onto the shortcut. Its name & path will appear as the first batch file argument (%1).
2. Use UNC paths when creating your symbolic links with mklink.

 

File Explorer not showing thumbnails

Brink,

Many thanks for you reply. I have done all the steps you suggested, but no change,

When I open a folder containing photos, some open correctly but the vast majority open with thumbnails, but they very quickly get overwritten and you can not longer see the thumbnails.

Are there any more suggestions?