Bizarre ... Large text disappears

[Melissa]

When a user reported to me that the laptop I just refurbished for her
wasn't showing fonts larger than 11pt when she was typing, I assumed
it was a Word problem, as we are running the now-ancient Office 97.
However, when I arrived, she mentioned that when she was in e-mail
(First Class, not Outlook), when she typed in the name of a user who
was online, they disappeared from the To line. (When a user is
online, they show up as boldface in the To/CC lines.)

I sat down at the machine and opened up Word. I typed in some text,
and changed it to 11pt. Fine. Changed it to 12pt, disappeared. The
text was still there (as evidenced by the squiggly red line indicating
I misspelled the word). The font color was still black. I tried to
add a highlight behind it.. the highlight showed but not the text. I
changed the Zoom to 75% and the text reappeared. I changed the font
back to 10pt and zoomed into 125% -- disappeared again! I changed the
font and had no luck with anything except Courier. But even that
disappeared when zoomed in large enough.

I tried our email system (not MS), and Wordpad. Same problem.

I went into the Display settings and changed the Fonts to Extra
Large ... when I did that, the window titles all disappeared, as did
"Start" and the taskbar button titles.

Weeeeeiiiiiiirrrrrrrdd!! I tried updating the video drivers, but
alas, looks like nothing new has been released since the one I'm using
now (2004). The video card is an ATI Mobility Radeon 9000/9100 IGP.
If anyone has ANY thoughts I'm happy to give them a go ... this is the
weirdest issue I've seen in a long time!

I don't want to rebuild this laptop again. I just redid it from
scratch for a 2nd time because the first time around it would lock up
everytime it played a sound. (Yes, I know, the laptop has many
issues.. but I would like to save it, we're a poor elementary school.)

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

 

[Kelly]

Try a different theme font.

--

All the Best and Happy Holidays,
Kelly (MS-MVP/DTS&XP)

Taskbar Repair Tool Plus!
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/taskbarplus!.htm

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

How was this laptop "refurbished"? Did you use an Image? Did you do a
Repair Install? Did you format & do a clean install?

 

[Melissa]

How was this laptop "refurbished"?  Did you use an Image?  Did you doa
Repair Install?  Did you format & do a clean install?

The first time it landed on my desk, I used an existing Ghost image to
reimage it. Then it developed the lock-up w/ sound issue, so I
started over from scratch with a fresh copy of XP SP3 (drive was
formatted). I used the latest drivers off of the HP website (it's an
nx9110), but unfortunately the latest drivers for most of them were
from 2004.

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

The first time it landed on my desk, I used an existing Ghost image to
reimage it. Then it developed the lock-up w/ sound issue, so I
started over from scratch with a fresh copy of XP SP3 (drive was
formatted). I used the latest drivers off of the HP website (it's an
nx9110), but unfortunately the latest drivers for most of them were
from 2004.

You installed a "fresh copy of [Win]XP SP3" (using, e.g., a WinXP CD w/SP3
slipstreamed) or you installed, e.g., WinXP SP2 and then installed SP3?

What anti-virus application or security suite is installed and is your
subscription current? What anti-spyware applications (other than Defender)?
What third-party firewall (if any)? Were any of these applications running
in the background when you installed WinXP SP3 (if you installed it)?

Is Automatic Updates enabled and working? Can you successfully reach
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com, do a CUSTOM scan for update and
successfully install any critical updates offered?

Tip: I would NOT recommend installing IE7 via Windows Update or even at this
juncture.

 

[Melissa]

The first time it landed on my desk, I used an existing Ghost image to
reimage it.  Then it developed the lock-up w/ sound issue, so I
started over from scratch with a fresh copy of XP SP3 (drive was
formatted).  I used the latest drivers off of the HP website (it's an
nx9110), but unfortunately the latest drivers for most of them were
from 2004.

You installed a "fresh copy of [Win]XP SP3" (using, e.g., a WinXP CD w/SP3
slipstreamed) or you installed, e.g., WinXP SP2 and then installed SP3?

What anti-virus application or security suite is installed and is your
subscription current?  What anti-spyware applications (other than Defender)?
What third-party firewall (if any)?  Were any of these applications running
in the background when you installed WinXP SP3 (if you installed it)?

