Garbled text in every Windows XP screen

[Michael]

Really, really strange occurence here!

All text in my Windows XP Home edition is now garbled.

This means:

The Welcome notice
The Desktop
The Start bar and icons
All menus, program icons, settings etc.
Text in Internet Explorer's windows, the address line,
etc.

Everything comes up as either balls, squares, lines,
triangles, the occasional questionmark and other strange
symbols.

Funnily enough, I can still type in text (like here), but
in some screens (like google's search field), it looks
like the describtion above.

What can I do! I can't even try to change things in the
language settings or something like that, because
everything is gobbeldi-gook!

Please, has anyone out there experienced the same thing?

Thanks in advance!

Mik

[Dark Xale]

Someone has been playing around with the Appearence settings. Change them
here:
Control Panel/Display/Appearence/Settings


"Michael" > wrote in message
...
> Really, really strange occurence here!
>
> All text in my Windows XP Home edition is now garbled.
>
> This means:
>
> The Welcome notice
> The Desktop
> The Start bar and icons
> All menus, program icons, settings etc.
> Text in Internet Explorer's windows, the address line,
> etc.
>
> Everything comes up as either balls, squares, lines,
> triangles, the occasional questionmark and other strange
> symbols.
>
> Funnily enough, I can still type in text (like here), but
> in some screens (like google's search field), it looks
> like the describtion above.
>
> What can I do! I can't even try to change things in the
> language settings or something like that, because
> everything is gobbeldi-gook!
>
> Please, has anyone out there experienced the same thing?
>
> Thanks in advance!
>
> Mik

Thank you for the quick, but patronizing answer.

No, I have not been playing with the appearence settings,
and even if I wanted to check them, I have no idea what
it says anymore BECAUSE ALL TEXT IS TRANSFORMED INTO
GARBLED NONSENSE IN ALL MY MENUS, ICONS AND SETTINGS!

Now that this is cleared up, I'm hoping for more
feedback, maybe even of the constructive kind :o)

Thank you in advance

Mike

[Joe727]

Does it look like this?

http://home.cfl.rr.com/jbmsbink/Weird%20Desktop.jpg

Joe

"Michael" > wrote in message
...
> Really, really strange occurence here!
>
> All text in my Windows XP Home edition is now garbled.
>
> This means:
>
> The Welcome notice
> The Desktop
> The Start bar and icons
> All menus, program icons, settings etc.
> Text in Internet Explorer's windows, the address line,
> etc.
>
> Everything comes up as either balls, squares, lines,
> triangles, the occasional questionmark and other strange
> symbols.
>
> Funnily enough, I can still type in text (like here), but
> in some screens (like google's search field), it looks
> like the describtion above.
>
> What can I do! I can't even try to change things in the
> language settings or something like that, because
> everything is gobbeldi-gook!
>
> Please, has anyone out there experienced the same thing?
>
> Thanks in advance!
>
> Mik

Hi Joe,

YES! It looks exactly like that!

Down to the same symbols on the start button!

What wisdom can you convey to me of this problem? I sense
a solution coming... *very excited*

thank you thank you thank you

Mike


>-----Original Message-----
>Does it look like this?
>
>http://home.cfl.rr.com/jbmsbink/Weird%20Desktop.jpg
>
>Joe
>
>"Michael" > wrote in
message
...
>> Really, really strange occurence here!
>>
>> All text in my Windows XP Home edition is now garbled.
>>
>> This means:
>>
>> The Welcome notice
>> The Desktop
>> The Start bar and icons
>> All menus, program icons, settings etc.
>> Text in Internet Explorer's windows, the address line,
>> etc.
>>
>> Everything comes up as either balls, squares, lines,
>> triangles, the occasional questionmark and other
strange
>> symbols.
>>
>> Funnily enough, I can still type in text (like here),
but
>> in some screens (like google's search field), it looks
>> like the describtion above.
>>
>> What can I do! I can't even try to change things in the
>> language settings or something like that, because
>> everything is gobbeldi-gook!
>>
>> Please, has anyone out there experienced the same
thing?
>>
>> Thanks in advance!
>>
>> Mik
>
>
>.
>

[Joe727]

Check your C:\Windows\Fonts folder to see if any fonts are listed there.

