Forum Discussion
Keep Favorites Synced between Internet Explorer and Edge NOT available in Edge Chromium
Chris Jackson Deleted
I'm not quite sure what's so hard to understand about the issue.
This has nothing to do with Windows 7 or with Internet Explorer specifically. How IE mode suddenly came into the picutre - I have no idea. This is all about where to store the favorites in the new Edge.
The issue is the following:
- Users are using multiple computers. To have the same desktop, documents and favorites on all those computers Microsoft's "Folder Redirection" is used and configured through GPOs.
- So Internet Explorer's favorites are stored on e.g. \\server\users\%username%\favorites
- The old Edge has a GPO that allows it to automagically sync its own favorites with Internet Explorer's favorites that are stored on that network path. If you add a favorite in either IE or the old Edge it is automagically synced to the other browser instantly.
Now the new Edge comes along and we have to face the following limitations:
- Any kind of cloud-sync or usage of Microsoft accounts is not possible due to data privacy regulations
- The new Edge is storing its favorites in the local file deep inside the %LOCALAPPDATA% folder of the user.
This causes issues for us in a number of ways.
While the first-run import of favorites (from the redirected Internet Explorer favorites) is currently broken in v80 (its supposed to be back in v81) it only provides a momentary snapshot of the redirected favorites.
The bookmarks file being a local file means that we cannot easily back it up either. And when the user receives a new PC or uses a different machine than he usually does he'll have to import all the favorites again, from the redirected Internet Explorer favorites. But all the favorites he has managed in the new Edge in the meantime are not available (or even gone for good in the case of a new PC).
Importing the same old IE favorites on different PCs will soon result in having different favorites on all those PCs. And there is no way to easily merge them either.
This is a real problem.
We really need a way to redirect the bookmarks file to a network location so that it can be:
- used from multiple PCs
- be backed up easily during the regular server backup
- not get lost when the user's PC dies or gets replaced for another reason
All this was easily doable with the redirected favorites folder used by Internet Explorer and thanks to the "keep favorites synced" GPO in the old Edge Browser.
Also, please do not suggest to use the "UserDataDir" policy. This would redirect the entire user profile to a different location. Cache and everything. It is also not quite certain whether a redirected UserDataDir can actually be used by multiple instances of Edge on different computers at the same time (locked files issue and such). But even if it was possible, we really don't want to roam 100MB+ of useless data.
All we are really looking for is the possibility to specify a network location for the "bookmarks" file that is by default stored under "C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Default". That's all we really want and need.
Bonus points for actually bringing back the "keep favorites synced between IE and Edge" policy that the old Edge supported. But that would really only be the cherry on top.
"@lforbes Thanks for the details! To follow-up on @Chris Jackson's post above, would using IE mode in the new MS Edge resolve some of your pain points, and if not, we'd love to hear more details around that. And if you'd be interested in exploring some intermediate options, I'd be happy to pass along your TAM's info too. (If you'd like to go that route, feel free to send me a private message with their name and email, and I can see if we can do anything to help.)
Fawkes (they/them)
Project & Community Manager - Microsoft Edge"
Can you explain how IE Mode will sync Edge Favorites from Chromium Edge and use the Folder Redirection for roaming users? So far I have found zero link between IE Mode and roaming Chromium Edge favorites? It doesn't sound like a workable solution.
We want to use Chromium Edge and get rid of IE. We only need IE Mode still for some older internal webapps that run Active X still for our CT Scanners and other Meditech software that costs $100,000+ to upgrade and most hospitals cannot afford right now.
We have passed it along to our TAM but so far he has not been successful at getting anything accomplished we have reported previously. For example, it has been years and we still do not have a Microsoft provided SCCM solution to update Built in Modern Apps like the Photos app from our site SCCM servers instead of downloading 8TB+ of Azure App Update data over our very small WAN links in remote cities in Canada every time 86,000 Windows 10 computers decide they need a Modern App update of 300MB each.
