# (Solved) Install New Fonts missing in Wme



## 911 (Mar 26, 2003)

Windows/Me fonts are driving me crazy. The W/me HELP function says that I can add fonts by selecting 'INSTALL NEW FONT' on the File menu of the Fonts folder. There is no such option in the file menu. That is not unusual for W/me, there is a lot of wrong stuff in its Help information (probably left over from W/98). HELP also says I can add ''TrueType" fonts by dragging them into the Fonts folder(C:\WINDOWS\FONTS). When I do that, it seems to work (at least the new font is in the Fonts folder when I look at it) and I can open it with Windows Font viewer, and it appears to be correct. However, when I try to select the font for use in Wordpad (or anything else) the new font is not in the drop-down list. I look back into the fonts folder, and it is still there, but I cannot use it. I restart my system, with the same result. 

Microsoft Knowledge Base (MSKB) advises to shutdown in Safe mode to refresh the Font Cache. It did no good. MSKB next advises to use FONTREG.exe and that also does no good. MSKB also advises use of a registry key that does not exist in Wme, and a procedure that includes use of the INSTALL NEW FONT option on the Font Folder File menu, and of course, that is not there in Wme. 

Neither AVG nor Norton VirusScan can find a virus, nor can Ad-aware or Spybot find any spyware. Does anyone know what may be wrong, and how to fix it ? ---911


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## Davey7549 (Feb 28, 2001)

When installing new fonts first place the .TTF file in a known location and then go to start\settings\control panel\fonts and then select file\install new fonts. Follow the prompts from that point.

See screen shot for info.

Let us know if that helps.

Dave


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## 911 (Mar 26, 2003)

Thank you, davey7549. That was the first thing I tried. I guess I was not clear enough in my explanation of the problem. Wme does not contain the magic words in the File menu of the Fonts folder. (see attached screen shot).

PS. I was one of those guys who invented the computer (IBM in the '50s) and now it is driving me crazy !


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## Davey7549 (Feb 28, 2001)

911
Sorry I missed the statement that the "install new font" was missing. We have a major clue here to what is going on. If you look at my screenshot of my fonts folder and compare it to yours you will see the folders are actually different. 
Here is why before we get to how to correct it.....
The fonts folder is what is called a special folder which contains special attributes different from the standard windows folder. There are many special folders in windows some of which are "My Favorites", My Documents", "My Pictures", My Computer" and so on. I am sure knowing now you could name more. Anyway what has happened your fonts folder is no longer seen by windows as a "Special" folder and is displaying it as it would display any other non-special folder.
In order to fix this problem you will need a WinME bootdisk that has minimal support as an option. If you have not created one for emergency use then now is the time to do so.
Follow these steps below:

Step 1- Have a clean formatted 3.5 floppy disc handy
Step 2- Go to start\settings\control panel\add-remove programs
Step 3- Click the Start-up disk tab up top
Step 4- Insert Floppy in drive and click the Create Disk tab
Step 5- After Disk is created label for future use since this is used for your access to DOS.

If for some reason your system will not create a boot disk then go to the site listed below and download the WinME version of the bootdisk placing the program on desktop. Double click program to open and it will instruct you to insert disk in drive and it will set up bootdisk for you.
Click here for bootdisk!

Now the fun part. We are going to restore this folders status using three methods. Anyone of the three may fix the problem so we will have to check to see if it is fixed after each method.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Method 1*

Step 1- Close all applications running and restart system with bootdisk in floppy drive

Step 2- When selection screen appears arrow down to "Minimal Support" and hit enter

Step 3- Once to A>Prompt type in C: and hit enter
You are now accessing C: drive in DOS mode

Step 4- Type the following *CD Windows* and hit enter
Your string now should read *C:\Windows* which meads you are in the Windows folder.

Step 5- Type the following command *attrib fonts +s* and hit enter
The above command is telling windows to assign the +s (special) Attrib (Attribute) to the fonts folder

Step 6- After attribute is assigned remove floppy disk and Control,Alt,Delete twice to restart system.

Step 7- In normal mode access fonts folder to see if all is well

If not continue below
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Method 2*

Step 1- Have you WinME install disk handy since you will need to retrieve a program from it. If you do not have it then maybe we can use the CAB files that should be stored on your system. So each step below will have to methods. For instance Step 2 = using install disk and Step 2A is using CAB files. See note at bottom of post for CAB file Locations.

