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Every time I reboot my computer the fonts are weird symbols. when i check the windows\font folder, it is empty. I try copying fonts from another machine, after i do this, they all come back. but when I reboot, I'm right back to no fonts again. anyone ever seen such a thing. Please let me know,
Kevin
Hi Kevin,
It could be some Virus, I don't know.
But try this first:
Download the PowerToys(TweakUI) from the microsoft website and install them.
Microsoft PowerToys TweakUIStart it up and go to the Repair section(on the left) and select Repair Font Folder.
Also, keep in mind that XP has a problem if you install more than 400 fonts on the system.
HTH - Happy NewYear !!
svg
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Kevin,
Did you figure out how to fix that problem? cause believe it or not, ihave the exact same problem right now...So i d/l the tweak tools, and clicked repair, but the comp didn't do anything. Did it work for you? or have you found something else? shout back please
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Same problem here. Even tried saving a fonts folder seperate from the windows and it deleted it. It would appear that its a script that runs on start-up however i have no idea how to find and disable it. Any help would be grealy appreciated.
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I am having the same problem. The *temporary* fix is to go to the fonts folder (go to Start > Settings > Control Panel > click 'f' on keyboard and it should be that folder, double click on it. Then when the folder opens up click on the leftmost menu and select the third option (should be longest). When that opens look @ the box on the bottom left and wait for the thing on top to refresh. If you see stuff in the selectbox, these are fonts, click the third button from the top left (select all) and then click the top left button. If it asks anything hit enter. You should be able to see the menu letters, then right click on the desktop and click the last button (properties) in that tab, in the select box press down, [hope you have your theme saved] and then click the bottom right button. This should fix the problem temporarily (dont reboot!!!).
This just started for me today, and it appears the earliest entry is January 9th. I was wondering if anybody has installed System Mechanic within the past few days b4 you got the error, I installed it yesterday and then this happened today ~6pm. I dont know if there is a relation, but plz lets try to find somehing common on our computers so we can isolate the problem.
I will check around for viruses ~ January 1-9 and will run a thorough virus and adware scan on my computer.
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Sorry I posted on the wrong message earlier.
Ok Here is the fix. You will need to edit the registry. With this being said I will not take responsibility if you screw up.
1)Start Button
2)Run type regedit
3)Goto HKEY Local Machine
4)Goto Software
5) Goto Current Version
6) See if you have a Fonts folder. If not then we will create a new key.
7) Right click on Current Version (step6)
8)Select New Key
9)Load all the fonts back in the control panel Fonts folder (from another machine)
10) RebootThis is how I fixed this. I was on the phone with Microsoft for about an hour
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Sorry I made a typo.
7) Right click on Current Version (step6)
It should be Right Click on "Current Version" on the same folder as (step5)
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To All:
I have a similar problem. The fonts do not disappear, they are replaced with characters.
All of your fixes sound good, but without being able to read anything I can't follow instructions. I use TweakUI XP but can't find it as I cannot read anything on my screen.
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Hi,
I was having the same problem too. I installed System Mechanic and ran a registry clean, removed all the invalid registry entries and when i rebooted, all my fonts were symbols. Fonts dir had all the fonts in it, but windows wouldnt see them. Through trial and error and comparing window/button locations to another PC, i tried re-installing fonts which worked temporily, but every time i rebooted all i got were symbols again.
I found this thread and it helped me alot. One ommision about editing the registry...
the path of the fonts folder in the reg is
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Fonts
Once i added that key and rebooted everything was fine again.
Thanks
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I tried to mess around with the registry, but unfortunately this did not work. Thanks for your advice.
However, since this problem occured after I installed System Mechanic I went to their tech support website for Sys. Mech. and looked around. Lo and behold.... http://www.iolo.com/knowledgebaseitem.cfm?id=13&product=SM&versn=4&returnto=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eiolo%2Ecom%2Fknowledgebase%2Ecfm%3FPHRASE%3Dfonts%2520XP%26PRODUCT%3DSM%253A4%26BTNGO%2EX%3D0%26BTNGO%2EY%3D0%26SEARCHTYPE%3DAND%26ENTITIES%3Dtutorial%252Ckb%252Cfaq
its sooo nice not to have to dread restaring your own computer. :-)
Hope this works for you, good luck!