Is Automatic Updates enabled and working?  Can you successfully reachhttp://windowsupdate.microsoft.com, do a CUSTOM scan for update and
successfully install any critical updates offered?

Tip: I would NOT recommend installing IE7 via Windows Update or even at this
juncture.

SP2 was slipstreamed, then I installed SP3 from a CD before networking
the laptop. We run Symantec AV (server-based). I don't have any
reason to suspect a virus or malware is at work here; it probably had
this issue when I handed the laptop off; I didn't run Word and try to
change font sizes before giving it to the teacher. The laptop is
current on updates, we run WSUS on the network and I went to the
Windowsupdate site after I installed SP3.

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

When a user reported to me that the laptop I just refurbished for her
wasn't showing fonts larger than 11pt when she was typing, I assumed
it was a Word problem, as we are running the now-ancient Office 97.
However, when I arrived, she mentioned that when she was in e-mail
(First Class, not Outlook), when she typed in the name of a user who
was online, they disappeared from the To line. (When a user is
online, they show up as boldface in the To/CC lines.)

I sat down at the machine and opened up Word. I typed in some text,
and changed it to 11pt. Fine. Changed it to 12pt, disappeared. The
text was still there (as evidenced by the squiggly red line indicating
I misspelled the word). The font color was still black. I tried to
add a highlight behind it.. the highlight showed but not the text. I
changed the Zoom to 75% and the text reappeared. I changed the font
back to 10pt and zoomed into 125% -- disappeared again! I changed the
font and had no luck with anything except Courier. But even that
disappeared when zoomed in large enough.

I tried our email system (not MS), and Wordpad. Same problem.

I went into the Display settings and changed the Fonts to Extra
Large ... when I did that, the window titles all disappeared, as did
"Start" and the taskbar button titles.

Weeeeeiiiiiiirrrrrrrdd!! I tried updating the video drivers, but
alas, looks like nothing new has been released since the one I'm using
now (2004). The video card is an ATI Mobility Radeon 9000/9100 IGP.
If anyone has ANY thoughts I'm happy to give them a go ... this is the
weirdest issue I've seen in a long time!

I don't want to rebuild this laptop again. I just redid it from
scratch for a 2nd time because the first time around it would lock up
everytime it played a sound. (Yes, I know, the laptop has many
issues.. but I would like to save it, we're a poor elementary school.)

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

On Dec 23, 3:16 pm, "PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:
How was this laptop "refurbished"? Did you use an Image? Did you do a
Repair Install? Did you format & do a clean install?

The first time it landed on my desk, I used an existing Ghost image to
reimage it. Then it developed the lock-up w/ sound issue, so I
started over from scratch with a fresh copy of XP SP3 (drive was
formatted). I used the latest drivers off of the HP website (it's an
nx9110), but unfortunately the latest drivers for most of them were
from 2004.

You installed a "fresh copy of [Win]XP SP3" (using, e.g., a WinXP CD
w/SP3
slipstreamed) or you installed, e.g., WinXP SP2 and then installed SP3?

What anti-virus application or security suite is installed and is your
subscription current? What anti-spyware applications (other than
Defender)?
What third-party firewall (if any)? Were any of these applications
running
in the background when you installed WinXP SP3 (if you installed it)?

Is Automatic Updates enabled and working? Can you successfully
reach http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com, do a CUSTOM scan for update and
successfully install any critical updates offered?

Tip: I would NOT recommend installing IE7 via Windows Update or even at
this juncture.

SP2 was slipstreamed, then I installed SP3 from a CD before networking
the laptop. We run Symantec AV (server-based). I don't have any
reason to suspect a virus or malware is at work here; it probably had
this issue when I handed the laptop off; I didn't run Word and try to
change font sizes before giving it to the teacher. The laptop is
current on updates, we run WSUS on the network and I went to the
Windowsupdate site after I installed SP3.

Did the behavior exist prior to installing SP3?

Was Symantec AV disabled prior to installing SP3?

