When you set your icons to image preview, Windows also search in subfolders and preview 4 small images on those subfolder icons.

Is there a way to prevent this?

It takes to much time if you have a lot of subfolders.

You want to do it in the manual way, right? (I mean, this is not for unattended?)

Well, go to any folder with 5 pictures (PICTURES ONLY) or more - such a folder now has preview enabled.

Right-click, "View >> Tiles" (or "icons" instead of tiles... whatever).

Then, right in that window, menu - "Tools >> Folder Options", and go to "View" tab.

Click the "Apply to all folders" button.

That's all. From now, images will preview only if you ask for it, not automatically.

Not exactly.

I want image preview in my pictures folder, but I don't want the subfolders to have preview on there icon.

I want all subfolders to be like DVD and not like Wallpapers

DVD is in list view, the others are thumbnail view. I don't know of any way around this short of just selecting List view.