Solved Cannot add a folder to Windows Explorer "Favorites" in navigation pane

LeeTutor

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I have a Windows 7 Ultimate dual booting with Windows 8 Consumer Preview on a Dell XPS 410. When I bring up Windows Explorer on the Desktop app, I would like to add several folders to the "Favorites" section of the navigation pane on the left side of the window, as I have done in Windows 7. However, I don't seem to be able to do it. I have tried dragging the folder in the right pane onto the Favorites link, as I do in Windows 7, but nothing happens; the folder is not added to the list (which, by the way, is empty.) I have also tried navigating to the folder I want to add to Favorites and then right clicking the Favorites link and selecting the option from the context menu of "add current location to favorites", but again nothing happens.

On the off chance that it might be a corrupted system file, I just finished doing a System File Checker with the SCANNOW option, but no problem was detected by SFC.

I wonder if this is a bug in the Consumer Preview? Has anybody else encountered this problem? I also would like suggestions for what else to try to correct the problem, if it seems to be a problem with my system but nobody else's...
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS 410
    Memory
    4 gigabytes
I have tried dragging the folder in the right pane onto the Favorites link, as I do in Windows 7, but nothing happens; the folder is not added to the list
Here it works all fine - like in Windows 7

the folder is not added to the list (which, by the way, is empty.)
My favorites folder is not empty - contains the default links to "Desktop" and "Downloads".

So I think something is wrong with your installation.


 
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    64-bit Windows 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self built
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K OC'd to 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G7 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    OCZ Series Gold OCZZ1000M 1000W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gb/s Download and 35 Mb/s Upload
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Malwarebyte Anti-Malware Premium
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
Thanks, NiFu, for letting me know that it works on your machine; that tells me something is corrupted on mine. I am now logged back into Windows 7 and have been busy researching this problem. I've found two useful pages:

Tips and Tricks to Make Full Use of Favorite Links

Remove Favorites from Windows Explorer in Windows 7 | TechRepublic

From the above articles I obtained a bit more understanding of the registry locations where Windows Explorer Favorites is stored, and when I get back into Windows 8 Consumer Preview, I will see if I can use that info to correct the problem.

And thanks to you too, Brink, and I will research that article when I get back into Windows 8 again...
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS 410
    Memory
    4 gigabytes
Well, it looks like everything is working correctly now. The Windows 7 fix linked to by Brink wasn't necessary, but what I found from my investigations was that my user account profile directory was missing the Links folder, where the items under "Favorites" are stored as shortcuts. When I created a new Links folder, everything worked.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS 410
    Memory
    4 gigabytes
That's great news Lee. I'm glad you got it sorted. :)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    64-bit Windows 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self built
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K OC'd to 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G7 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    OCZ Series Gold OCZZ1000M 1000W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gb/s Download and 35 Mb/s Upload
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Malwarebyte Anti-Malware Premium
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
but what I found from my investigations was that my user account profile directory was missing the Links folder, where the items under "Favorites" are stored as shortcuts. When I created a new Links folder, everything worked.

Yes, this is always a little bit irritating:

In user profile you have a "Links" folder and a "Favorites" folder.

And Windows Explorer shows "Favorites".

  • But the "Favorites" folder is the Favorites folder for Internet Explorer.
  • And the "Links" folder is the Favorites folder for Windows Explorer.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
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