WinXP SP3 - Read all prerequisites for a successful installation
http://msmvps.com/blogs/harrywaldro...requisites-for-a-successful-installation.aspx

Free unlimited installation and compatibility support is available for
Windows XP, but only for Service Pack 3 (SP3), until 14 Apr-09. Chat and
e-mail support is available only in the United States and Canada. Go to
http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?gprid=1173 | select "Windows
XP" then select "Windows XP Service Pack 3"

 

[Melissa]

Melissa wrote:
When a user reported to me that the laptop I just refurbished for her
wasn't showing fonts larger than 11pt when she was typing, I assumed
it was a Word problem, as we are running the now-ancient Office 97.
However, when I arrived, she mentioned that when she was in e-mail
(First Class, not Outlook), when she typed in the name of a user who
was online, they disappeared from the To line. (When a user is
online, they show up as boldface in the To/CC lines.)
I sat down at the machine and opened up Word. I typed in some text,
and changed it to 11pt. Fine. Changed it to 12pt, disappeared. The
text was still there (as evidenced by the squiggly red line indicating
I misspelled the word). The font color was still black. I tried to
add a highlight behind it.. the highlight showed but not the text. I
changed the Zoom to 75% and the text reappeared. I changed the font
back to 10pt and zoomed into 125% -- disappeared again! I changed the
font and had no luck with anything except Courier. But even that
disappeared when zoomed in large enough.
I tried our email system (not MS), and Wordpad. Same problem.
I went into the Display settings and changed the Fonts to Extra
Large ... when I did that, the window titles all disappeared, as did
"Start" and the taskbar button titles.
Weeeeeiiiiiiirrrrrrrdd!! I tried updating the video drivers, but
alas, looks like nothing new has been released since the one I'm using
now (2004). The video card is an ATI Mobility Radeon 9000/9100 IGP.
If anyone has ANY thoughts I'm happy to give them a go ... this is the
weirdest issue I've seen in a long time!
I don't want to rebuild this laptop again. I just redid it from
scratch for a 2nd time because the first time around it would lock up
everytime it played a sound. (Yes, I know, the laptop has many
issues.. but I would like to save it, we're a poor elementary school.)
Thanks in advance for your thoughts!
On Dec 23, 3:16 pm, "PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:
How was this laptop "refurbished"? Did you use an Image? Did you do a
Repair Install? Did you format & do a clean install?
The first time it landed on my desk, I used an existing Ghost image to
reimage it. Then it developed the lock-up w/ sound issue, so I
started over from scratch with a fresh copy of XP SP3 (drive was
formatted). I used the latest drivers off of the HP website (it's an
nx9110), but unfortunately the latest drivers for most of them were
from 2004.
You installed a "fresh copy of [Win]XP SP3" (using, e.g., a WinXP CD
w/SP3
slipstreamed) or you installed, e.g., WinXP SP2 and then installed SP3?
What anti-virus application or security suite is installed and is your
subscription current? What anti-spyware applications (other than
Defender)?
What third-party firewall (if any)? Were any of these applications
running
in the background when you installed WinXP SP3 (if you installed it)?
Is Automatic Updates enabled and working? Can you successfully
reachhttp://windowsupdate.microsoft.com, do a CUSTOM scan for update and
successfully install any critical updates offered?
Tip: I would NOT recommend installing IE7 via Windows Update or even at
this juncture.

SP2 was slipstreamed, then I installed SP3 from a CD before networking
the laptop.  We run Symantec AV (server-based).  I don't have any
reason to suspect a virus or malware is at work here; it probably had
this issue when I handed the laptop off; I didn't run Word and try to
change font sizes before giving it to the teacher.  The laptop is
current on updates, we run WSUS on the network and I went to the
Windowsupdate site after I installed SP3.

Did the behavior exist prior to installing SP3?

Was Symantec AV disabled prior to installing SP3?

WinXP SP3 - Read all prerequisites for a successful installationhttp://msmvps.com/blogs/harrywaldron/archive/2008/05/08/windows-xp-sp...

Free unlimited installation and compatibility support is available for
Windows XP, but only for Service Pack 3 (SP3), until 14 Apr-09. Chat and
e-mail support is available only in the United States and Canada.  Go tohttp://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?gprid=1173| select "Windows
XP" then select "Windows XP Service Pack 3"

I don't know whether it was there before SP3; Word wasn't installed
before SP3 and I didn't try changing font sizes in any apps or display
settings before installing SP3; the laptop was only in my possession
for 2 days and I was just installing updates and applications before I
handed it off. I guess I can try contacting Microsoft, although my
experience with their free support offers such as that is they draw
the line immediately if the issue is not directly related to
installation problems with SP3. Maybe I'll try uninstalling SP3 just
to see. *shrug*