Joe

> wrote in message
...
> Hi Joe,
>
> YES! It looks exactly like that!
>
> Down to the same symbols on the start button!
>
> What wisdom can you convey to me of this problem? I sense
> a solution coming... *very excited*
>
> thank you thank you thank you
>
> Mike
>
>
> >-----Original Message-----
> >Does it look like this?
> >
> >http://home.cfl.rr.com/jbmsbink/Weird%20Desktop.jpg
> >
> >Joe
> >
> >"Michael" > wrote in
> message
> ...
> >> Really, really strange occurence here!
> >>
> >> All text in my Windows XP Home edition is now garbled.
> >>
> >> This means:
> >>
> >> The Welcome notice
> >> The Desktop
> >> The Start bar and icons
> >> All menus, program icons, settings etc.
> >> Text in Internet Explorer's windows, the address line,
> >> etc.
> >>
> >> Everything comes up as either balls, squares, lines,
> >> triangles, the occasional questionmark and other
> strange
> >> symbols.
> >>
> >> Funnily enough, I can still type in text (like here),
> but
> >> in some screens (like google's search field), it looks
> >> like the describtion above.
> >>
> >> What can I do! I can't even try to change things in the
> >> language settings or something like that, because
> >> everything is gobbeldi-gook!
> >>
> >> Please, has anyone out there experienced the same
> thing?
> >>
> >> Thanks in advance!
> >>
> >> Mik
> >
> >
> >.
> >

[Michael]

There is around 30 megs of fonts in that folder, seems to
be the normal ones like times and so on. As seen from the
DOS command prompt, it looks pretty much OK

Mike


>-----Original Message-----
>Check your C:\Windows\Fonts folder to see if any fonts
are listed there.
>
>Joe
>
> wrote in message
...
>> Hi Joe,
>>
>> YES! It looks exactly like that!
>>
>> Down to the same symbols on the start button!
>>
>> What wisdom can you convey to me of this problem? I
sense
>> a solution coming... *very excited*
>>
>> thank you thank you thank you
>>
>> Mike
>>
>>
>> >-----Original Message-----
>> >Does it look like this?
>> >
>> >http://home.cfl.rr.com/jbmsbink/Weird%20Desktop.jpg
>> >
>> >Joe
>> >
>> >"Michael" > wrote
in
>> message
>> ...
>> >> Really, really strange occurence here!
>> >>
>> >> All text in my Windows XP Home edition is now
garbled.
>> >>
>> >> This means:
>> >>
>> >> The Welcome notice
>> >> The Desktop
>> >> The Start bar and icons
>> >> All menus, program icons, settings etc.
>> >> Text in Internet Explorer's windows, the address
line,
>> >> etc.
>> >>
>> >> Everything comes up as either balls, squares, lines,
>> >> triangles, the occasional questionmark and other
>> strange
>> >> symbols.
>> >>
>> >> Funnily enough, I can still type in text (like
here),
>> but
>> >> in some screens (like google's search field), it
looks
>> >> like the describtion above.
>> >>
>> >> What can I do! I can't even try to change things in
the
>> >> language settings or something like that, because
>> >> everything is gobbeldi-gook!
>> >>
>> >> Please, has anyone out there experienced the same
>> thing?
>> >>
>> >> Thanks in advance!
>> >>
>> >> Mik
>> >
>> >
>> >.
>> >
>
>
>.
>

[Joe727]

The desktop in the link I provided was the result of the fonts somehow being
removed from the Fonts folder. I am reasonably sure that McAfee Quick Clean
3 deleted the Fonts.

The only solution that worked for me was to re-install XP since I did not
have System Restore enabled then. Even then, not all of my programs such as
Internet Explorer, MS Word, and WordPerfect could "see" all the fonts. I
got a tip from the Word Perfect newsgroup to install and run BitStream Font
Navigator on the Word Perfect CD. Doing so, enabled all of my programs to
"see" all of the fonts.

You can try a System Restore or you can try the solutions offered in these
two articles.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=314960

http://www.adobe.com/support/techdocs/2f232.htm

In the second article, you'll notice that if the solutions don't work, then
you'll have to re-install XP.

