quick launch icon anomaly

[Rafa Lesp]

Hi

For some time, I have not been using my quick launch icons because
they didn't work (threw up error boxes). Upon looking at the problem
today, I noticed that in my user directory (the "C:\Documents and
Settings" one) my Program Data subdirectory is in the Cookies
Directory. The full tree is in there, with a whole load of other
things beside Quick Launch.

Of course the Program Data directory alreaady has its own directory
under "Documents and Settings", at the same level as "Cookies", but
it's empty.

I set up a new user to test, and noticed that Cookies should only have
what it says, cookies, and *not* anther Program Data folder.

So I thought, well, I'll just pull out Program Data stuff from under
Cookies, and restore all those files into the proper Program Data
Directory.

To test this idea, I took just one of the icon short cuts hidden in
the Cookies Programa Data directory and put it into the correct
Program Data Directory (along with all its associated subdirectories).
Result? It proceeded to disappear off the task bar. Ha!

So now I'm thinking, there's some pointer somewhere, telling my system
to look for Program Data files not in the C:\Documents and
Settings\Programa Data folder, but in the C:\Documents and
Settings\Cookies\Program Data.

Can anybody help me with sorting this anomaly out without causing
havoc on my system? The rest of my windows xp is fine you see. Only
the quick launch icons seem to suffer from having Program Data
downgraded to being under Cookies. Help appreciated thanks.

 

[B]

-----Original Message-----
Hi

For some time, I have not been using my quick launch icons because
they didn't work (threw up error boxes). Upon looking at the problem
today, I noticed that in my user directory (the "C:\Documents and
Settings" one) my Program Data subdirectory is in the Cookies
Directory. The full tree is in there, with a whole load of other
things beside Quick Launch.

Of course the Program Data directory alreaady has its own directory
under "Documents and Settings", at the same level as "Cookies", but
it's empty.

I set up a new user to test, and noticed that Cookies should only have
what it says, cookies, and *not* anther Program Data folder.

So I thought, well, I'll just pull out Program Data stuff from under
Cookies, and restore all those files into the proper Program Data
Directory.

To test this idea, I took just one of the icon short cuts hidden in
the Cookies Programa Data directory and put it into the correct
Program Data Directory (along with all its associated subdirectories).
Result? It proceeded to disappear off the task bar. Ha!

So now I'm thinking, there's some pointer somewhere, telling my system
to look for Program Data files not in the C:\Documents and
Settings\Programa Data folder, but in the C:\Documents and
Settings\Cookies\Program Data.

Can anybody help me with sorting this anomaly out without causing
havoc on my system? The rest of my windows xp is fine you see. Only
the quick launch icons seem to suffer from having Program Data
downgraded to being under Cookies. Help appreciated thanks.
.
Fascinating. I right clicked various shortcuts where

they coexist in start versus quick launch and see no
difference.
All these things are is shortcuts. You might try doing the
same: hit properties when right clicking the icon.

 

[Rafa Lesp]

Thanks for the reply, but I actually do that all the time to find the
shortcut name (and then I do a seach for the shortcut)

Sure, they're shortcuts and they will work if I drag them to the
desktop, but not if they are on the quick launch tray.

Just to recap, my quick launch shortcuts are in the Program
Data/Microsoft/Internet Explorer/Quick Launch Subtree. All of that is
held in Documents and Settings/METHEUSER/Cookies. And it's ghosted out
in File Explorer.

I definitely feel "Program Data" should not be under Cookies, but I
want to know if I can move it (and its subtrees out) to its proper
place without repercussions.

I have the option of creating myself as a new user, and starting off
clean again, but I want to know the actual cure for this particular
problem.