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Wow, I have read everyone's comments and I have to say, it is comforting to find others with this problem. I have had this issue for about a week now, and haven't fixed it yet. Started out with getting a virus, that really messed things up, found and deleted virus. (Downloader-DH mscache only found by mcafee and trend not norton) I was then left with wingdings. I also do run system mechanic pro and have run it for months now with no issues before. I have found if you want to read something. Go to start, search, ttf files. You will find all of your fonts are there. double click to view. Some of them have wingdings at the top (which would load first) and then the proper font below. Not sure what to do about that. Anyway find two fonts without wingdings at the top and open them and minimize to task bar. Once those fonts are open you will be able to read your things even passing the mouse by can change the font now. I have been trying to repair by using this method. Works, doesn't fix, but I can read things now. Any other suggestions please let me know. Driving me crazy!!!
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Wow, I have read everyone's comments and I have to say, it is comforting to find others with this problem. I have had this issue for about a week now, and haven't fixed it yet. Started out with getting a virus, that really messed things up, found and deleted virus. (Downloader-DH mscache only found by mcafee and trend not norton) I was then left with wingdings. I also do run system mechanic pro and have run it for months now with no issues before. I have found if you want to read something. Go to start, search, ttf files. You will find all of your fonts are there. double click to view. Some of them have wingdings at the top (which would load first) and then the proper font below. Not sure what to do about that. Anyway find two fonts without wingdings at the top and open them and minimize to task bar. Once those fonts are open you will be able to read your things even passing the mouse by can change the font now. I have been trying to repair by using this method. Works, doesn't fix, but I can read things now. Any other suggestions please let me know. Driving me crazy!!!
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OK I had a bit of trouble with this but with the help of this forum I got it worked out.
The first thing I had to do was open regedit and add the key
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Fonts
next I went to start and the run and typed in c:\windows\fonts
then I went to the file menu (top leftmost menu) and chose install new fonts (about the third choice down) I browsed to the fonts (hit f in the lower left of the window and when it highlights the directory hit enter) directory and waited for it to find all the fonts once it did I told it to select all (third button down on the right) you'll get a bunch of errors just keep hitting the space bar. Once that's done I rebooted and everything was hunky dory and stuff.
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You are right! I read all the comments and chose to add the line to my registry. I didn't do the other things you did. I did reboot and voila. Back in business. Yes, thank God for forums like this. I thought I had met my match. Thanks to all for the input.
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After a long long night trying to fix exactly this problem (First time the narrator in XP was of any use ;)) and wondering how on earth i got stuck with this problem, im happy to read it is indeed System Mechanic thats causing the problem and that is fixable. I installed, amongst other things, the eval version of System Mechanic yesterday evening and after rebooting ended up with very interesting looking but absolutely unreadable text.
Cant wait to get home and fix this very annoying problem. Thanx to all for the advice. Much Obliged ;)
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Response number 12 was the ticket! I too have System Mechanic. After the regedit all is back to normal. Thank you!!!
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Thanks freekt (#12) your answer with a little modification did the trick. I had to substitute the Windows NT part with Windows. This is a great place for answers.
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freekt, thanks you put me on the right track. I resolved the issue by: First I went to another PC Win2K and exported the fonts registry file. I then imported the registry into HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\
Rebooted an the issue was resolved...
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You're welcome. Glad I could help but if you look up a bit further response #8 has the registry key I just added a few step that I had to do to get mine working. So alot of the praise should go to scanner118. So thank you scanner118.
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Thank you very much everybody!!! saved me much troubles, Combi of #7 & #12 did the trick! but now i have tiny icq fonts with some other applications not having its original fonts, anyways its better than navigating blind...reason for my problems was McAfee cleared my registry of the fonts. thanks once again.
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Thanks to Jay and Scanner 118!!!
What a pain in the a** this was! Your advice was great! Thanks again.
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 Windows XP repair/reinsta...
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Thanks svg
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