HTH

Joe

"Michael" > wrote in message
...
> There is around 30 megs of fonts in that folder, seems to
> be the normal ones like times and so on. As seen from the
> DOS command prompt, it looks pretty much OK
>
> Mike
>
>
> >-----Original Message-----
> >Check your C:\Windows\Fonts folder to see if any fonts
> are listed there.
> >
> >Joe
> >
> > wrote in message
> ...
> >> Hi Joe,
> >>
> >> YES! It looks exactly like that!
> >>
> >> Down to the same symbols on the start button!
> >>
> >> What wisdom can you convey to me of this problem? I
> sense
> >> a solution coming... *very excited*
> >>
> >> thank you thank you thank you
> >>
> >> Mike
> >>
> >>
> >> >-----Original Message-----
> >> >Does it look like this?
> >> >
> >> >http://home.cfl.rr.com/jbmsbink/Weird%20Desktop.jpg
> >> >
> >> >Joe
> >> >
> >> >"Michael" > wrote
> in
> >> message
> >> ...
> >> >> Really, really strange occurence here!
> >> >>
> >> >> All text in my Windows XP Home edition is now
> garbled.
> >> >>
> >> >> This means:
> >> >>
> >> >> The Welcome notice
> >> >> The Desktop
> >> >> The Start bar and icons
> >> >> All menus, program icons, settings etc.
> >> >> Text in Internet Explorer's windows, the address
> line,
> >> >> etc.
> >> >>
> >> >> Everything comes up as either balls, squares, lines,
> >> >> triangles, the occasional questionmark and other
> >> strange
> >> >> symbols.
> >> >>
> >> >> Funnily enough, I can still type in text (like
> here),
> >> but
> >> >> in some screens (like google's search field), it
> looks
> >> >> like the describtion above.
> >> >>
> >> >> What can I do! I can't even try to change things in
> the
> >> >> language settings or something like that, because
> >> >> everything is gobbeldi-gook!
> >> >>
> >> >> Please, has anyone out there experienced the same
> >> thing?
> >> >>
> >> >> Thanks in advance!
> >> >>
> >> >> Mik
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >.
> >> >
> >
> >
> >.
> >

[Michael]

Joe,

Thanks for the suggestions, I have much more to go on now.

I'll see where it leads, anyway.

Thanks again

Mike


>-----Original Message-----
>The desktop in the link I provided was the result of the
fonts somehow being
>removed from the Fonts folder. I am reasonably sure
that McAfee Quick Clean
>3 deleted the Fonts.
>
>The only solution that worked for me was to re-install
XP since I did not
>have System Restore enabled then. Even then, not all of
my programs such as
>Internet Explorer, MS Word, and WordPerfect could "see"
all the fonts. I
>got a tip from the Word Perfect newsgroup to install and
run BitStream Font
>Navigator on the Word Perfect CD. Doing so, enabled all
of my programs to
>"see" all of the fonts.
>
>You can try a System Restore or you can try the
solutions offered in these
>two articles.
>
>http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=314960
>
>http://www.adobe.com/support/techdocs/2f232.htm
>
>In the second article, you'll notice that if the
solutions don't work, then
>you'll have to re-install XP.
>
>HTH
>
>Joe
>
>"Michael" > wrote in
message
...
>> There is around 30 megs of fonts in that folder, seems
to
>> be the normal ones like times and so on. As seen from
the
>> DOS command prompt, it looks pretty much OK
>>
>> Mike
>>
>>
>> >-----Original Message-----
>> >Check your C:\Windows\Fonts folder to see if any fonts
>> are listed there.
>> >
>> >Joe
>> >
>> > wrote in message
>> ...
>> >> Hi Joe,
>> >>
>> >> YES! It looks exactly like that!
>> >>
>> >> Down to the same symbols on the start button!
>> >>
>> >> What wisdom can you convey to me of this problem? I
>> sense
>> >> a solution coming... *very excited*
>> >>
>> >> thank you thank you thank you
>> >>
>> >> Mike
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> >-----Original Message-----
>> >> >Does it look like this?
>> >> >
>> >> >http://home.cfl.rr.com/jbmsbink/Weird%20Desktop.jpg
>> >> >
>> >> >Joe
>> >> >
>> >> >"Michael" >
wrote
>> in
>> >> message
>> >> ...
>> >> >> Really, really strange occurence here!
>> >> >>
>> >> >> All text in my Windows XP Home edition is now
>> garbled.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> This means:
>> >> >>
>> >> >> The Welcome notice
>> >> >> The Desktop
>> >> >> The Start bar and icons
>> >> >> All menus, program icons, settings etc.
>> >> >> Text in Internet Explorer's windows, the address
>> line,
>> >> >> etc.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Everything comes up as either balls, squares,
lines,
>> >> >> triangles, the occasional questionmark and other
>> >> strange
>> >> >> symbols.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Funnily enough, I can still type in text (like
>> here),
>> >> but
>> >> >> in some screens (like google's search field), it
>> looks
>> >> >> like the describtion above.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> What can I do! I can't even try to change things
in
>> the
>> >> >> language settings or something like that, because
>> >> >> everything is gobbeldi-gook!
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Please, has anyone out there experienced the same
>> >> thing?
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Thanks in advance!
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Mik
>> >> >
>> >> >
>> >> >.
>> >> >
>> >
>> >
>> >.
>> >
>
>
>.
>

