Corrupt IE Favorites?

[Guest]

I notice that my IE Favorites now consists of all the folders and files in my
Windows directory from my hard drive. It used to consist of the files and
links in the Favorites subdirectory of C:\Documents and Settings\, and I
don't know how this happened.

If I try to delete a folder from the Favorites window in IE, it deletes the
corresponding folder from Windows directory on my hard drive.

I don't recall doing anything that should have caused this to happen.

I've run Norton Antivirus, AdAware, Spybot, and AOL Spyware detector - but
nothing shows up. I upgraded to SP2 - but the problem persists.

I've searched all the folders and subfolders in C:\Documents and Settings\
looking for a hidden \Windows directory, but there is none.

FYI - the C:\Documents and Settings\ has four folders: Administrator, All
Users, (one with my username), Administrator, and a hidden folder: Default
User.

For what it's worth, the folder icon for Favorites in All Users and the one
with my username do not
have the star icon - just the regular folder icon. I thought that this might
be the problem, so in the folder I renamed Favorites, copied the folder from
the Administrator folder, deleted the contents and copied the contents of my
Favorites to the new star icon'd folder - but it made no difference.

Two questions:
1. How could this have happened (my Windows subfolders now being in IE
favorites)?
2. How do I get it back to just showing my favorites from my Favorites
folder - and not showing the Windows directory and folders (and I'd prefer an
answer that doesn't involve reinstalling everything)?

Thank you.

 

[Galen]

In jb <[email protected]> had this to say:

My reply is at the bottom of your sent message:

Two questions:
1. How could this have happened (my Windows subfolders now being in IE
favorites)?
2. How do I get it back to just showing my favorites from my Favorites
folder - and not showing the Windows directory and folders (and I'd
prefer an answer that doesn't involve reinstalling everything)?

Thank you.

Err... You're welcome... Actually this post might not help you at all. What
I am posting for is to ask if you have used some sort of "tweaking" utility
to change the path or some sort of registry editing utility to alter the
path for the favorites. That's the first question's answer? To the second
the only way may very well be to repair it manually (not an option until we
know more) or to reverse the changes with any application that you might
have used. Have you use X-Setup or anything like that to change the path to
your %WinDir%?

Another idea, this is reaching VERY far though, is malware... Possible? Sure
if the person creating the installer wanted to edit the path to favorites.
Seems pretty insane but it's possible. Have you tried looking for various
forms of malware?

Galen

 

[Alan Edwards]

Perhaps the reference in the Registry is wrong?

You can change the value of Favorites in the Registry in these
two keys: (ignore the second if the value is not there)

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell
Folders

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User
Shell Folders

Have a look at this extract if you have XP:

For Windows 2000/XP:
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User
Shell Folders]
Set the Favorites path to : %USERPROFILE%\Favorites

The above should be a REG_EXPAND_SZ value, not REG_SZ

Ref: http://windowsxp.mvps.org/IEFA­Q.htm#favorites
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/user­shellfolders.htm



....Alan

 

[Guest]

Ok, I did all you suggested. The result is that my Windows folders no longer
appear in the Favorites window. Unfortunately, nothing does now. When I
click Favorites on the toolbar, the Favorites window opens as a greyed out
panel - can't add any favorites to it.

So I'm halfway there - no more Windows folders. But now I need to get my
Favorites functioning again.

Next steps?

Perhaps the reference in the Registry is wrong?

You can change the value of Favorites in the Registry in these
two keys: (ignore the second if the value is not there)

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell
Folders

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User
Shell Folders

Have a look at this extract if you have XP:

For Windows 2000/XP:
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User
Shell Folders]
Set the Favorites path to : %USERPROFILE%\Favorites

The above should be a REG_EXPAND_SZ value, not REG_SZ

Ref: http://windowsxp.mvps.org/IEFA­Q.htm#favorites
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/user­shellfolders.htm



....Alan
--
Alan Edwards, MS MVP W95/98 Systems
http://dts-l.org/index.html

In microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6.browser, "jb"

I notice that my IE Favorites now consists of all the folders and files in my
Windows directory from my hard drive. It used to consist of the files and
links in the Favorites subdirectory of C:\Documents and Settings\, and I
don't know how this happened.

