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.
thinking their bookmarks are government confidential documents.
i just didn't bother replying to this thread for a while that's what got you confused.
The cloud workaround is irrelevant, it’s suitable for some people and not others, and the decision to use it or not is none of your business. You coming on to say “cloud is the solution” as though that was what you suggested in the first place is just massively insulting.
Please just find something else to do with your time.
Hello Everyone!
After reviewing some of the comments on this thread, I would like to take this time to remind everyone to keep on topic and keep their comments civil to remain with the Terms of Service for the Microsoft Tech Community. This thread will continue to be monitored.
Cheers,
DylanThey have YET to provide a solution for it so until they do I will keep bumping it.
We have 130,000 healthcare USERS who use IE and Old Edge. We want to switch them to NEW Chromium Edge.
However, as these users roam between 86,000 computers, and 1000 different users logon to EACH hospital computer on average per month, redirecting Favorites to the "Favorites" Folder on their Home Drive Server via Group Policy Folder Redirection is ESSENTIAL.
If they cannot see their favorites between computers then they cannot launch the life saving applications websites like Khronas and Meditech that operate the services that KEEP PEOPLE ALIVE!
Chrome sucks so badly for Enterprise support. It hasn't improved from the 1980's with the early web browser that had stupid files, stored in local app data, to set the settings. That is why Chrome is not used for roaming environments.
Do you know that Chrome "garbage" fills up the harddrives constantly? 1000 users time x 2GB of data each of Chrome Garbage is 2000GB of useless data. When our Harddrives are 256GB SSD's we have to literally have scripts to wipe the chrome crap on logoff.
narutards wrote:Stop feeding the trolls. It isn't worth your or anyone else's time. I gave up on that front months ago because it was leading nowhere.
if you are talking to me then you are the troll, not me. no point in reviving a 8 months old thread but if you wanna do it, so be it. but stop with childish insults.
sheffieldc wrote:
It concerns me more than it does you, since I’ve made positive contributions to this thread. You just keep popping up to annoy everyone with your unsolicited input.Dude what the hell is your problem? you're just being a griefer. i did not talk to you and yet you mentioned me and replies with some nonsense.
now you are talking BS about my comments being unsolicited, unhelpful etc. i can tell the same about your comments. and you are in no position to tell that. so stop being a griefer. already reported your commets.
Stop feeding the trolls. It isn't worth your or anyone else's time. I gave up on that front months ago because it was leading nowhere.
Getting back to the topic: Edge v85 will have on-premise "sync". The feature is already available in the beta version for a couple weeks and I've tested it before. You just can't enable it with the policy alone at the moment but need a special switch since it is not publically in beta, afaik.
With the stable release of v85 that should change and the feature should be available for everyone. At least that's the info I got from the Microsoft support engineer I've been working with on this issue.
With the new feature a "profile.pb" file will be created in a specified location with which the local Edge profile will be synced (I'm guessing on opening and closing the browser). Favorites and a couple settings are within the scope of that sync, by far not everything.
The one big issue I found was the use of concurrent browser sessions on different devices. That was able to mess up the profile (and especially the bookmarks) quite a bit, but it is a limitation Microsoft can't do much about (or so they said). This limitation also exists in Google Chrome and Google specifically warns people about concurrent browser sessions.
We'll have to see how it works out though.
Take a look at Microsoft's policy list for "RoamingProfileLocation" and "RoamingProfileSupportEnabled" and also read through https://support.google.com/chrome/a/answer/7349337 to get a better understanding of the feature.
- It concerns me more than it does you, since I’ve made positive contributions to this thread. You just keep popping up to annoy everyone with your unsolicited input.
sheffieldc wrote:
You keep responding to it though?
Also why should I watch my tone when you keep dipping in to try and act like you have the answers, when you don’t.Yes I do.
I have answer but it doesn't concern you because you're not the OP and 2nd, the post already has a best response.
- You keep responding to it though?
Also why should I watch my tone when you keep dipping in to try and act like you have the answers, when you don’t. Also, this topic is 8 months old and there is no point in reviving it all the time.
lastly, the topic has a best response already.
sheffieldc wrote:
What am I confused about? It’s there in black and white you repeatedly telling someone you’d solved their problem when you hadn’t, then trying to gaslight everyone into accepting your “solution”.
The cloud workaround is irrelevant, it’s suitable for some people and not others, and the decision to use it or not is none of your business. You coming on to say “cloud is the solution” as though that was what you suggested in the first place is just massively insulting.
Please just find something else to do with your time.First of all, watch your tone when you are talking to me. if you have problem use the report button. just telling you this once.
I can comment whatever I want in the confines of the topic, you better find something else to do with your time.
