font changed in "All Programs" menu, etc.

[Judi Tousley]

WinXP sp2, Outlook 2002

When I rebooted my computer today the fonts are all messed up. Not sure what
might be the culprit...my kids or a new install of Roxio Easy Media Creator
7.5., or maybe just the elusive computer gremlin that visits from time to
time. I've been able to fix most of the fonts, except for a few. I get a
bold font for the following:

----the menu for ALL PROGRAMS
----the butons showing open programs on the Taskbar
----the time & stuff in the SysTray
----in Outlook, half the text is bold. The toolbars, menus and dialog box
text is bold. Every email in the list is bold...cannot right click and
select "mark as unread". (In Outlook Express, however, the fonts are not
bold at all. Same with IE, fonts are OK.)
----In Word, Excel and other Microsoft applications, the toolbars, menus and
dialog box text is bold

Most of it I can live with but do not like it. In Outlook, however, I need
the ability to mark emails as "read" (bold) and "unread" (not bold). Anyone
know how to fix these fonts? I've been to the advanced appearance section of
Display Properties and have changed every item that shows a font to
"unbolded MS Sans Serif."

Judi

 

[Guest]

Since this has only just occurred, perhaps you might consider using System
Restore to go back a couple of days. If you try this solution, please let us
know the results.

 

[Judi Tousley]

If I use the system restore, will I lose whatever emails or additions to my
address book happened within the past XX days?

Judi

 

[Guest]

System Restore, as its name suggests, restores the system iteslf to an
earlier period, but not data files and folders: if it did otherwise, none of
us would ever use it. That means that programs and applications recently
added will disappear. But this should not affect data in email folders or
your address book.

However, this raises a general issue. How do you back up your data and files
that you have created yourself? Do you know how to back up email folders
and/or email address book? I assume you don't because of the question you
have asked. If you want to discuss this as an independent issue, please let
me know: I back up my ata on a daily basis.

I recommend you use System Restore first to go back to a time before you
installed new applications, if that is possible.In any event, if the problem
you described is only very recent, use the System Restore point and date that
is antecedent to your recognition of the problem.

 

[Judi Tousley]

Neil, thanks for the info on system restore, and what does and does not
change.

I do know how to back up all the necessary docs, including email folders and
address book. Thanks for asking. However, my CD/DVD drives were not
working...from an iPod install...hence the upgrade for Roxio to see if it
would override the iPod problems. When I wrote earlier, did not know if the
drives were operable (backups are burned to CDs or DVDs) and didn't want to
revert to an earlier state if I'd lose important email stuff. I did test the
drives and the Roxio upgrade worked...I can make CDs/DVDs...but the font
problems cropped up. Geez, one fix makes another goof...and I still haven't
opened iPod to see what is going on there.

I have to finish a newsletter, burn it to CD for the print shop, and then
will try your suggestion using system restore. It will be interesting to see
if reverting to an earlier date fixes the fonts...and then if the Roxio
reinstall goofs them up again. I'll keep the group posted. Again, thanks for
your help thus far.

There are days when I really hate computers.
;->

Judi

 

[Kelly]

Hi Judi,

Start here:
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.mexer.c.worm.html

Run Ad-Aware SE, Spybot, CWShredder and HijackThis:
http://www.majorgeeks.com/downloads31.html

Note: Update the first two programs, once installed, before running.

Free Online Virus Scan
http://housecall.trendmicro.com/housecall/start_corp.asp

Good luck and keep us posted!

--

All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP)

Troubleshooting Windows XP
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com