 

[Guest]

Nope - no tweaking utility.
Nope - no registry editing utility.
Nope - no X-Setup
No Malware that is detected by Norton, AdAware or Spybot.

So, beyond what Alan suggested (see my reply to him), and my current (but
changed) state of affairs - what is next?

 

[Alan Edwards]

Exactly what do you now have in those two keys?
What operating system?
If XP, did you take note of the "REG_EXPAND_SZ value" bit?
Your favorites are unlikely to function if you ignored it.

....Alan

--
Alan Edwards, MS MVP W95/98 Systems
http://dts-l.org/index.html

In microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6.browser, "jb"

Ok, I did all you suggested. The result is that my Windows folders no longer
appear in the Favorites window. Unfortunately, nothing does now. When I
click Favorites on the toolbar, the Favorites window opens as a greyed out
panel - can't add any favorites to it.

So I'm halfway there - no more Windows folders. But now I need to get my
Favorites functioning again.

Next steps?

Perhaps the reference in the Registry is wrong?

You can change the value of Favorites in the Registry in these
two keys: (ignore the second if the value is not there)

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell
Folders

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User
Shell Folders

Have a look at this extract if you have XP:

For Windows 2000/XP:
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User
Shell Folders]
Set the Favorites path to : %USERPROFILE%\Favorites

The above should be a REG_EXPAND_SZ value, not REG_SZ

Ref: http://windowsxp.mvps.org/IEFA­Q.htm#favorites
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/user­shellfolders.htm



....Alan
--
Alan Edwards, MS MVP W95/98 Systems
http://dts-l.org/index.html

In microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6.browser, "jb"

I notice that my IE Favorites now consists of all the folders and files in my
Windows directory from my hard drive. It used to consist of the files and
links in the Favorites subdirectory of C:\Documents and Settings\, and I
don't know how this happened.

 

[Guest]

XP. I took note, but in that key it is shown as REG_SZ, not REG_EXPAND_SZ.
How do I change it from one to the other type?

Exactly what do you now have in those two keys?
What operating system?
If XP, did you take note of the "REG_EXPAND_SZ value" bit?
Your favorites are unlikely to function if you ignored it.

....Alan

--
Alan Edwards, MS MVP W95/98 Systems
http://dts-l.org/index.html

In microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6.browser, "jb"

Ok, I did all you suggested. The result is that my Windows folders no longer
appear in the Favorites window. Unfortunately, nothing does now. When I
click Favorites on the toolbar, the Favorites window opens as a greyed out
panel - can't add any favorites to it.

So I'm halfway there - no more Windows folders. But now I need to get my
Favorites functioning again.

Next steps?

Perhaps the reference in the Registry is wrong?

You can change the value of Favorites in the Registry in these
two keys: (ignore the second if the value is not there)

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell
Folders

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User
Shell Folders

Have a look at this extract if you have XP:

For Windows 2000/XP:
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User
Shell Folders]
Set the Favorites path to : %USERPROFILE%\Favorites

The above should be a REG_EXPAND_SZ value, not REG_SZ

Ref: http://windowsxp.mvps.org/IEFA­Q.htm#favorites
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/user­shellfolders.htm



....Alan
--
Alan Edwards, MS MVP W95/98 Systems
http://dts-l.org/index.html

In microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6.browser, "jb"

I notice that my IE Favorites now consists of all the folders and files in my
Windows directory from my hard drive. It used to consist of the files and
links in the Favorites subdirectory of C:\Documents and Settings\, and I
don't know how this happened.

 

[Alan Edwards]

BH.
Delete it and recreate it in Regedt32.exe

....Alan

--
Alan Edwards, MS MVP W95/98 Systems
http://dts-l.org/index.html

In microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6.browser, "jb"

XP. I took note, but in that key it is shown as REG_SZ, not REG_EXPAND_SZ.
How do I change it from one to the other type?

Exactly what do you now have in those two keys?
What operating system?
If XP, did you take note of the "REG_EXPAND_SZ value" bit?
Your favorites are unlikely to function if you ignored it.

