Q. I frequently, but not always, encounter a problem when I try to rename a folder. I get a message that “the folder or a file in it is open in another program”, but I don’t see it being open. Is there something I can do to make this stop happening?
A. Windows can show the contents of a folder in many ways. As various size icons, as a list or a list with file details when you open the folder or it can also show folders with what appears to be files sticking out of it which are tiny thumbnail images that represent the contents of the folder.
Depending on how many files are in the folder and the speed of your computer, it can take a while for Windows to generate these thumbnail images. Unfortunately, while Windows is doing this the files in that folder are considered by the operating system to be in use and therefore locked which prevents you from making any changes such as deleting the folder or renaming it. Usually if you just wait a minute or two Windows will finish up and you can then make changes.
If this is causing you a problem or you are in a hurry, you can turn this feature off by opening a folder, clicking on Organize and the selecting Folder and search options. Once in this menu click on the View tab and check the box next to Always show icons, never thumbnails and click on OK. Once you do this, Windows will no longer build or show thumbnails for your folders.
Keep in mind that this will completely disable thumbnails for all folders until you turn this option back on.
It is also worth noting that turning this feature off can improve the performance of your PC, especially if you have an older system with limited resources such as memory and available drive space. All of the so-called “eye candy” in Windows 7 does consume system resources. If you don’t need these features you can shut them down and reclaim valuable system resources.
For more information on speeding up Windows 7, including turning off unnecessary visual effects, have a look at the Microsoft article Optimize Windows 7 for better performance which outlines the steps you can take.