Step 2- Insert Install CD in CD Drive and hold down Shift key to prevent Autorun. After CD stops turning enter "MY Computer to see what Drive letter the Install CD is in. For the sake of this discussion I will assume E:
Step 2A- No CAB file action required here

Step 3- Go to Start\Run and type in *Msconfig* and hit enter
Step 3A- Same for CAB file access

Step 4- On the Msconfig display you will see a Extract Button click on that 
Step 4A- No CAB file action required here

Step 5- Input *fontext.dll* then click start
Step 5A- Same for CAB file access

Step 6- Enter in the "Restore From" input window the following: *E:\ * where E: is your CD Drive letter assigned
Step 6A- Enter in the "Restore From" input window the following: *C:\Windows\Options\Cabs* or *C:\Windows\Options\Install* depending on which folder they are in. See bottom note!

Step 7- Enter in the "Save File To" input window the following:
*C:\Windows\System* then hit enter
Step 7A- Same for CAB file access

After Extract is complete then restart system in normal mode and see if problem is solved.

Note: If Windows comes back and says File in use then Do instructions above in SafeMode. To Enter Safemode Restart system and keep Tapping the F8 key until selection screen for safemode appears and select it there.

Don't forget to remove CD from drive!

If not continue
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Method 3*

Step 1- Using your WinME bootdisk restart system in Minimal Support

Step 2- Get to C:\Drive as noted above

Step 3- Type *CD Windows\fonts* then hit enter
The string should now be C:\Windows\Fonts which means you are in the fonts folder.

Step 4- Type *dir desktop.ini* then hit enter
This should display a file called desktop.ini which is the one we are after

Step 5- Type *Ren Desktop.ini Desktop.old* then hit enter
It may ask you if you want to do that so say *Y*es
This action will *Ren*der the desktop.ini file to another name of desktop.old

Step 6- Control,Alt,Del twice after you remove Floppy Disk from drive

Windows ME has a function called System File Protect (SFP) for short. It should recognize the Desktop.ini is missing and replace it automatically for you. If not then use the Extraction process above substituting Desktop.ini for File to be extracted and the Save to location is C:\Windows\Fonts
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Special Cab file Notes:
CAB files are compressed files and in this case all the files\programs used by Windows for installing windows. CAB files are also used for other purposes such as Restore Files sets and other functions so do not think all CAB files are for Windows install. Locate the Set of CABs we need. They are either in C:\Windows\Options folder or in the C:\Windows\Options\Install folder. Make note of location because you will need it later.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well 911 I hope that handles the problem for you. Come back and let us know how it went and if you need further assistance.

Take Care
Dave


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## Davey7549 (Feb 28, 2001)

911

Also wanted to mention "Welcome to TSG!" and I see you have had a wonderful career With IBM helping create these monsters we now work with these days. I had the privilege to start working with computers back in the late 1960's while in the Military but most were for special uses and not personal or business computing machines. Later on in Civilian life I started working with IBM Mainframes and Dumb Terminals which was a special time in my life for many years.

Well take care and let us know if the above helps.

Dave


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## 911 (Mar 26, 2003)

Davy7549, I gave it my best try. I had no trouble with method #1, but it did not fix the problem. For method #2, I tried to use the 3 disk 'System Restoration Kit' that came with the system, (I do not have a Windows install CD) but I could not extract FONTEXT.DLL from any of the 3 CDs. (File not found). When I tried method #2a, there was no Fontext.dll file in either C:\windows\options\cabs or in C:\windows\options\install. MSCONFIG just says "file not found" . There is a FONTEXT.DLL file in Windows\System at present, but nowhere else that I can find. 

Method #3 could not find desktop.ini in the FONTS folder. There are 19 "desktop.ini" files in the system, but none in the Fonts folder. Apparently, FSP is not disturbed by this. (See attachment for desktop.ini files)

What should I try next ? ---911


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## Davey7549 (Feb 28, 2001)

911
Do a search on your system, for the Win_18.cab specifically and then also type in *.cab in the search files and folders which should list all the cab files on your system.
In order for System Restore to work properly with the SFP program your Cab files should be on the Hard Drive in some directory. Normally C:\Windows\Options\Cabs or C:\Windows\Options\Install folders.

If the Win_18.cab folder appears during your search make note of its path and make sure you use that for the Restore From in the extract process.

