Favorites Entries Lost During Internet Explorer Installation

ID: Q167124

The information in this article applies to:

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registry. Before you edit the registry, you should first make a backup copy of the registry files (System.dat and User.dat). Both are hidden files in the Windows folder.

SYMPTOMS

After you upgrade to any of the versions Internet Explorer listed above, your Favorites folder may appear to be empty.

CAUSE

The registry entries may be missing, damaged, or incorrect.

RESOLUTION

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall Windows 95. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

NOTE: For information about how to edit the registry, view the Changing Keys And Values online Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe). Note that you should make a backup copy of the registry files (System.dat and User.dat) before you edit the registry.

If the Favorites folder seems to be empty, first make sure that the folder still exists in the Windows folder. To do so, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, point to Find, and then click Files Or Folders.

2. In the Named box, type "favorites" (without quotation marks), and then

   click Find Now.

3. Double-click the Favorites folder, and then verify that it contains
   your favorites.

If the folder exists and still contains your favorite locations, use Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) and correct the Favorites entry under the following registry keys:

   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current
      Version\Explorer\Shell folders\ 

   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Explorer\ 
      User Shell folders\ 

   HKEY_USERS\.default\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\ 
      Explorer\Shell folders\ 

   HKEY_USERS\.default\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\ 
      Explorer\User Shell folders\ 

Change the Favorites entries to point to the Windows\Favorites folder.

Additional query words: 3.01 3.02 4.00

Keywords          : kbenv msiew95 
Platform          : WINDOWS

Last Reviewed: March 20, 1999