Favorite Places file missing

[Guest]

Somehow, my fav places got deleted. But it gets weirder: The favorites
should show up under C:/docs&setting/username, but they are not there.
However, when I try to move them from my back up drive, to the C drive, I get
a message that they already exist there. So I move them anyway...and they
STILL don't show up.

While I am here, the other problem is that Application Data is also missing
from that same place.

Any ideas?

 

[Guest]

It just got weirder. I went to a web page, tried to save it to favorite
places and got an error that it already exists. Yet NOTHING is listed in my
fav's

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Internet Explorer Favorites are missing/empty
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/IEFAQ.htm#favorites


--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[Guest]

Open Registry Editor and navigate to:


Can you tell me how to open the registry editor?

 

[David Candy]

Type it in Help and find out. Were you born in an iron lung?

 

[Guest]

Nice to see there are helpful, mature people here.

 

[Guest]

Wes, With David's thoughtful response, I was able to try your solution. The
settings that are there match what they should be, so I made no changes.

Any other ideas?

 

[Wesley Vogel]

What happens if you type favorites into Start | Run?
Or %homepath%\favorites?

C:\Documents and Settings\Your Name Here\Favorites should open.

You also stated that Application Data is also missing. Which one, there are
two Application Data folders.
C:\Documents and Settings\Your Name Here\Application Data
and
C:\Documents and Settings\Your Name Here\Local Settings\Application Data

What happens if you type %appdata% into Start | Run?
Or %homepath%\Application Data?

C:\Documents and Settings\Your Name Here\Application Data should open.

Or %homepath%\Local Settings\Application Data into Start | Run?

C:\Documents and Settings\Your Name Here\Local Settings\Application Data
should open.

%homepath%\Application Data is a Hidden folder.
Local Settings is a Hidden folder.
Local Settings\Application Data is a Hidden folder.

HOW TO: Search For Hidden Or System Files In Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;302347

To display Hidden files and folders...

Start | Settings | Control Panel | Folder Options | View tab
Check:
Display the contents of system folders
Show hidden files and folders
UNCheck:
Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)
Click Apply | Click OK

[[Hidden files and folders will appear dimmed to indicate they are not
typical items.]]

see this...
Reset the Shell Folders paths to defaults
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/usershellfolders.htm

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[Guest]

You are a HUGE help Wes and I want to thank you.
I did this:

Start | Settings | Control Panel | Folder Options | View tab

Check:
Display the contents of system folders
Show hidden files and folders
UNCheck:
Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)
Click Apply | Click OK

The results are that I can now see both the application data and the
favorites inder docs&settings/BobbeeV/ But when I open my IE, the
favorites are not listed there.

 

[Guest]

[[Hidden files and folders will appear dimmed to indicate they are not
typical items.]]


I just noticed that although I can see the Favorites folder in Explore, most
of them are dimmed.

 

[Guest]

I figured it out. On each file that was dimmed, I right-clicked and
unchecked the "hidden" and "read only" options. Do you have any idea how
they got hidden?

 

[Wesley Vogel]

No. I have absolutely no earthly idea why your Favorite files had the
Hidden attribute. I would never have guessed that. Maybe spyware. <shrug>

I reckon that's why two (or more) heads are better than one. Each new idea
sparks another one. Glad you figured it out.

Update your antivirus and antispyware applications and run full system
scans. Can't hurt.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In