[Malke]

wrote:

> Thank you for the quick, but patronizing answer.
>
> No, I have not been playing with the appearence settings,
> and even if I wanted to check them, I have no idea what
> it says anymore BECAUSE ALL TEXT IS TRANSFORMED INTO
> GARBLED NONSENSE IN ALL MY MENUS, ICONS AND SETTINGS!
>
> Now that this is cleared up, I'm hoping for more
> feedback, maybe even of the constructive kind :o)
>
> Thank you in advance
>
> Mike

Mike - Try a System Restore to just before the problem occurred. If that
doesn't work, then you can put the XP cd in the drive, go to Run and
type "sfc /scannow" without the quotes. Note there is a space between
"sfc" and "/scannow". This will replace any damaged system files. I
assume that you've already scanned for viruses with a current
(post-2002 version using updated definitions) antivirus.

Cheers,

Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"

[Joe727]

You're welcome. You can try the System File Checker solution just mentioned
by another poster. I tried that as well, but no joy. However, since your
fonts are still in the Fonts folder, you might only have a damaged font or
several damaged fonts causing the problem.

The SFC solution might work for you.

Joe

"Michael" > wrote in message
...
> Joe,
>
> Thanks for the suggestions, I have much more to go on now.
>
> I'll see where it leads, anyway.
>
> Thanks again
>
> Mike
>
>
> >-----Original Message-----
> >The desktop in the link I provided was the result of the
> fonts somehow being
> >removed from the Fonts folder. I am reasonably sure
> that McAfee Quick Clean
> >3 deleted the Fonts.
> >
> >The only solution that worked for me was to re-install
> XP since I did not
> >have System Restore enabled then. Even then, not all of
> my programs such as
> >Internet Explorer, MS Word, and WordPerfect could "see"
> all the fonts. I
> >got a tip from the Word Perfect newsgroup to install and
> run BitStream Font
> >Navigator on the Word Perfect CD. Doing so, enabled all
> of my programs to
> >"see" all of the fonts.
> >
> >You can try a System Restore or you can try the
> solutions offered in these
> >two articles.
> >
> >http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=314960
> >
> >http://www.adobe.com/support/techdocs/2f232.htm
> >
> >In the second article, you'll notice that if the
> solutions don't work, then
> >you'll have to re-install XP.
> >
> >HTH
> >
> >Joe
> >
> >"Michael" > wrote in
> message
> ...
> >> There is around 30 megs of fonts in that folder, seems
> to
> >> be the normal ones like times and so on. As seen from
> the
> >> DOS command prompt, it looks pretty much OK
> >>
> >> Mike
> >>
> >>
> >> >-----Original Message-----
> >> >Check your C:\Windows\Fonts folder to see if any fonts
> >> are listed there.
> >> >
> >> >Joe
> >> >
> >> > wrote in message
> >> ...
> >> >> Hi Joe,
> >> >>
> >> >> YES! It looks exactly like that!
> >> >>
> >> >> Down to the same symbols on the start button!
> >> >>
> >> >> What wisdom can you convey to me of this problem? I
> >> sense
> >> >> a solution coming... *very excited*
> >> >>
> >> >> thank you thank you thank you
> >> >>
> >> >> Mike
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >> >-----Original Message-----
> >> >> >Does it look like this?
> >> >> >
> >> >> >http://home.cfl.rr.com/jbmsbink/Weird%20Desktop.jpg
> >> >> >
> >> >> >Joe
> >> >> >
> >> >> >"Michael" >
> wrote
> >> in
> >> >> message
> >> >> ...
> >> >> >> Really, really strange occurence here!
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> All text in my Windows XP Home edition is now
> >> garbled.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> This means:
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> The Welcome notice
> >> >> >> The Desktop
> >> >> >> The Start bar and icons
> >> >> >> All menus, program icons, settings etc.
> >> >> >> Text in Internet Explorer's windows, the address
> >> line,
> >> >> >> etc.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> Everything comes up as either balls, squares,
> lines,
> >> >> >> triangles, the occasional questionmark and other
> >> >> strange
> >> >> >> symbols.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> Funnily enough, I can still type in text (like
> >> here),
> >> >> but
> >> >> >> in some screens (like google's search field), it
> >> looks
> >> >> >> like the describtion above.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> What can I do! I can't even try to change things
> in
> >> the
> >> >> >> language settings or something like that, because
> >> >> >> everything is gobbeldi-gook!
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> Please, has anyone out there experienced the same
> >> >> thing?
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> Thanks in advance!
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> Mik
> >> >> >
> >> >> >
> >> >> >.
> >> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >.
> >> >
> >
> >
> >.
> >

