Solved IE8 'Unspecified Error' when adding to Favorites List

Hi all,
Some time ago I backed up my Favorites List on a CD. Yesterday I dragged and dropped this folder to C:\'My Name'/Favorites and it replaced the one that was there. Then I discovered I was unable to add urls to my Internet Explorer 8 Favorites List, I get "unspecified error". After much useless fooling around I was unable to recover the original Favorites folder.
To make matters worse I then went to C: Programs (86) and opened the Internet Explorer folder. I don't have a clue as to what the heck I did but now I have an 'extra' Internet Explorer Folder that looks like this "Internet Explorer (86) (86)" with nothing in it but a folder and 1 'Favorites'. To top it off I also have the very same folder in 'Internet Explorer (86)' I tried to delete the Internet Explorer that appears as "Internet Explorer (86) (86)" but it keeps coming back. I even took Ownership and that didn't help. I don't even know if that second folder is even supposed to be there.

Is there any way to get this thing back to normal?
Thanks for looking,
Jakeman97

I have a 32-bit system and only one Program Files folder. In x64 there may be two to separate 32-bit from 64-bit programs, but to be honest I'm not sure about that. I AM sure you shouldn't have three and that at least one or possibly two of those should not be there. I do not know what you did to cause this - probably moving the Favorites folder the way you did since shell folders (like Favorites - the ones that have a greenish color to the folder icon) need to be moved in a special way and can't be moved like other folders (but while I would expect Favorites to then be a problem, this duplication of Program Files is a bit of a surprise). The thing is, just deleting them (if you can determine which are wrong) may cause problems because for one you're not certain which is the "real" one and which are the duplicates or incorrect ones and for two deleting one can sometimes result in deleting entries in all when this type of thing happens - and that would be bad (as you'd be deleting your program files). Let's try the simplest solution first - this usually repairs problems of this nature and is one of my favorite and most effective troubleshooting tools.


Do you know when this problem began (sounds like you do when you did what you did)? Try a System Restore to a point in time BEFORE the problem began (and maybe give it a few hours or a day to be sure). Here's the procedure: http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/76905-system-restore-how.html. Be sure to check the box to show more than 5 days of restore points (though since it just happened, that may not be necessary). If the first attempt fails, then try an earlier point or two. NOTE: You will have to re-install any software and updates you installed between now and the restore point, but you can use Windows Update for the updates. This will not affect your data.

When that is done, check out your favorites and make sure they are working right. Then if you need to move the Favorites shell folder (it will be greenish rather than they normal beige color or at least it should be - there may be a problem with it at this point though so that may not be the case at this point), use the following: http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/107990-personal-user-shell-folders-move-location.html. If you need to restore the Favorites folder, see http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/148461-personal-user-folder-restore-missing-folder.html. If the shell folder is beige instead of green, see the following to repair that problem: http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/90705-personal-user-shell-folders.html. I'm not quite sure what you did so I'm not quite sure how to provide specific instructions, but these three articles should get things back to normal - perhaps just one of them or maybe all of them depending on what you did in terms of the Favorites Folder in the first place and then what you did to return things back to the default situation. If you get stuck, post back with more details on EXACTLY what you did and the color of the folder icons in each location and where new favorites are being added (most likely only one of the locations - I hope).

I hope this helps.

Good luck!

Hi Lorien,
Following your advice and the tutorial (thank you for those) I was able to get my 'green' colored shell folder back using the previous versions tab. I am now able to add urls to my IE8 without error. Still have the double instance of the C:\Programs(86)\Internet Explorer with all it's files except Favorites and the C:\Programs (86)(86) Internet Explorer containg only the Favorites. I think what happened when I was fooling around with the old Favorites list the path got changed. This is not causing me any problems (other than I know it shouldn't be like that) and IE8 and the Favorites list is working just fine.
Thank you for all you help,
Jakeman97

I'm glad I was able to help - it was my pleasure.

I'm also happy to hear that IE8 and your favorites are up and running fine.

We can try to deal with these duplicate folders, but there is some risk involved. But if you're OK with them being there for the time being and have the space, then that's fine as well. We can always come back and revisit this issue later if it becomes a concern or a necessity - now or later will make very little difference (and may define the situation better as we see what happens to these folders and which show changes and which essentially just sit doing nothing).

Thanks for the feedback (and the rep) - it is appreciated.

If you consider the issue resolved for now, don't forget to close out the thread by clicking the far right triangular icon at the top of your post and typing "solved" in the box and submitting it. The moderators will notice and put a green check next to the thread title. That way others seeking answers by searching the forums will know that this thread contains a solution to the issue identified in the title - and people seeking to help will not waste time checking out this thread since it has been resolved.

Good luck and best wishes!

Because I'm the OP I thought I would add this here as the 'Final Fix'.

Not one to give up easily I pursued the matter and this is how I solved it.
I opened the file with the double (x86)(x86) entry and renamed it to a single file (x86) then dragged it into the Folder Programs (x86) that put two folders of Programs (x86) in one place. One with all the Programs (x86) and the pesky extra one that only had the Favorites in it.
The thought came to me that I had somehow borked my install of IE8 by needless fooling around with files I should not have touched in the first place. All I can say here is if you don't know how to properly move & restore Favorite files find out how first...drag 'n drop from a backup is not the way.

Thinking about it some more led to my looking up how to uninstall IE8. Well in my case for whatever reason my IE8 was not listed in Add/Remove Programs nor Installed updates. Perusing the Microsoft Site led me to this tool "MicrosoftFixit50238" I read about it and thought, my chance...I'll either kill it or cure it. Installed and ran the tool, rebooted and voilla back to IE7 and all was working fine; Favorites and all and no double entries of C:\Programs (x86).

About twenty minutes later Microsoft Updates appears with a Critical Update...IE8
I thought and figured I had nothing to lose after all it would be a fresh install. Well Vista did it's thing, update installed successfuly and no double entries this time. To sum this up...don't touch what your not sure of and ask questions first.