Hospital workers rely heavily on their Favorites Bar so this is mission critical they don't lose all their favorites and still have them roam with them. On average 1000 users can use a single hospital computer in a 3 month period and on average they use up to 5-10 computers a day.
lforbes For anyone that's still confused(because that's what I'm seeing) basically: They need favorites synced between an account without using a cloud provider, so it needs to sync between the actual account itself and through the corporate network. They need it to work for a hundred thousand users reliably as lives are on the line.
IE MODE WILL NOT FIX ANY OF THIS. IE mode is only used to render ActiveX, within the Edge browser. They need the Edge browser itself to sync favorites without using any type of cloud solution, for legal reasons.
A better way of saying it is they need Windows 10(or in this case 7) to sync the favorites from edge between that same user account.
One thing that doesn't make sense is why you are on extended support for windows 7, because IE is on windows 10. Unless the problem is windows based and Windows 10 won't let you sync between the same account, there's no problem that would keep you from upgrading.
Also, off topic but you mentioned that you don't update the computers because of connection problems, but windows has a feature that will allow it to update by using the updates of a computer around it, without internet connection. If this is unrelated to the problem, disregard it.
- SpoilerOn the other hand I did create a PS script to copy and restore the 'bookmarks' file when the user logs in/out of the computer. The problem with browsers like Edge, Chrome, and Firefox is that the profile doesn't exist until the user opens the browser for the first time (AppData\Local\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Default) which creates another problem.
You can use a group policy pref to create the folder on first logon and as prefs apply before logon scripts it usually works. We have logon scripts and logoff scripts that can copy the file around but I find it ironic in 2020 we are still having to use Windows NT 4.0 technology from 1996 to "hack" Microsoft products to work like they did with Windows 2000 and XP.
"There is no Cloud, it is just someone else's computer" - Agreed with your comments. I have been following this (painful) topic myself and some others waiting for a solution to a corporate problem. It may be difficult to fix or implement but how many times MS forgets some basic corporate needs.
On the other hand I did create a PS script to copy and restore the 'bookmarks' file when the user logs in/out of the computer. The problem with browsers like Edge, Chrome, and Firefox is that the profile doesn't exist until the user opens the browser for the first time (AppData\Local\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Default) which creates another problem. - Spoiler
beerdini wrote:I'm following this because I am looking for a similar solution, but wow what a painful read. Last year when my organization upgraded from Exchange 2010 to 2019 on premise I remember posting questions and would be met with the replies "why don't you just go to O365"?
Its like... Yes, I know it exists... Yes, I know it will do what I'm asking for help with the on-prem solution, but you know what, the business leaders have rules and concerns that are above my pay grade and influence, so even though you can do something like sync browser favorites between systems using a cloud service, my business policy doesn't allow it so lets just drop the discussion of why I should use solution B instead of A because the powers that be have decided that solution A is the way to go and that is the world that I have to live with.
somebody should teach those "powers" that how technology works.
I'm following this because I am looking for a similar solution, but wow what a painful read. Last year when my organization upgraded from Exchange 2010 to 2019 on premise I remember posting questions and would be met with the replies "why don't you just go to O365"?
Its like... Yes, I know it exists... Yes, I know it will do what I'm asking for help with the on-prem solution, but you know what, the business leaders have rules and concerns that are above my pay grade and influence, so even though you can do something like sync browser favorites between systems using a cloud service, my business policy doesn't allow it so lets just drop the discussion of why I should use solution B instead of A because the powers that be have decided that solution A is the way to go and that is the world that I have to live with.
- Spoiler
lforbes wrote:Spoiler"One thing that doesn't make sense is why you are on extended support for windows 7, because IE is on windows 10. Unless the problem is windows based and Windows 10 won't let you sync between the same account, there's no problem that would keep you from upgrading.
Also, off topic but you mentioned that you don't update the computers because of connection problems, but windows has a feature that will allow it to update by using the updates of a computer around it, without internet connection. If this is unrelated to the problem, disregard it."
We have 86,000 workstations in hospitals from the rural north to the big cities. They run software for CT scans and Medical Equipment that can be up to 15-20 years old that costs upwards of millions to replace and most of the software won't run on 64bit. So we still have Windows 7 and 7 32bit running IE because they run unsigned ActiveX that are 10+ years old.