....Alan

--
Alan Edwards, MS MVP W95/98 Systems
http://dts-l.org/index.html

In microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6.browser, "jb"

Ok, I did all you suggested. The result is that my Windows folders no longer
appear in the Favorites window. Unfortunately, nothing does now. When I
click Favorites on the toolbar, the Favorites window opens as a greyed out
panel - can't add any favorites to it.

So I'm halfway there - no more Windows folders. But now I need to get my
Favorites functioning again.

Next steps?

:

Perhaps the reference in the Registry is wrong?

You can change the value of Favorites in the Registry in these
two keys: (ignore the second if the value is not there)

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell
Folders

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User
Shell Folders

Have a look at this extract if you have XP:

For Windows 2000/XP:
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User
Shell Folders]
Set the Favorites path to : %USERPROFILE%\Favorites

The above should be a REG_EXPAND_SZ value, not REG_SZ

Ref: http://windowsxp.mvps.org/IEFA­Q.htm#favorites
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/user­shellfolders.htm



....Alan
--
Alan Edwards, MS MVP W95/98 Systems
http://dts-l.org/index.html

In microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6.browser, "jb"

I notice that my IE Favorites now consists of all the folders and files in my
Windows directory from my hard drive. It used to consist of the files and
links in the Favorites subdirectory of C:\Documents and Settings\, and I
don't know how this happened.

 

[Guest]

Pardon my ignorance. What should I delete and recreate, and what does it
mean to recreate it in Regedt32.exe?

BH.
Delete it and recreate it in Regedt32.exe

....Alan

--
Alan Edwards, MS MVP W95/98 Systems
http://dts-l.org/index.html

In microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6.browser, "jb"

XP. I took note, but in that key it is shown as REG_SZ, not REG_EXPAND_SZ.
How do I change it from one to the other type?

Exactly what do you now have in those two keys?
What operating system?
If XP, did you take note of the "REG_EXPAND_SZ value" bit?
Your favorites are unlikely to function if you ignored it.

....Alan

--
Alan Edwards, MS MVP W95/98 Systems
http://dts-l.org/index.html

In microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6.browser, "jb"

Ok, I did all you suggested. The result is that my Windows folders no longer
appear in the Favorites window. Unfortunately, nothing does now. When I
click Favorites on the toolbar, the Favorites window opens as a greyed out
panel - can't add any favorites to it.

So I'm halfway there - no more Windows folders. But now I need to get my
Favorites functioning again.

Next steps?

:

Perhaps the reference in the Registry is wrong?

You can change the value of Favorites in the Registry in these
two keys: (ignore the second if the value is not there)

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell
Folders

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User
Shell Folders

Have a look at this extract if you have XP:

For Windows 2000/XP:
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User
Shell Folders]
Set the Favorites path to : %USERPROFILE%\Favorites

The above should be a REG_EXPAND_SZ value, not REG_SZ

Ref: http://windowsxp.mvps.org/IEFA­Q.htm#favorites
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/user­shellfolders.htm



....Alan
--
Alan Edwards, MS MVP W95/98 Systems
http://dts-l.org/index.html

In microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6.browser, "jb"

I notice that my IE Favorites now consists of all the folders and files in my
Windows directory from my hard drive. It used to consist of the files and
links in the Favorites subdirectory of C:\Documents and Settings\, and I
don't know how this happened.

 

[Alan Edwards]

The value that is shown as REG_SZ, not REG_EXPAND_SZ that you wanted
to change from one to the other.

It means you use Regedi32.exe as I don't believe you can do it in
Regedit.exe

....Alan

--
Alan Edwards, MS MVP W95/98 Systems
http://dts-l.org/index.html

In microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6.browser, "jb"

Pardon my ignorance. What should I delete and recreate, and what does it
mean to recreate it in Regedt32.exe?

BH.
Delete it and recreate it in Regedt32.exe

....Alan

--
Alan Edwards, MS MVP W95/98 Systems
http://dts-l.org/index.html

In microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6.browser, "jb"

XP. I took note, but in that key it is shown as REG_SZ, not REG_EXPAND_SZ.
How do I change it from one to the other type?

:

Exactly what do you now have in those two keys?
What operating system?
If XP, did you take note of the "REG_EXPAND_SZ value" bit?
Your favorites are unlikely to function if you ignored it.