As far as desktop.ini I am not sure why it was not in the font folder because it should be. It contains an entry:
[.ShellClassInfo]
UICLSID={BD84B380-8CA2-1069-AB1D-08000948F534} 
Which tells Explorer to display as a Special Fonts Folder using fontext.dll in a registry entry.

I may be part of the problem or it was hidden to you and must be uncovered using the "Show Hidden files" option located in Start\Settings\Control Panel\Folder Options\View tab, scroll to View hidden files select same and click Apply then OK.

Since we know the elements that appear to have been missing on your system we should be able to work through this OK but will have to do the steps in order.

I am posting a txt file here so I do not have to look-up the reg entry again later in case we need them. Now is is only a reference but we may use it later in the process.

First see if you can locate the desktop.ini file that should be in the fonts folder and if none exists then locate the Win_18.cab file and see if you can extract a copy of Desktop.ini from it and place it in C:\Windows\Fonts folder.

PS: A little Note here should explain why you may not be able to find some stuff you know should be there but does not show when you search.

If a file or folder has the Hidden Attribute set it will not show if the folder options are set to exclude them.
Also
A CAB file is a special compressed file that contains many items such as a zip file does. As a matter of fact WinZip or other comparable Zip programs will open CAB files for research. Anyway CAB files cannot be searched as a file or folder entity because to the normal search program the standard character strings with spaces and so on do not exist since the file has been compressed. The file in the compressed state will however allow a search using text strings only. For instance if you do a search for the desktop.ini file and want to include compressed files such as Win_18.Cab then you must input the desktop.ini in the "Containing Text" field of the search window.

Dave


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## 911 (Mar 26, 2003)

OK. I found the Win_18.cab in C:\CABS. It is a zipped file. I assume you want me to use method #2 using that path. (I will wait for your go ahead before doing it). I have been aware of the Microsoft file-hiding fetish for some time, and none of my files (or filetypes) are hidden (at least not with my permission - but I know MS still has files they will even let me ask to see).

Windows does seem to think there are some special attributes to the fonts folder as it is, because it will not allow me to rename or delete that folder, nor to rename any of the fonts in the folder. I can drag them out to the desktop, rename them there, and drag them back in, but this does not help me to use them. . ---911


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## Davey7549 (Feb 28, 2001)

911
Yes I want you to use Method 2 for extracting both the desktop.ini first and then the fontext.dll

The desktop.ini "Restore From" field will be C:\Cabs\Win_18.cab and it "save to" location will be C:\Windows\Fonts

Then for the fontext.dll the "Restore from" will be just C:\Cabs and the "Save to" will be C:\Windows\System

Keep me post to your progress.

Dave


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## 911 (Mar 26, 2003)

Well, I am 1 for 2 on this. I was able to extract the Fontext.Dll into the System folder. I saved the one I already had, and overwrote it with the new one. It did not help the problem.

Extracting desktop.ini was not successful. (see attachment) I am wondering if I could just create a desktop..ini file and drag it into the Font folder. Are the contents unique, or could I use one of the other 19 desktop.ini files in this system ? ---911


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## hakavon (Jun 13, 2003)

As for fonts not being available, I found something similar with Windows 98.

This method hasn't worked straight across the board, because I still don't have all the fonts show up in the MICROSOFT WORKS word processor that came with my computer. (Some added fonts do, some don't.) In every other use, tho', it does seem to work.

For starters, I found four (I think) different font files in my computer. If you need the actual names, I can get them for you.

Anyway, I load any new font into ALL the font files, not just one.

Then, I OPEN the file (click or double click on it) in the file folder, and then click on X to close the window showing the font.

After that, the font is usable. IF I DON'T OPEN IT IN THE FONT FOLDER FIRST, it seems the newly installed font won't work.

I have NO idea if this holds with all computers or just mine, and as mentioned don't know why my best word processor doesn't end up able to use all the new fonts I install.

Still, you could try it and if it works, your problem is solved.


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## Davey7549 (Feb 28, 2001)

911
We will need to find a way to get the desktop.ini into the fonts folder since it is necessary for it function.
I will draft instructions later today referring to some procedures we can try. The first thing we need to do is confirm the desktop.ini is indeed in Win_18.cab file.
To do this run a "containing text" search of c:\cabs folder for desktop.ini and see if it contains the file and where it is contained.

