Vista - "Favorite Links" in Navigation Pane is (almost) always empty.

This is very wierd. Just a couple of days ago I installed Vista Ultimate
onto my machine - clean install into an empty partition. No upgrade or file
& settings transfer...everything is generic.

I know a lot of people don't like the "Favorite Links" window in the
Explorer navigation pane, but for me it would be very useful - if it
actually worked! It almost always displays "(Empty)" whenever I open an
Explorer window. I say "almost", because occasionally there are links there
when I'm saving a file from an application - often the app appears to use
the Explorer window as its dialog. But any time I launch Explorer
separately, it says "(Empty)". I can drag folders into the area, but they
never appear. And yet, when I right-click on the window and select "Open
favorite Links Folder", there are lots of things in there!

So why on earth would this thing always say "(Empty)"?

Hi PGD,

See if this applies.

Favorite Links in the Windows Explorer navigation pane is completely empty:
http://www.winhelponline.com/articles/159/1/

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


"PGD" <patgaul@REMOVETHISproaxent.com> wrote in message news:%23bFKKOurHHA.1268@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
This is very wierd. Just a couple of days ago I installed Vista Ultimate
onto my machine - clean install into an empty partition. No upgrade or file
& settings transfer...everything is generic.

I know a lot of people don't like the "Favorite Links" window in the
Explorer navigation pane, but for me it would be very useful - if it
actually worked! It almost always displays "(Empty)" whenever I open an
Explorer window. I say "almost", because occasionally there are links there
when I'm saving a file from an application - often the app appears to use
the Explorer window as its dialog. But any time I launch Explorer
separately, it says "(Empty)". I can drag folders into the area, but they
never appear. And yet, when I right-click on the window and select "Open
favorite Links Folder", there are lots of things in there!

So why on earth would this thing always say "(Empty)"?

Ramesh, thanks. This fixed the problem. Like a fool I tried "FreshUI" to
eliminate the little arrow on each shortcut. When I applied the registry
fix (for the .lnk file association), logged off and logged back on,
everything was OK...the "Favorite Links" now is displaying links.

Good catch!

"Ramesh, MS-MVP" <ramesh@XOX.mvps.org> wrote in message
news:uY3GzhwrHHA.1208@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
Hi PGD,

See if this applies.

Favorite Links in the Windows Explorer navigation pane is completely empty:
http://www.winhelponline.com/articles/159/1/

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


"PGD" <patgaul@REMOVETHISproaxent.com> wrote in message
news:%23bFKKOurHHA.1268@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
This is very wierd. Just a couple of days ago I installed Vista Ultimate
onto my machine - clean install into an empty partition. No upgrade or file
& settings transfer...everything is generic.

I know a lot of people don't like the "Favorite Links" window in the
Explorer navigation pane, but for me it would be very useful - if it
actually worked! It almost always displays "(Empty)" whenever I open an
Explorer window. I say "almost", because occasionally there are links there
when I'm saving a file from an application - often the app appears to use
the Explorer window as its dialog. But any time I launch Explorer
separately, it says "(Empty)". I can drag folders into the area, but they
never appear. And yet, when I right-click on the window and select "Open
favorite Links Folder", there are lots of things in there!

So why on earth would this thing always say "(Empty)"?

You're welcome PGD. Thanks for the update! Note that removing the "IsShortcut" registry value causes many other side-effects.

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


"PGD" <patgaul@REMOVETHISproaxent.com> wrote in message news:%23TXo9S1rHHA.4548@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
Ramesh, thanks. This fixed the problem. Like a fool I tried "FreshUI" to
eliminate the little arrow on each shortcut. When I applied the registry
fix (for the .lnk file association), logged off and logged back on,
everything was OK...the "Favorite Links" now is displaying links.

Good catch!

"Ramesh, MS-MVP" <ramesh@XOX.mvps.org> wrote in message
news:uY3GzhwrHHA.1208@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
Hi PGD,

See if this applies.

Favorite Links in the Windows Explorer navigation pane is completely empty:
http://www.winhelponline.com/articles/159/1/

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


"PGD" <patgaul@REMOVETHISproaxent.com> wrote in message
news:%23bFKKOurHHA.1268@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
This is very wierd. Just a couple of days ago I installed Vista Ultimate
onto my machine - clean install into an empty partition. No upgrade or file
& settings transfer...everything is generic.

I know a lot of people don't like the "Favorite Links" window in the
Explorer navigation pane, but for me it would be very useful - if it
actually worked! It almost always displays "(Empty)" whenever I open an
Explorer window. I say "almost", because occasionally there are links there
when I'm saving a file from an application - often the app appears to use
the Explorer window as its dialog. But any time I launch Explorer
separately, it says "(Empty)". I can drag folders into the area, but they
never appear. And yet, when I right-click on the window and select "Open
favorite Links Folder", there are lots of things in there!

So why on earth would this thing always say "(Empty)"?