How about this for a mystery? I put some photos from my digital camera into a new folder. When I do this I usually like to use the filmstrip view option in Windows Explorer, but occasionally that option isn't available. I can rename the folder, and hey presto! the filmstrip option returns. I rename it back to what it was, and the option vanishes again. Is this a bug in Windows Explorer? (I'm using Windows XP with all the latest updates from Microsoft.)

You can customize a folder by right mouse clicking on that folder name within Windows Explorer, selecting PROPERTIES from the fly-out menu, then selecting the CUSTOMIZE tab. At the top portion of the Customize selection is "What kind of folder do you want?". Click the down arrow to see a variety of folder types. Select "Pictures (best for viewing many files)". At this point you may receive a message that prompts you to enable folder tasks before the change can be made (or words to that effect). Click ok if necessary to make folder tasks active, then ok again to change the properties of that album. Now when you look at the view menu, filmstrip will be an option.

Many thanks for your comments. I've been right through all my picture folders (which are many) and, believe it or not, every one now has the filmstrip option enabled, so I can't at present try out the suggestion. The problem only occurs occasionally, so I will have to wait for it to pop up again. When it does, I'll follow your procedure and see what happens. What I find odd is that the option can be made to appear or disappear by simply changing the folder's name, which I feel sure must be a Microsoft bug. It's no big deal, just a little frustrating when it happens.

Thanks again.