[CWatters]

Sounds like it's using wingdings font?


> wrote in message
...
> Thank you for the quick, but patronizing answer.
>
> No, I have not been playing with the appearence settings,
> and even if I wanted to check them, I have no idea what
> it says anymore BECAUSE ALL TEXT IS TRANSFORMED INTO
> GARBLED NONSENSE IN ALL MY MENUS, ICONS AND SETTINGS!
>
> Now that this is cleared up, I'm hoping for more
> feedback, maybe even of the constructive kind :o)
>
> Thank you in advance
>
> Mike

[Michael]

You are all my heroes, but you, Malke, stands foremost
among them.

With the repairing of the system files, I was able to see
what I was doing, since most of the fonts returned.
Finally being able to see the menus, I could do a system
restore. And everything is fine now!!!

Thank you so much to all who responded!

Mike


>-----Original Message-----
wrote:
>
>> Thank you for the quick, but patronizing answer.
>>
>> No, I have not been playing with the appearence
settings,
>> and even if I wanted to check them, I have no idea what
>> it says anymore BECAUSE ALL TEXT IS TRANSFORMED INTO
>> GARBLED NONSENSE IN ALL MY MENUS, ICONS AND SETTINGS!
>>
>> Now that this is cleared up, I'm hoping for more
>> feedback, maybe even of the constructive kind :o)
>>
>> Thank you in advance
>>
>> Mike
>
>Mike - Try a System Restore to just before the problem
occurred. If that
>doesn't work, then you can put the XP cd in the drive,
go to Run and
>type "sfc /scannow" without the quotes. Note there is a
space between
>"sfc" and "/scannow". This will replace any damaged
system files. I
>assume that you've already scanned for viruses with a
current
>(post-2002 version using updated definitions) antivirus.
>
>Cheers,
>
>Malke
>--
>Elephant Boy Computers
>www.elephantboycomputers.com
>"Don't Panic!"
>.
>

[Malke]

Michael wrote:

> You are all my heroes, but you, Malke, stands foremost
> among them.
>
> With the repairing of the system files, I was able to see
> what I was doing, since most of the fonts returned.
> Finally being able to see the menus, I could do a system
> restore. And everything is fine now!!!
>
> Thank you so much to all who responded!
>
> Mike
>
>
>>-----Original Message-----
wrote:
>>
>>> Thank you for the quick, but patronizing answer.
>>>
>>> No, I have not been playing with the appearence
> settings,
>>> and even if I wanted to check them, I have no idea what
>>> it says anymore BECAUSE ALL TEXT IS TRANSFORMED INTO
>>> GARBLED NONSENSE IN ALL MY MENUS, ICONS AND SETTINGS!
>>>
>>> Now that this is cleared up, I'm hoping for more
>>> feedback, maybe even of the constructive kind :o)
>>>
>>> Thank you in advance
>>>
>>> Mike
>>
>>Mike - Try a System Restore to just before the problem
> occurred. If that
>>doesn't work, then you can put the XP cd in the drive,
> go to Run and
>>type "sfc /scannow" without the quotes. Note there is a
> space between
>>"sfc" and "/scannow". This will replace any damaged
> system files. I
>>assume that you've already scanned for viruses with a
> current
>>(post-2002 version using updated definitions) antivirus.

Aw gosh... I'm happy it worked for you.

Cheers,

Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"