Dave


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## 911 (Mar 26, 2003)

davey7549: Weirdness abounds! Search "containing text" for desktop.ini indicates Win_18.cab but extract (from msconfig) results in 'file not found'. It seems that it is both there and not there. ---911
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------HAKAVON :That's a good suggestion, but all the other font files I have are small ones, that seem to be part of Email (Juno) or word-processor programs (Jarte, Abiword, etc). They are small fonts files that I believe are concatenated to the Windows font file to insure that the fonts they use are available. Nevertheless, I will try the suggestion that I put new fonts into each of them to see if it helps. As for opening each new font in the fonts folder, I have done that without success. I have opened them , closed them, deleted them, restored them, and renamed them many times but I still cannot seem to use them. ---911


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## Davey7549 (Feb 28, 2001)

911
Well I am not sure why you are having this problem extracting the desktop.ini file since it is a resident of the win_18.cab file.
We can go in two directions here to get over this hump:

1) You can use the Private Message option below my postings and send me your private E-mail address. After receiving it I will send you a copy of the desktop.ini from my Win_18.cab. 

2) If you have a Zip program such as Winzip you can locate the Win_18.cab and unzip it to its resident folder.

After using either method above I will instruct you how to use the DOS commands to copy desktop.ini from its location to the C:\Windows\Fonts folder. We will have to use DOS because I believe the system will find the folder in use and not allow a copy when active during a normal or safemode session of windows.

If I receive your E-mail Addy I will also send you a reg file file containing the proper Registry entries to go along with the desktop.ini fonts folder relationship. Otherwise I will instruct how to locate and change.

Dave


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## Davey7549 (Feb 28, 2001)

911
Here is the DOS cammand to copy the Desktop.ini to the fonts folder.

Step- 1 Boot to Minimal support using the Bootdisk you created before.
Step- 2 At A:>Prompt type C: and hit enter
Step- 3 At C:>Prompt type the following * Copy /Y C:\win_18\Desktop.ini C:\Windows\Fonts /V* then hit enter
Note: The /Y is to prevent a prompt to confirm copy and the /V is to verify that the copy took place.
Step- 4 Restart system and see if Fonts folder is as it should be with the "Install new font" in file section.

If not do a search for the desktop.ini file and make sure it is in the fonts folder and then I will E-Mail the reg fix to you.

Dave


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## 911 (Mar 26, 2003)

Well Davey, it looks like we got there, but by a round-about route. When I used the Dos commands you gave me, I got: "File not found - C win_18\desktop.ini C:\windows\fonts"

It is not clear to me from the response whether it could not find win_18 or desktop.ini I repeated the commands using win_18.cab, but the result was the same. For some reason, neither Msconfig's Extract, nor DOS's copy function is able to find those files, even though they certainly exist. By the way - how does one exit from DOS ? I had to restart the system to get rid of that black screen.

Back in Windows, I located Win_18.cab with Search, and used Winzip to extract it into a folder on my desktop. Then I opened the Fonts folder, and dragged desktop.ini from the desktop folder into the Fonts folder, and restarted the system. When I opened the fonts folder, I had 'Install New Font' in the file menu, and I was able to install fonts that I could not use previously. Strangely enough, when I tried to install the fonts, I was told that they were already installed (even though I could not use them). After I deleted them, and installed them again, they now appear on the drop-down list of fonts that I can select. 

Thank you very much. I am greatly in your debt for all the effort that you expended to help me solve this strange problem. You were dead right about the nature of the problem, and I cannot explain the vagaries of Windows Me that prevented your initial solution from working. I also have no idea how desktop.ini got lost from the Fonts folder, or where the 'Install New Font' came from, because it was not contained in the desktop.ini file. ---911


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## Davey7549 (Feb 28, 2001)

911
All's well that ends Well!

To exit DOS you just Control,Alt,Delete (CAD) for short.

The Desktop.INI Contains a Class ID which directs through the registry certian functions one which is Fontext.dll. 

If you take a look at the Text file I attached early you will what your registry actually holds for that CLSid.

Take care and will consider this matter solved.

Dave

PS: Who knows what caused the loss of the Desktop.ini file. Could of been a bad shutdown, improper write to disk, defective area on hard drive, who knows for sure. You may want to run a through scandisk to make sure you have not developed bad areas on disk.


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