More .Mac synching problems: Safari adding empty collections to Bookmarks list

In addition to some significant .Mac synchronization issues noted last week, several users are now reporting a problem where after each .Mac sync, Safari adds two new empty collections into the bookmarks list: "BookmarksBar" and "BookmarksMenu".

In some cases, these new collections actually become populated with items in existing bookmark collections, while the same bookmarks are deleted from their original location. This can cause confusion, and inadvertent deletion of bookmarks.

MacFixIt reader Scott Rose writes:

"After 5 .mac syncs, you will end up with 5 empty 'BookmarksBar' collections and 5 empty 'BookmarksMenu' collections.

"This is pretty annoying by itself, but then the problem gets even worse. At random intervals, the .Mac sync will actually move all of your existing bookmarks from your real Bookmarks Bar into one of the empty "BookmarksBar" collections, and it will also move all of your your existing bookmarks from your real Bookmarks Menu into one of the empty 'BookmarksMenu' collections."

"So if you go through and delete all of those (once blank) BookmarksBar and BookmarksMenu folders that were created by .mac sync, you will accidentally wipe out your entire collection of Bookmarks from both your Bookmarks menu and your Bookmarks bar."

If you are having this issue, remember to check any of the newly created "BookmarksBar" and "BookmarksMenu" collections for your bookmarks before deleting them.

Feedback? Late-breakers@macfixit.com.

Previous coverage:

• .Mac synchronization problems -- more fixes
• .Mac sync issues: Errors in logs, incomplete synchronizations; fix

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