Win 8.1 Pro - Favorites gone from File Explorer Nav Pane

[my2cents]

Registry dump for lnkfile:

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.lnk]
@="lnkfile"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.lnk\ShellEx]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.lnk\ShellEx\{000214EE-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}]
@="{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.lnk\ShellEx\{000214F9-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}]
@="{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.lnk\ShellEx\{00021500-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}]
@="{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.lnk\ShellEx\{BB2E617C-0920-11d1-9A0B-00C04FC2D6C1}]
@="{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.lnk\ShellNew]
"NullFile"=""
"IconPath"=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,\
74,00,25,00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,73,\
00,68,00,65,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,2d,00,\
31,00,36,00,37,00,36,00,39,00,00,00
"ItemName"="@shell32.dll,-30397"
"Handler"="{ceefea1b-3e29-4ef1-b34c-fec79c4f70af}"
"MenuText"="@shell32.dll,-30318"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.lnk\ShellNew\Config]
"DontRename"=""



[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}\ProgID]
@="lnkfile"



[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile]
@="Shortcut"
"NeverShowExt"=""
"EditFlags"=dword:00000001
"IsShortcut"=""
"FriendlyTypeName"="@shell32.dll,-4153"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\CLSID]
@="{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\shellex]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\OpenContainingFolderMenu]
@="{37ea3a21-7493-4208-a011-7f9ea79ce9f5}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\StartMenuExt]
@="{E595F05F-903F-4318-8B0A-7F633B520D2B}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}]
@=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\shellex\DropHandler]
@="{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\shellex\IconHandler]
@="{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\shellex\PropertySheetHandlers]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\shellex\PropertySheetHandlers\ShimLayer Property Page]
@="{513D916F-2A8E-4F51-AEAB-0CBC76FB1AF8}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\tabsets]
"selection"=dword:00000705




[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Wow6432Node\CLSID\{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}\ProgID]
@="lnkfile"




[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.lnk\OpenWithProgids]
"lnkfile"=hex(0):



[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\.lnk]
@="lnkfile"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\.lnk\ShellEx]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\.lnk\ShellEx\{000214EE-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}]
@="{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\.lnk\ShellEx\{000214F9-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}]
@="{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\.lnk\ShellEx\{00021500-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}]
@="{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\.lnk\ShellEx\{BB2E617C-0920-11d1-9A0B-00C04FC2D6C1}]
@="{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\.lnk\ShellNew]
"NullFile"=""
"IconPath"=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,\
74,00,25,00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,73,\
00,68,00,65,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,2d,00,\
31,00,36,00,37,00,36,00,39,00,00,00
"ItemName"="@shell32.dll,-30397"
"Handler"="{ceefea1b-3e29-4ef1-b34c-fec79c4f70af}"
"MenuText"="@shell32.dll,-30318"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\.lnk\ShellNew\Config]
"DontRename"=""




[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}\ProgID]
@="lnkfile"



[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\lnkfile]
@="Shortcut"
"NeverShowExt"=""
"EditFlags"=dword:00000001
"IsShortcut"=""
"FriendlyTypeName"="@shell32.dll,-4153"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\lnkfile\CLSID]
@="{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\lnkfile\shellex]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\lnkfile\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\lnkfile\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\OpenContainingFolderMenu]
@="{37ea3a21-7493-4208-a011-7f9ea79ce9f5}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\lnkfile\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\StartMenuExt]
@="{E595F05F-903F-4318-8B0A-7F633B520D2B}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\lnkfile\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}]
@=""

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\lnkfile\shellex\DropHandler]
@="{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\lnkfile\shellex\IconHandler]
@="{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\lnkfile\shellex\PropertySheetHandlers]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\lnkfile\shellex\PropertySheetHandlers\ShimLayer Property Page]
@="{513D916F-2A8E-4F51-AEAB-0CBC76FB1AF8}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\lnkfile\tabsets]
"selection"=dword:00000705




[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Wow6432Node\CLSID\{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}\ProgID]
@="lnkfile"



[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Classes\CLSID\{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}\ProgID]
@="lnkfile"




[HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-1533250133-805816865-2577194934-1001\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.lnk\OpenWithProgids]
"lnkfile"=hex(0):

 

[my2cents]

I would give topguncp's suggestion a shot and/or consider this option as well (after all you have tried):

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2293-refresh-windows-8-a.html

Good luck.

 

[halcyon]

I would give topguncp's suggestion a shot and/or consider this option as well (after all you have tried):
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2293-refresh-windows-8-a.html
Good luck.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I will keep on digging.

Re-installing all my apps/their prefs/all my settings and configuring my workspace again is 3-4 days of full work, as I don't have a working IMAGE (duh!).

Ah well, time to learn that MS point upgrades are NOT the same as the old style Service Packs.

Those used to "just work".

I'll post a solution if I find it. Or even a workaround. Perhaps a 3rd party file manager...

 

[my2cents]

The best of luck to you. You are quite the digger IMHO!

 

[erik13]

This worked for me to get my Favourites into File Explorer.

Open Favourites in the Start Screen.
Right click on the Favourites Directory (the one with the star icon)
Click "add current location to favourites"
When you open File Explorer this should now give you a sub directory of Favourites also called Favourites which will contain all your website shortcuts.