However, with the cost of extended patching service being expensive we are trying to upgrade them all to Windows 10 as soon as possible. However, that means we need a standard browser that works on Windows 10 and supports newer websites AND the older IE mode ones at the same time. New Edgium seems to fit this but for the case here of the favorites we are focussing on Windows 10 only which is about 50,000 workstations now.
We have distribution SCCM servers in each remote area and within each subnet they use Branch Cache. We use a 10.x.x.x subnet which is internal. Branchcache is very efficient for Windows Updates and rollups etc and it works fine.The problem comes with not having an Internal SCCM solution for Modern Apps. Delivery Optimization, the ONLY solution for Modern App Updates is 100% cloud based and requires registration with Microsoft servers outside of Canada which as I mentioned is banned for privacy reasons via Federal and Provincial Law. As IP addresses are considered Private Information even under the GDPR https://eugdprcompliant.com/personal-data/ and cannot be collected.
is there an online official documentation to use as a reference for reading this part of the Canadian law?
- Spoiler
"One thing that doesn't make sense is why you are on extended support for windows 7, because IE is on windows 10. Unless the problem is windows based and Windows 10 won't let you sync between the same account, there's no problem that would keep you from upgrading.
Also, off topic but you mentioned that you don't update the computers because of connection problems, but windows has a feature that will allow it to update by using the updates of a computer around it, without internet connection. If this is unrelated to the problem, disregard it."
We have 86,000 workstations in hospitals from the rural north to the big cities. They run software for CT scans and Medical Equipment that can be up to 15-20 years old that costs upwards of millions to replace and most of the software won't run on 64bit. So we still have Windows 7 and 7 32bit running IE because they run unsigned ActiveX that are 10+ years old.
However, with the cost of extended patching service being expensive we are trying to upgrade them all to Windows 10 as soon as possible. However, that means we need a standard browser that works on Windows 10 and supports newer websites AND the older IE mode ones at the same time. New Edgium seems to fit this but for the case here of the favorites we are focussing on Windows 10 only which is about 50,000 workstations now.
We have distribution SCCM servers in each remote area and within each subnet they use Branch Cache. We use a 10.x.x.x subnet which is internal. Branchcache is very efficient for Windows Updates and rollups etc and it works fine.The problem comes with not having an Internal SCCM solution for Modern Apps. Delivery Optimization, the ONLY solution for Modern App Updates is 100% cloud based and requires registration with Microsoft servers outside of Canada which as I mentioned is banned for privacy reasons via Federal and Provincial Law. As IP addresses are considered Private Information even under the GDPR https://eugdprcompliant.com/personal-data/ and cannot be collected.
- Spoiler
cjc2112 wrote:lforbes For anyone that's still confused(because that's what I'm seeing) basically: They need favorites synced between an account without using a cloud provider, so it needs to sync between the actual account itself and through the corporate network. They need it to work for a hundred thousand users reliably as lives are on the line.
IE MODE WILL NOT FIX ANY OF THIS. IE mode is only used to render ActiveX, within the Edge browser. They need the Edge browser itself to sync favorites without using any type of cloud solution, for legal reasons.
A better way of saying it is they need Windows 10(or in this case 7) to sync the favorites from edge between that same user account.
One thing that doesn't make sense is why you are on extended support for windows 7, because IE is on windows 10. Unless the problem is windows based and Windows 10 won't let you sync between the same account, there's no problem that would keep you from upgrading.
Also, off topic but you mentioned that you don't update the computers because of connection problems, but windows has a feature that will allow it to update by using the updates of a computer around it, without internet connection. If this is unrelated to the problem, disregard it.
We are Not confused,
"They need favorites synced between an account without using a cloud provider, so it needs to sync between the actual account itself and through the corporate network."
that would require a database like SQL to store the data, another server to sync data and do the sync logic.
the more employees = more servers for Each of those jobs.
you make it sound like it's easily. what Microsoft or Google do for syncing is lots of heavy work. they have databases in the cloud that store the data. it's not as simple as copy/pasting a folder form here to there.
