Favorites return after deletion

[ErikJan]

In Win10, IE11. If I delete a favorite in my Favorites Bar (or in de folder), the link returns after 5 seconds... How do get rid of old favorites?

To troubleshoot, I switched off syncing in Windows, OneDrive, Dropbox... nothing helps. I suspect something is syncing (not sure). Any clues?

[BobArch2]

In Win10, IE11. If I delete a favorite in my Favorites Bar (or in de folder), the link returns after 5 seconds... How do get rid of old favorites?

To troubleshoot, I switched off syncing in Windows, OneDrive, Dropbox... nothing helps. I suspect something is syncing (not sure). Any clues?

I had a like circumstance and it was related to Apple's iCloud.

2016-05-30_18-12-12.gif

[ErikJan]

This is a Windows machine. I don't think I have Apple software installed... (at least not that I would know of)

[Rudi]

You obviously don't have an iPhone then

Bobs reply does provide a clue that it could be a mobile device or software that syncs between your PC and the mobile device that is recreating the favourites. You don't mention any mobile devices in you OP, so its worth checking any software you have on that platform too.

[JoeP]

Did you go to Settings | User Accounts | Sync your settings to disable Windows 10 syncing?

Did you disable syncing in Edge too?

Joe

[ErikJan]

I don't use Edge (yet), when I open Edge, my Favorites have not yet been imported there.
If I disable all Sync settings in Windows, the favorites still re-appear.
I have no mobile devices connected or syncing with my Desktop here.

What I do see if that as soon as I delete a Favorite, a process appears called: "Host Process for Setting Synchronization", which takes a few seconds and uses 5% CPU. As soon as the favorite is restored, the process CPU goes back to zero...

I did some Google searches but nothing pops up that looks possible (other than the mentioned Sync settings)... Guess this is indeed Windows, but why, and how do I stop (part of) that?

[JoeP]

What Win10 build? Which SKU? is this a home or work PC?

Joe

[ErikJan]

Win10 Pro 64bit b1511; home

[JoeP]

Are you using a Microsoft account? I don't remember what settings may be on the account online but it may be worth a shot.

Joe

[ErikJan]

Thanks, I checked that too. Couln't find anything. And if something is synced...it is still a mystery why I couldn't delete favorites then. Seems like there is some sort of "master". Nobody who knows what that "Host Process for Setting Synchronization" does??

[JoeP]

"Host Process for Setting Synchronization" is the tool used to sync your settings using our Microsoft account.
You said you turned off synching in Windows. If you turned off all synching but left the individual settings ON try turning off the IE synching too,

Joe

[ErikJan]

Did that and now, a day later, the favorites which I deleted after I disabled the Sync are still gone. As a test I re-enabled syncing and now they return.
Question remains with WHAT is this synced and why is that mysterious other side 'the boss'?

[JoeP]

It is synched with your Microsoft account. Any other device which uses your Microsoft account could, in theory, use the synched information. Sorry, but I don't know the "boss".

Joe

[ErikJan]

It is synched with your Microsoft account. Any other device which uses your Microsoft account could, in theory, use the synched information. Sorry, but I don't know the "boss".

Joe

Thanks Joe. I understand that, question is: what other device and where is that device? (In my MS account do I see or seem to be able control that; I logged-in and checked but I didn't find anything).

With 'the boss', I meant the "master" (I'm sorry): if two (or more) devices synchronize either each change you make is always copied on the other synced devices (as I would expect here - a true synchronization-) OR one device is "master" and all devices continue to be a mirror of that master-device.
In my situation, if I delete a favorite, it is immediately restored, which makes me believe somehow this is not a sync but more a mirror. Of course if that is true and I'd wish to edit my favorites for real, I'd need to change things on my master system. The million dollar question would then be: what system is the master (and why)??? ;-)

[JoeP]

I understood your question about boss/master. I just don't know the answer.

You may go to https://account.live.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; then to the "Devices" drop down in the menu to see which devices are associated with your account. Unfortunately, none is designated as the master that I can tell.

You aren't running any third party favorites synching program are you?

Joe

[ErikJan]

I'm not running any 3rd party favorite syncing software.

Went into the MS account and found a second device: actually a VirtualBox installation I played with a while ago (one that also gets the fast-ring updates). I checked the favorites there: there is only one which is different from all those on my main PC. So this device doesn't sync or mirror. To make sure, I disabled all syncing.
Then I tested that VirtualBox version and deleted the favorite (the one that does not exist on my main computer): it did not re-appear. It therefore seems that all is OK and logical on the VirtualBox installation.
I retested on my main PC and the favorites still reappear after deletion in a couple of seconds...

[JoeP]

Well, I'm at a loss. It is like the software protection for system files. I'm just guessing that some third party software is involved.

Joe

[ErikJan]

But that would run the service "Host Process for Setting Synchronization" now would it? So it is Microsoft I think... but how and why?