J
J Hines
Hello,
I have a Dell Inspiron 8000 laptop, P3 700mhz with 256 mb
RAM and a 32 gb hard drive. When I bought the system, It
came with ME, which I upgraded to XP Home a few months
later.
Up until now, the computer has worked flawlessly, until
last night, when I ran a routine Defrag which freed a
bunch of space (About 22 mb). It completed successfully,
and there was nothing wrong with the computer, until I
booted it up the next morning. All of the Windows system
fonts have now been changed to Symbols and Characters
(ASCII, I think).
The computer runs fine, except that I cannot read
anything, as it is all in code. When I load up webpages,
the address is garbled, but the header information at the
top of the window is correct, as is the content of the
webpages. Word opens, but typing produces the same
characters, and there are no recognized fonts in the font
menu (or in the Fonts folder of Control Panel). Excel
works OK, as doew Powerpoint, although the fonts are not
normal, and I cannot change them at all.
I had thought that this was maybe a virus, so I updated
my McAfee VirusScan 8 definitions, and downloaded the
latest Stinger application, and ran a check. Both came up
empty. I contacted McAfee, to report this as a potential
new virus, and they advised that it probably wasn't, and
that I should reinstall Windows.
I then tried to reinstall Windows, with a number of
problems. First, my copy is an upgrade disc, and when I
insert it, the Autoplay screen comes up, with only the
option to Install Windows (no repair or reinstall). When
I select it, it tales me to a new screen with a drop-down
box with two options, and some writing underneath. All of
this is in the code, so I don;t know what it exactly
means, although trying to decipher it, I came up
with "Upgrade (REcommended)" and "New Install" as the two
options.
No matter which I choose, it takes me to the screen to
input my CD Key, which is back in Canada, as I am
travelling on Buisness in Central America.
Is there some way to fix this problem, bearing in mind
that I cannot read the menus or or folder options due to
the font change, and if so, without reinstalling windows?
Please help me as this problem is very frustrating!!
Sincerely,
Justin
P.S. I have applied all the Serivce Packs and updates
except the most recent Critical Update (Security update),
and the Media Player 9 most recent update.
I have a Dell Inspiron 8000 laptop, P3 700mhz with 256 mb
RAM and a 32 gb hard drive. When I bought the system, It
came with ME, which I upgraded to XP Home a few months
later.
Up until now, the computer has worked flawlessly, until
last night, when I ran a routine Defrag which freed a
bunch of space (About 22 mb). It completed successfully,
and there was nothing wrong with the computer, until I
booted it up the next morning. All of the Windows system
fonts have now been changed to Symbols and Characters
(ASCII, I think).
The computer runs fine, except that I cannot read
anything, as it is all in code. When I load up webpages,
the address is garbled, but the header information at the
top of the window is correct, as is the content of the
webpages. Word opens, but typing produces the same
characters, and there are no recognized fonts in the font
menu (or in the Fonts folder of Control Panel). Excel
works OK, as doew Powerpoint, although the fonts are not
normal, and I cannot change them at all.
I had thought that this was maybe a virus, so I updated
my McAfee VirusScan 8 definitions, and downloaded the
latest Stinger application, and ran a check. Both came up
empty. I contacted McAfee, to report this as a potential
new virus, and they advised that it probably wasn't, and
that I should reinstall Windows.
I then tried to reinstall Windows, with a number of
problems. First, my copy is an upgrade disc, and when I
insert it, the Autoplay screen comes up, with only the
option to Install Windows (no repair or reinstall). When
I select it, it tales me to a new screen with a drop-down
box with two options, and some writing underneath. All of
this is in the code, so I don;t know what it exactly
means, although trying to decipher it, I came up
with "Upgrade (REcommended)" and "New Install" as the two
options.
No matter which I choose, it takes me to the screen to
input my CD Key, which is back in Canada, as I am
travelling on Buisness in Central America.
Is there some way to fix this problem, bearing in mind
that I cannot read the menus or or folder options due to
the font change, and if so, without reinstalling windows?
Please help me as this problem is very frustrating!!
Sincerely,
Justin
P.S. I have applied all the Serivce Packs and updates
except the most recent Critical Update (Security update),
and the Media Player 9 most recent update.