....Alan

--
Alan Edwards, MS MVP W95/98 Systems
http://dts-l.org/index.html

In microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6.browser, "jb"

Ok, I did all you suggested. The result is that my Windows folders no longer
appear in the Favorites window. Unfortunately, nothing does now. When I
click Favorites on the toolbar, the Favorites window opens as a greyed out
panel - can't add any favorites to it.

So I'm halfway there - no more Windows folders. But now I need to get my
Favorites functioning again.

Next steps?

:

Perhaps the reference in the Registry is wrong?

You can change the value of Favorites in the Registry in these
two keys: (ignore the second if the value is not there)

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell
Folders

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User
Shell Folders

Have a look at this extract if you have XP:

For Windows 2000/XP:
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User
Shell Folders]
Set the Favorites path to : %USERPROFILE%\Favorites

The above should be a REG_EXPAND_SZ value, not REG_SZ

Ref: http://windowsxp.mvps.org/IEFA­Q.htm#favorites
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/user­shellfolders.htm



....Alan
--
Alan Edwards, MS MVP W95/98 Systems
http://dts-l.org/index.html

In microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6.browser, "jb"

I notice that my IE Favorites now consists of all the folders and files in my
Windows directory from my hard drive. It used to consist of the files and
links in the Favorites subdirectory of C:\Documents and Settings\, and I
don't know how this happened.

 

[Guest]

YOU ARE A GENIUS!!!!!!!!! I AM BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Do you have any idea what may have caused this to happen in the first place?

The value that is shown as REG_SZ, not REG_EXPAND_SZ that you wanted
to change from one to the other.

It means you use Regedi32.exe as I don't believe you can do it in
Regedit.exe

....Alan

--
Alan Edwards, MS MVP W95/98 Systems
http://dts-l.org/index.html

In microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6.browser, "jb"

Pardon my ignorance. What should I delete and recreate, and what does it
mean to recreate it in Regedt32.exe?

BH.
Delete it and recreate it in Regedt32.exe

....Alan

--
Alan Edwards, MS MVP W95/98 Systems
http://dts-l.org/index.html

In microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6.browser, "jb"

XP. I took note, but in that key it is shown as REG_SZ, not REG_EXPAND_SZ.
How do I change it from one to the other type?

:

Exactly what do you now have in those two keys?
What operating system?
If XP, did you take note of the "REG_EXPAND_SZ value" bit?
Your favorites are unlikely to function if you ignored it.

....Alan

--
Alan Edwards, MS MVP W95/98 Systems
http://dts-l.org/index.html

In microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6.browser, "jb"

Ok, I did all you suggested. The result is that my Windows folders no longer
appear in the Favorites window. Unfortunately, nothing does now. When I
click Favorites on the toolbar, the Favorites window opens as a greyed out
panel - can't add any favorites to it.

So I'm halfway there - no more Windows folders. But now I need to get my
Favorites functioning again.

Next steps?

:

Perhaps the reference in the Registry is wrong?

You can change the value of Favorites in the Registry in these
two keys: (ignore the second if the value is not there)

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell
Folders

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User
Shell Folders

Have a look at this extract if you have XP:

For Windows 2000/XP:
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User
Shell Folders]
Set the Favorites path to : %USERPROFILE%\Favorites

The above should be a REG_EXPAND_SZ value, not REG_SZ

Ref: http://windowsxp.mvps.org/IEFA­Q.htm#favorites
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/user­shellfolders.htm



....Alan
--
Alan Edwards, MS MVP W95/98 Systems
http://dts-l.org/index.html

In microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6.browser, "jb"

I notice that my IE Favorites now consists of all the folders and files in my
Windows directory from my hard drive. It used to consist of the files and
links in the Favorites subdirectory of C:\Documents and Settings\, and I
don't know how this happened.

 

[Alan Edwards]

Glad all is OK but I am afraid I don't know what causes it. There have
been a few cases of this happening but I see no indication of a cause.

It may happen again, so if it does, see if you can pick what you have
done or where you have been just before the corruption.

