After reading the post Folder Redirection for Favorites on the Same Machine at the IE Team blog, I relocated my Favorites folder to a different drive. After the relocation, when I tried to add a URL to Favorites, I received the following error:
There were many posts in the Windows Vista newsgroups about this problem, and here is the thread containing the original solution from MS-MVP Jimmy Brush. The solution is to set the integrity level (to low) for the relocated Favorites folder. This article has a detailed write-up, and also provides a script which can automate the setting for you. Use one of the two methods below:
Method 1
Download fix_fav_il.vbs and save to Desktop. Double-click the file to run it. Click Continue when you see the User Account Control elevation prompt. The script will open an elevated Command Prompt window and fix the integrity level setting automatically. Once done, you should now see this message:
processed file: favorites
Successfully processed 1 files; Failed processing 0 files
Type EXIT to close the Command Prompt window.
Method 2
1. Click Start, type shell:favorites and press ENTER. The Favorites folder of your user account will open. Copy the full path shown in the Address Bar.
2. Open an elevated Command Prompt. To do so, click Start, click All Programs, click Accessories, right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as administrator.
3. Type the following command:
Note: Replace the tag <favoritespath> with the actual path to your Favorites folder, enclosed with double-quotes)
Example:
You should now see this message:
processed file: favorites
Successfully processed 1 files; Failed processing 0 files
4. Optionally, to verify if the Integrity Level is correctly set for the Favorites folder, run the icacls command followed by the Favorites folder path, but without any switches, as below:
You should see the following line in the output:
Mandatory Label\Low Mandatory Level:(OI)(CI)(NW)
5. Type EXIT to close the Command Prompt window.
You should be able to add an URL to Favorites now. Reportedly, this problem occurs as Internet Explorer in Windows Vista and Windows 7 runs under Protected mode (low integrity level) by default, and therefore will only be able to modify objects marked with a low integrity level in their system ACLs. When you relocate the Favorites to a different drive, you need to set the integrity level for the relocated folder, so that Internet Explorer (Protected mode) can write to it. This problem does not seem to occur if the Favorites folder is located within your user profile home directory.
Defined Integrity Levels
Screenshot from System Integrity Webcast.
Here are some useful links for more reading on Mandatory integrity control in Windows 7/Vista.
[Securityfocus.com] Introduction to Windows Integrity Control
[MSDN] Understanding and Working in Protected Mode Internet Explorer
[Webcast] Windows Vista System Integrity Technologies
[Steve Riley] Mandatory integrity control in Windows Vista
Related Posts
- Transfer Registry Editor Favorites to Another Computer
- Fix for Error 100 Invalid Class String in Internet Explorer When Opening Organize Favorites
- How to Add a Folder or Library to Windows Explorer Favorites in Windows 7
- Preserve the Order of Internet Explorer Favorites When Transferring to Another PC
- Fix File Association Error When Launching Windows Explorer in Windows 7
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed! We feature Tips, Troubleshooting information, Scripts and Utilities for Microsoft Windows Operating Systems!
Prefer an E-mail subscription?
Using Method 1, I fixed problem in less than 15 seconds! and I am no tech geek. THANKS! Before I left your website I HAD TO add it to my favorites, and it worked instantly.
Thanks, Method 2 worked for me also. I originally tried uninstalling and reinstalling IE8 with no luck, still got the error when adding Favourates. But after finding your site and trying Method 2 everything works perfeclly. Thanks again for this post !
Thanks! Awesome!
I encountered this when I copied all my favorites from another PC via Windows Explorer. Instead of lowering the integrity level I exported all my favorites, close IE, then deleted all the favorites via Windows Explorer, then imported the favorites again. Now I can save new favorites without problems.
Thanks. I also used method 2. Seems to be working fine.
Here’s Method No. 3, and the easiest and simplest of all: Turn off the freakin’ User Account Control. Since I got a Vista computer almost a year ago I’ve tried to use it from time to time, and every time I’ve had to turn it off when it caused undesirable behavior of one kind or another. In this case, I turned it on a few days ago, and the first time I tried to add a Favorite this happened. Not willing to perform what looks like a fairly involved procedure I turned it off, and as soon as it restarted I was able to add Favorites normally. What a crock! I guess I should be grateful that Microsoft allows you to turn it off.
Thank you. Method 2 worked well. Method 1 was not useful as the file specified could not be downloaded. Several hours looking through the WINDOWS help sites were of no help!
Thanks again.
There is another way of fixing this problem which might be easier. All that needs to be done is to go the favorites folder>right click>properties> and give full control to the user(s) so they may add, delete, etc.
Love this website- Easy thank you thank you!
Thank you very much. Method 2 worked as directed. Since I have a dual boot system with two hard drives and 5 partitions I was not sure Method 1 would find the Favorites folder.