I lost my Quick Launch toolbar. When I right-click on the taskbar and click on "quick launch" I get an error message saying "cannot create toolbar." The Quick Launch file/folder seems to be gone from the computer entirely. A search for "quick launch" turns up nothing. I'm using Windows ME. How can I get this toolbar back? I especially miss the Show Desktop icon that was on it.

I haven't used ME or the 9x series in quite some time but as I recall the folder was:

C:\WINDOWS\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch

or:

C:\WINDOWS\Profiles\<some user>\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch

In that folder is just shortcuts to your Quick Launch programs. For the "show desktop," the last I remember was that there were a set of files in the C:\Windows folder with the .SCF extension that could be copied to that Quick Launch folder. For example clicking on explorer.scf would open up the windows explorer.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong. It's been a while.

Thanks -- but the entire Quick Launch folder is GONE. The error message says the Quick Launch toolbar cannot be created. Does anyone know if there's a way to restore it somehow, once it has disappeared from the computer entirely?

Quick Launch - Missing or you receive an error message, to correct:

This behavior can occur if the Quick Launch folder has been deleted. To resolve this issue, recreate the Quick Launch folder. Create a folder named Quick Launch at the following location:

C:\Documents and Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I believe in windows ME/9x that everything is stored under c:\windows\profiles, and not c:\documents and settings.

Hi,

You might have to re-create the profile entirely. I assume you are not on a domain, and do not have a roaming profile.

Login as an administrator, and kill the profile. Be aware that if you do this, you will lose various personal settings, such as custom desktop picture settings, or special toolbars in word, etc. A lot of the "personalized" stuff is stored in the profile, including the Quick Launch objects.

Christian

I don't think that the profile should be killed entirely except for as a last resort. At least instruct someone to make a backup of their current profile.

Proper steps would be:

1.> Make backup of existing profile
2.> Delete existing profile

Thanks for all the ideas.
It's fixed!
I found C:\WINDOWS\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer and created a folder there called Quick Launch, then copied the Show Desktop shortcut from WINDOWS\System.
I was then able to create the toolbar and the Show Desktop icon reappeared.

I am having the same problem in WIN98SE as the one which Redhorn fixed on 4/23/04 regarding a lost Quick Launch Toolbar. I followed his instruction and created a new folder named QuickLaunch in C:\Windows\ApplicationData\Microsoft\InternetExplorer and was able to find the file C:\Windows\System\ShowDesktop but it isn't a shortcut, it's a "Windows Explorer Command" with a .SCF file type. But what should I do with it? I made a copy and put the copy in my newly created QuickLaunch folder but that didn't accomplish anything.

I note that in the C:\WINDOWS\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer folder there is a folder named QTIBKL~0 which contains all my lost Quick Launch icons as shortcuts to the programs I want to Quick Launch. I copied all these shortcuts to my new QuickLaunch folder, but how can I create the Toolbar to display these shortcuts on mu Desktop? I still get the message "Cannot Create Toolbar".

I have same problem - lost my Win98 QuickLaunch toolbar completely from desktop. The quicklaunch folder and files still exist in the C:\Windows\ApplicationData\Microsoft\InternetExplorer directory.

When I right-click on toolbar to "check" QuickLaunch item, ALL the items are 'greyed-out' and not available.

How can I restore my QuickLaunch toolbar?