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Windows Favorites folder keeps moving...

Heres the deal....

Windows 2000 ran out of virtual memory, and after the reboot, the favorites menu appeared empty (when viewed from start, or from internet explorer) but the Documents and settings\username\favorites folder still contained its shortcuts....

Windows had reset itself to point the favorites folder to c:\winnt\favorites, and didn't want to give it up.

I started with editting the registry, changing the HKCU shell settings back to the proper c:\documents and settings\username\favorites, and editing HKLM shell settings to the proper %username%\favorites. You know what I'm talking about, and searched the registry for any other improper references and fixed them as well. Then deleted c:\winnt\favorites and rebooted. Well, windows rebuilt the c:\winnt\Favorites and replaced all the favorites references in the registry with the c:\winnt\favorites entry!

So I tried again, regedit, repair the entries, close and open regedit, yup changes were still there, deleted winnt\favorites, this time instead of shutting down and rebooting (in case it was changing them on shutdown) I hard booted the machine from windows, when it came back up, again, the folder was created in Winnt, and the registry was changed!

Anyone ever seen this, or can offer another opinion on how to fix it?

SD

ewtaylor

You might want to install and run spybot it could be some malware that is doing it.
http://www.safer-networking.org/

wtrmk74

install
HijackThis
http://www.spychecker.com/program/hijackthis.html
and post the log for review

thanks
wtrmk74

SoundDoc

ASKER

Tried those. That was one of the first things I did.
Ran Ad-aware, ran Spybot search and destroy, machine is also running AV, did a full scan with PC-cillin, as well as a online scan with panda. (just to be sure.) nothing came up.

I've also uninstalled, and re-installed IE 6. plus all patches. No change, favorites still binds to the Winnt folder. I've also removed the user, and recreated the profile. Its manifests itself under all users, including the admin account on the machine.

I've pretty much ruled out malware and spyware as the cause. Any other ideas?

SD

wtrmk74

From command line

insert the windows2000 CD

type
sfc /scannow

this is the System File Checker to look for any corruptions or changes to your file structure

let us know
wtrmk74

wtrmk74

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders

HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders

HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders

HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-606747145-484763869-1957994488-1002\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders

HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-606747145-484763869-1957994488-1002\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders

the last two entries are going to check the individual profiles stored in the registry......

let me know what you find....

all of these should have either the absolute path ... ie...
C:\Documents and Settings\User\Favorites
or
%USERPROFILE%\Favorites
%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Favorites

Thanks
wtrmk74

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wtrmk74

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