....Alan

--
Alan Edwards, MS MVP W95/98 Systems
http://dts-l.org/index.html

In microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6.browser, "jb"

YOU ARE A GENIUS!!!!!!!!! I AM BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Do you have any idea what may have caused this to happen in the first place?

The value that is shown as REG_SZ, not REG_EXPAND_SZ that you wanted
to change from one to the other.

It means you use Regedi32.exe as I don't believe you can do it in
Regedit.exe

....Alan

--
Alan Edwards, MS MVP W95/98 Systems
http://dts-l.org/index.html

In microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6.browser, "jb"

Pardon my ignorance. What should I delete and recreate, and what does it
mean to recreate it in Regedt32.exe?

:

BH.
Delete it and recreate it in Regedt32.exe

....Alan

--
Alan Edwards, MS MVP W95/98 Systems
http://dts-l.org/index.html

In microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6.browser, "jb"

XP. I took note, but in that key it is shown as REG_SZ, not REG_EXPAND_SZ.
How do I change it from one to the other type?

:

Exactly what do you now have in those two keys?
What operating system?
If XP, did you take note of the "REG_EXPAND_SZ value" bit?
Your favorites are unlikely to function if you ignored it.

....Alan

--
Alan Edwards, MS MVP W95/98 Systems
http://dts-l.org/index.html

In microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6.browser, "jb"

Ok, I did all you suggested. The result is that my Windows folders no longer
appear in the Favorites window. Unfortunately, nothing does now. When I
click Favorites on the toolbar, the Favorites window opens as a greyed out
panel - can't add any favorites to it.

So I'm halfway there - no more Windows folders. But now I need to get my
Favorites functioning again.

Next steps?

:

Perhaps the reference in the Registry is wrong?

You can change the value of Favorites in the Registry in these
two keys: (ignore the second if the value is not there)

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell
Folders

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User
Shell Folders

Have a look at this extract if you have XP:

For Windows 2000/XP:
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User
Shell Folders]
Set the Favorites path to : %USERPROFILE%\Favorites

The above should be a REG_EXPAND_SZ value, not REG_SZ

Ref: http://windowsxp.mvps.org/IEFA­Q.htm#favorites
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/user­shellfolders.htm



....Alan
--
Alan Edwards, MS MVP W95/98 Systems
http://dts-l.org/index.html

In microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6.browser, "jb"

I notice that my IE Favorites now consists of all the folders and files in my
Windows directory from my hard drive. It used to consist of the files and
links in the Favorites subdirectory of C:\Documents and Settings\, and I
don't know how this happened.

 

[Robert Aldwinckle]

In microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6.browser, "jb"

Glad all is OK but I am afraid I don't know what causes it. There have
been a few cases of this happening but I see no indication of a cause.

Alan,

I think we went through this a long time ago but I can't recall exactly.
Does your OS allow you to *move* those directories using an Explorer
window or a folder tree (e.g. by dragging)? Does it change the registry
accordingly? Does it warn you about either? <eg>

Accidental movement by the users is my guess for why it changes.
Why the registry is not updated at the same time or perhaps later
changed incorrectly may be an OS dependent thing.

BTW in XP regedt32 is just a compatibility stub to switch users
to its regedit.

<title>KB141377 - Differences between Regedit.exe and Regedt32.exe</title>


FYI

Robert
---

It may happen again, so if it does, see if you can pick what you have
done or where you have been just before the corruption.

...Alan

--
Alan Edwards, MS MVP W95/98 Systems
http://dts-l.org/index.html

In microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6.browser, "jb"

YOU ARE A GENIUS!!!!!!!!! I AM BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Do you have any idea what may have caused this to happen in the first place?

The value that is shown as REG_SZ, not REG_EXPAND_SZ that you wanted
to change from one to the other.

It means you use Regedi32.exe as I don't believe you can do it in
Regedit.exe

....Alan

--
Alan Edwards, MS MVP W95/98 Systems
http://dts-l.org/index.html

In microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6.browser, "jb"

Pardon my ignorance. What should I delete and recreate, and what does it
mean to recreate it in Regedt32.exe?

