Graphic characters instead of text

[ken]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

System is XP Home w/current updates. For some unknown reason, screen text
changed to special/graphic characters. Happens logged in as a user or the
administrator. Replaced video ctrl and reinstalled fonts. No change.
Window test is OK but titles and other text, icon names, etc are garbage.
Would appreciate any help, Ken

 

[Malke]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

Ken wrote:

> System is XP Home w/current updates. For some unknown reason, screen
> text
> changed to special/graphic characters. Happens logged in as a user or
> the
> administrator. Replaced video ctrl and reinstalled fonts. No change.
> Window test is OK but titles and other text, icon names, etc are
> garbage.
> Would appreciate any help, Ken

Try a System Restore to just before the problem happened. It sounds like
the Tahoma (system font) got corrupted somehow. If the System Restore
doesn't work, you could run the System File Checker:

Start>Run>sfc /scannow [enter]

Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

 

[ken]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

Thanks Malke.

There are not enough restore points to get back to before this started. I
had already tried to reinstall the tahoma fonts and had also run sfc. Still
the same problem. Oddly, tool tips come up in good text. Also, I have found
that starting in Safe Mode as the Administrator helps on some screens.

Still would appreciate any help, Ken

"Malke" wrote:

> Ken wrote:
>
> > System is XP Home w/current updates. For some unknown reason, screen
> > text
> > changed to special/graphic characters. Happens logged in as a user or
> > the
> > administrator. Replaced video ctrl and reinstalled fonts. No change.
> > Window test is OK but titles and other text, icon names, etc are
> > garbage.
> > Would appreciate any help, Ken
>
> Try a System Restore to just before the problem happened. It sounds like
> the Tahoma (system font) got corrupted somehow. If the System Restore
> doesn't work, you could run the System File Checker:
>
> Start>Run>sfc /scannow [enter]
>
> Malke
> --
> Elephant Boy Computers
> www.elephantboycomputers.com
> "Don't Panic!"
> MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
>

 

[Malke]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

Ken wrote:

> Thanks Malke.
>
> There are not enough restore points to get back to before this
> started. I
> had already tried to reinstall the tahoma fonts and had also run sfc.
> Still
> the same problem. Oddly, tool tips come up in good text. Also, I
> have found that starting in Safe Mode as the Administrator helps on
> some screens.
>
Then I'm sorry, but I really don't know. If you are running some sort of
third-party theming application, disable or uninstall it and put the
system back to the Windows XP Theme. Maybe someone else will have an
answer for you, but my opinion is that having someone on-site who can
actually *look* at the machine will be the most helpful next step.

Good luck,

Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

 

[ken]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

Thanks again. I checked the themes and changed all of the settings, fonts,
themes, backgrounds, etc. Nothing seems to affect the screen fonts. I
actually have their system at my office (for the past week...) and can try
about anything on it. Ken

"Malke" wrote:

> Ken wrote:
>
> > Thanks Malke.
> >
> > There are not enough restore points to get back to before this
> > started. I
> > had already tried to reinstall the tahoma fonts and had also run sfc.
> > Still
> > the same problem. Oddly, tool tips come up in good text. Also, I
> > have found that starting in Safe Mode as the Administrator helps on
> > some screens.
> >
> Then I'm sorry, but I really don't know. If you are running some sort of
> third-party theming application, disable or uninstall it and put the
> system back to the Windows XP Theme. Maybe someone else will have an
> answer for you, but my opinion is that having someone on-site who can
> actually *look* at the machine will be the most helpful next step.
>
> Good luck,
>
> Malke
> --
> Elephant Boy Computers
> www.elephantboycomputers.com
> "Don't Panic!"
> MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
>

 

[Nightowl]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

Ken <Ken@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote on Thu, 15 Sep 2005:

>Thanks again. I checked the themes and changed all of the settings, fonts,
>themes, backgrounds, etc. Nothing seems to affect the screen fonts. I
>actually have their system at my office (for the past week...) and can try
>about anything on it. Ken
>

Hi Ken

What happens if you change the font used for icon text and title bars?
Do you still get the garbage characters?

--
Nightowl