TaskBar shortcuts deleted - No Recreation in Taskbar folder possible?

pstein · 13 Mar 2023

A certain program (Firefox) seemed to run forever. So I killed the process.
Unfortunately ALL shortcuts in my TaskBar are gone since this event.

The TaskBar still exist but is empty (Systray is filled).
Any yes, I can add new Shortcuts to it by usual dragging.
But where ar the old ones?

When I look in the users (=my) Taskbar folder:

C:\Users\pet\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskBar\

then it is empty.

Fortunately I perfomed recently a backup of all the shortcut files in TaskBar folder.
So I copied the backup shortcuts files back to my TaskBar folder (see above) and expected that they appear.
But even after a restart the Taskbar is empty - despite all the shortcuts files in the Taskbar folder.
The shortcuts files are correct. If I double click on them (in Taskbar folder not in TaskBar) then the corresponding program is launched.

Whats wrong?
Do they need some addition Registry entries?

How do I make manually copied shortcut files into TaskBar folder visible in TaskBar?

Thank you

Try3 · 13 Mar 2023

Peter,

You need to add back those shortcuts to the Taskbar individually [using the normal right-click, Pin to taskbar method].

Suggestions for the future
The relevant Registry Key is
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Taskband

Backup and Restore Pinned Apps on Taskbar - TenForumsTutorials

If I understand the tutorial correctly, its restoration procedure is to copy the shortcuts back into that UserPinned folder [as you have done] then import the previous state of the Registry Key [which I don't think you have a backup off].
You then have to restart the explorer process. Restart explorer.exe Process - TenForumsTutorials

This is all a very strange consequence of forcing your browser to close.

All the best,
Denis