:

BH.
Delete it and recreate it in Regedt32.exe

....Alan

--
Alan Edwards, MS MVP W95/98 Systems
http://dts-l.org/index.html

In microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6.browser, "jb"

XP. I took note, but in that key it is shown as REG_SZ, not REG_EXPAND_SZ.
How do I change it from one to the other type?

:

Exactly what do you now have in those two keys?
What operating system?
If XP, did you take note of the "REG_EXPAND_SZ value" bit?
Your favorites are unlikely to function if you ignored it.

....Alan

--
Alan Edwards, MS MVP W95/98 Systems
http://dts-l.org/index.html

In microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6.browser, "jb"

Ok, I did all you suggested. The result is that my Windows folders no longer
appear in the Favorites window. Unfortunately, nothing does now. When I
click Favorites on the toolbar, the Favorites window opens as a greyed out
panel - can't add any favorites to it.

So I'm halfway there - no more Windows folders. But now I need to get my
Favorites functioning again.

Next steps?

:

Perhaps the reference in the Registry is wrong?

You can change the value of Favorites in the Registry in these
two keys: (ignore the second if the value is not there)

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell
Folders

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User
Shell Folders

Have a look at this extract if you have XP:

For Windows 2000/XP:
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User
Shell Folders]
Set the Favorites path to : %USERPROFILE%\Favorites

The above should be a REG_EXPAND_SZ value, not REG_SZ

Ref: http://windowsxp.mvps.org/IEFA­Q.htm#favorites
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/user­shellfolders.htm



....Alan
--
Alan Edwards, MS MVP W95/98 Systems
http://dts-l.org/index.html

In microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6.browser, "jb"

I notice that my IE Favorites now consists of all the folders and files in my
Windows directory from my hard drive. It used to consist of the files and
links in the Favorites subdirectory of C:\Documents and Settings\, and I
don't know how this happened.

 

[Alan Edwards]

In microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6.browser, "Robert

Alan,

I think we went through this a long time ago but I can't recall exactly.
Does your OS allow you to *move* those directories using an Explorer
window or a folder tree (e.g. by dragging)? Does it change the registry
accordingly? Does it warn you about either? <eg>

Accidental movement by the users is my guess for why it changes.
Why the registry is not updated at the same time or perhaps later
changed incorrectly may be an OS dependent thing.

BTW in XP regedt32 is just a compatibility stub to switch users
to its regedit.

<title>KB141377 - Differences between Regedit.exe and Regedt32.exe</title>

Robert

Hi Robert

Thanks for the heads-up.

You are probably right, but my memory fails as well. A bit late in the
day here after a good meal and a glass or three of a good red.
I will try another go at moving Favorites by dragging, though my last
try was a disaster. I don't remember any warning in Win98, but then I
have disabled all warnings where possible.

KB141377 is a bit of an eye-opener. I don't remember reading that one
(what's new?). Perhaps it is about time I tried a system like XP to
see what the differences really are? It looks like XP supports editing
REG_EXPAND_SZ values, though Win2K apparently does not and perhaps my
feedback on Regedt32 was only from Win2K users?


....Alan

 

[Robert Aldwinckle]

....

KB141377 is a bit of an eye-opener. I don't remember reading that one
(what's new?).

Judging by the low article number I suspect that it has just been updated
over the years as OS changed. NT3x and early versions of NT4 couldn't use
RegEdit for most things. Later you could use RegEdit for most things.
Now in XP RegEdt32 is just a compatibility feature.

Perhaps it is about time I tried a system like XP to
see what the differences really are?

I hope you have the horsepower to try.

Switching to XP for me meant getting a whole new system.
The system I had bought for NT4 (thinking I had enough
horsepower in reserve for other applications--not just the OS)
was not good enough even to run XP let alone have it do
something useful. I thought about upgrading the system
piecemeal but it turned out it would have been just as expensive
to completely replace everything.

I've read of people installing it on underpowered machines
just to see what it looks like and being able to do that.

Now with Longhorn it looks as if I may be into the same
situation all over again--although judging by what Scoble says
there may be a brief respite:

http://radio.weblogs.com/0001011/2005/02/14.html#a9420

It looks like XP supports editing REG_EXPAND_SZ values,
though Win2K apparently does not and perhaps my
feedback on Regedt32 was only from Win2K users?

Very likely.


Robert
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