Windows 7: The manage add-ons folder is empty

The manage add-ons folder is empty. There are a variety of ways to get to that folder and I have tried them all. There is nothing in it. No toolbars, no search providers, and no Accelerators. It doesn't even contain the InPrivate filtering link.
What's more the navigation Pane is also empty.

It's odd because the most common add-ons that shoud be accessable there seem to work OK. Adobe Flash, Java ..etc. Everything is updated.
PC: Windows 7 x64, IE8,
Any one know what is happening with this?

It might help to mention what program you're talking about. I'm assuming you're speaking of Firefox, but then again I could be wrong. If you are speaking of Firefox, you should know that you won't see anything in your add-ons folder until you've actually installed add-ons.

If you've already installed add-ons and Firefox still isn't showing them in the list, then you may have a corrupt installtion. In that case, reinstall Firefox after using a program like Revo Uninstaller to completely uninstall the first instance.

No. No Firefox. This is straight IE8. The Add-ons are installed (Programs and Features) and working. They just don't appear in the Manage Add-ons folder. That is if I go here: Internet Exploer\Tools\Manage Add-ons the folder that opens is empty. The main page and the navigation pane on the left are blank. The only thing that appears on that page is "Select an add-on to modify status or view details" at the bottom. If I go to: Internet Explorer\Page\All Accelerators\Manage Accelerators it's the same blank page. Going to Internet Options\Programs\Manage Add-ons gets the same result. Empty. It's starting to look like a case for the Windows True Administrators Account and I'm not sure I remember how to enable it. Anyway, any other ideas, anyone?

Might not be of much help, as it seems pretty basic, but it's worth a shot. Try this link

Welcome to Seven Forums fredrok46. If this just started, try to do a System Restore to before it started. If you don't know when it started...

Create a System Restore point before you proceed:

System Restore Point - Create


Close all open instances of IE8

Open a fresh window of Internet Explorer, and click on the Tools> Internet Options> Advanced

The bottom choice is Reset Internet Explorer



If no help you can reregister components of IE

Create a batch file and name it C:\reregister.bat

To create the batch file, open Notepad and copy the list below to the file. Click File in upper left, then Save As. In the Save As Dialog box, Select All File Types. In the file name field, type in C:\reregister.bat and press Enter

regsvr32 /u /s urlmon.dll

regsvr32 /u /s mshtml.dll

regsvr32 /u /s shdocvw.dll

regsvr32 /u /s browseui.dll

regsvr32 /u /s jscript.dll

regsvr32 /u /s vbscript.dll

regsvr32 /u /s scrrun.dll

regsvr32 /u /s msxml.dll

regsvr32 /u /s actxprxy.dll

regsvr32 /u /s softpub.dll

regsvr32 /u /s wintrust.dll

regsvr32 /u /s dssenh.dll

regsvr32 /u /s rsaenh.dll

regsvr32 /u /s gpkcsp.dll

regsvr32 /u /s sccbase.dll

regsvr32 /u /s slbcsp.dll

regsvr32 /u /s cryptdlg.dll

regsvr32 /u /s oleaut32.dll

regsvr32 /u /s ole32.dll

regsvr32 /u /s shell32.dll

regsvr32 /u /s initpki.dll

regsvr32 /u /s msjava.dll

regsvr32 /s urlmon.dll

regsvr32 /s mshtml.dll

regsvr32 /s shdocvw.dll

regsvr32 /s browseui.dll

regsvr32 /s jscript.dll

regsvr32 /s vbscript.dll

regsvr32 /s scrrun.dll

regsvr32 /s msxml.dll

regsvr32 /s actxprxy.dll

regsvr32 /s softpub.dll

regsvr32 /s wintrust.dll

regsvr32 /s dssenh.dll

regsvr32 /s rsaenh.dll

regsvr32 /s gpkcsp.dll

regsvr32 /s sccbase.dll

regsvr32 /s slbcsp.dll

regsvr32 /s cryptdlg.dll

regsvr32 /s oleaut32.dll

regsvr32 /s ole32.dll

regsvr32 /s shell32.dll

regsvr32 /s initpki.dll

regsvr32 /s msjava.dll


After you have created the batch file, close all instances of IE and Explorer

Start> Type Run in search box> Click on Run in the results above> Type

C:\reregister.bat

and press Enter

When the process is over, the run box will close. Restart your PC and try IE again.

A Guy

That got it! Thank you all for the help, really appreciate it. Kirsh, the Microsoft Answers site you provided helped as well. It led me to a solution to a contributing problem I wasn't even aware of. Anyway, thanks again. Fredrock46

Good you got it sorted fredrok46. Can you share the steps that did fix it, it may help others as well. A Guy

I tried your suggestion to reregister components of IE it seems to have worked thank you..

I have tried the downloading and installation of the files and it works for one day or less. If I do it again the Manage add on is fine again for one day.

Does this have to do with IE 9 or 32 or 64 Bit with Windows 7, it just started for me since the last huge download of updates last Tuesday from MS.

I have tried everything suggested at least a dozen times and within a couple HOURS NOTHING AGAIN, NO ENTRIES IN THE MANAGE ADD ON, IT IS EMPTY AGAIN.