Contents Are Missing from Folder on the Links Toolbar

ID: Q179232

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 4.0, 4.01, 4.01 Service Pack 1, 4.01 Service Pack 2 for Windows 95
Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 4.0, 4.01, 4.01 Service Pack 1, 4.01 Service Pack 2 for Windows NT 4.0
Microsoft Internet Explorer version 4.01 Service Pack 2 for Windows 98
Microsoft Windows 98

SYMPTOMS

If you add a folder to the Links toolbar in Internet Explorer and then click the folder, the contents of the folder may be missing from the menu that appears. Only the folder name may appear on the menu.

CAUSE

This problem can occur if you copied or moved the folder to the Links toolbar.

RESOLUTION

To work around this problem, use either of the following methods:

Method 1

Create a shortcut to the folder on the Links toolbar. To do so, follow these steps in Internet Explorer:

1. On the Favorites menu, click Organize Favorites.

2. Double-click the Links folder.

3. Right-click an empty area in the Organize Favorites window, point to

   New, and then click Shortcut.

4. In the Command Line box, type the path of the folder to which you want

   to create a shortcut, and then click Next.

5. Type a name for the shortcut, and then click Finish.

6. Click Close.

NOTE: When you click the shortcut to the folder on the Links toolbar, or when you point to Links on the Favorites menu and then click the shortcut to the folder, the folder is opened in a new window.

Method 2

Add the folder to the Favorites menu. To do so, follow these steps:

1. In Internet Explorer, click Organize Favorites on the Favorites menu.

2. Click Start, point to Programs, and then click Windows Explorer or

   Windows NT Explorer.

3. Locate the folder you want to add to the Favorites menu.

4. Drag the folder from Windows Explorer or Windows NT Explorer to the

   Organize Favorites window.

5. Click Close.

NOTE: If the folder contains shortcuts to Web pages or other files, you can view the shortcuts by pointing to the folder on the Favorites menu. If the folder does not contain shortcuts, click the folder on the Favorites menu to open the folder in a new window.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Internet Explorer 4.0 and 4.01.

This problem has been addressed in Internet Explorer 5.

MORE INFORMATION

The Links toolbar is designed to contain shortcuts to frequently used Web pages. Although you can copy or move a folder to the Links toolbar, you may be unable to view its contents when you click it.

When you add a Web page to the Links toolbar, its shortcut is copied to the <windows>\Favorites\Links folder, where <windows> is the name of the folder in which Windows is installed. If user profiles are enabled on your computer, the Web page shortcut is copied to the <windows>\Profiles\<username>\Favorites\Links folder, where windows is the name of the folder in which Windows is installed, and <username> is the name you use to log on to Windows.

For additional information about how to use the Links toolbar in Internet Explorer, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q171228
   TITLE     : How to Customize the Links Toolbar in Internet Explorer

Additional query words: 4.00

Keywords          : kbui msiew95 msient win98 
Version           : WINDOWS:
Platform          : WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: May 10, 1999