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_Thomas_C_Rogers_
Participating Frequently
August 7, 2008
Question

Unable to install Type 1 fonts in Windows XP

  • August 7, 2008
  • 69 replies
  • 44519 views
I'm having problems loading Type 1 fonts into Windows XP. I loaded ATM 4.1 light and get the following error message when trying to load the fonts through it: 'Cannot activate font <fontname>. The font files are invalid.'<br /><br />I've removed ATM 4.1 from my computer and ran the ATM 4.1 light updater to fix the registry problem, but now get the following error message when trying to load the fonts through the windows font folder: 'Unable to install the <fontname> font. File "D:\fontname___.pfm is either invalid or damaged"' <br /><br />So I'm thinking that the registry is not completely fixed as it seems the .pfm files are not being associated properly. I've tried re installing windows and that did nothing. I would really prefer not to have to re format the hard drive and start from scratch as I already had to do that with this brand new Dell laptop due to issues with MS Office. I guess that's my worst case scenario. I also have Adobe Photoshop CS2, Illustrator CS2, and Acrobat Pro 8.0 on the computer. I don't think any of those would be causing my problems, but I mention it in case might. <br /><br />Does anyone have any ideas of how I can fix this problem? Thanks, Tom
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    69 replies

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    _Ida_Chen_
    Participant
    December 20, 2008
    I have just purchased a Dell Precision 4400. When I tried to install my Type 1 fonts, I kept getting the error message: "the *.PFM file is either invalid or damaged". This is a disaster as we have thousands of files with Helvetica.

    Early this morning (Saturday!), I got a call from a terrific Dell tech, Cyndi Fleck. I had sent her the link to this Adobe forum topic. She took over my laptop and did the registry change in #65 (I'm such a chicken about the registry) and the Type 1 fonts loaded like a charm.

    Thank you so much Dave Ingraham as I would either have paid an IT expert to TRY and solve this problem, or sent the laptop back assuming it was defective.

    Cyndi said she would distribute your solution to other Dell techs so you are likely going to help many others by sharing your knowledge here. I know you saved me a lot of frustration. Thanks.
    T
    Thomas Phinney
    Inspiring
    December 13, 2008
    This is fascinating news. Thanks for sharing!

    T
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    _dave_ingraham_
    Participating Frequently
    December 9, 2008
    Glad to hear it worked for someone else, on a different brand of computer. Hopefully this can work for everyone having the same problem.
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    _Patrick_Falso_
    Participant
    December 9, 2008
    Dave:

    THANK YOU! It worked.

    I'll be sure and forward the fix to Dell's tech group that was about to have me return my Vostro and upgrade to a workstation class laptop.
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    _dave_ingraham_
    Participating Frequently
    December 9, 2008
    I received a workaround fix from HP concerning this. Below is their email to me:

    --- start of email from HP ---

    Good news. Nvidia has identified the problem and provided a fix. The way it was explained to me, Windows expects the device driver to be a certain size (maximum). In this case, the nvidia driver is slightly larger than expected. A simply registry entry will resolve the issue in WinXP (the issue doesn't occur in Vista).

    To resolve the problem, do the following:

    Open the registry editor (regedit)

    Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management

    Add a new REG_DWORD entry called SessionImageSize with a value (decimal) of 20

    Reboot

    The Type 1 fonts should now open/install without any problems.

    --- End of HP email ---

    I did what was suggested and was I able to install my Type 1 fonts.

    Dave
    R
    RamAdo1
    Participant
    September 6, 2009

    THANK YOU also from Barcelone! After hours with many support people no one could figure out why in some of our Dell Vostro fonts Type 1 loaded at the first time and the same files returned and error like bad file in other Vostro same model...until your post. Take sure I will always mention the source ie YOU and this forum. You deserve it!...Obviousle the Vostros that loaded ok at first time didn't get the Nvidia card installed.

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    _Patrick_Falso_
    Participant
    December 9, 2008
    I'm hoping someone can help me locate the an older video driver for my new Dell Vostro 2510 laptop.

    Same problems installing type 1 fonts in XP Pro as everyone else.

    My understanding is that the video driver for my Invidia GE Force 8400M GS needs to come from Dell. They don't have an updated driver and I'd rather not scrap the laptop, buy a new one, and reinstall everything.

    I do see an updated driver on Indivia's site, but I"m afraid of potential hardware conflicts with a non-dell driver.

    HELP!!
    T
    Thomas Phinney
    Inspiring
    November 25, 2008
    There are other things to like, such as PowerPoint *finally* supporting kerning. Of course, it's off by default, but it least it can be turned on.

    Then again, I still spend absurd amounts of time trying to figure out how to do basic tasks, after using it for about six months. :(

    Cheers,

    T
    T
    Thomas Phinney
    Inspiring
    November 22, 2008
    Some of this dialog stuff is better in Office 2007, btw.

    T
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    _Herb_V_B_
    Participating Frequently
    November 23, 2008
    That's the first time I've heard anybody outside of MS say anything
    good about office 2007!
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    _Dominic_Hurley_
    Participating Frequently
    November 18, 2008
    Regardless of whether most people are aware of or use the font dialogue and accepting that the messages are not particularly clear, for those who want to know it is possible to tell if a faux font is being used by those MS apps.
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    _Dominic_Hurley_
    Participating Frequently
    November 16, 2008
    >A downside of that approach is that there's no way to tell if the font has the alternate styles available

    Not so for MS apps, at least. They will usually say in the font dialogue whether a font is "installed for screen display only" and, if so, "the closest available font will be used for printing". This is MS's way of saying a faux font will be used.
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    _Herb_V_B_
    Participating Frequently
    November 18, 2008
    Herb wrote:

    A downside of that approach [The MS faux fonts vs. real bold & italic)
    is that there's no way to tell if the font has the alternate styles
    available


    To which Dom replied:

    Not so for MS apps, at least. They will usually say in the font
    dialogue whether a font is "installed for screen display only" and, if
    so, "the closest available font will be used for printing". This is
    MS's way of saying a faux font will be used.

    And Herb adds:

    [Comments are based on MS Office 2003]

    That message, very small at the bottom of a crowded dialog box, is
    almost NEVER noticed and almost as rarely is it even seen! The dialog
    box itself is seldom used by most people; of course for those people
    who never use it, it probably doesn't matter anyway.

    The messages presented there differ between Type 1 and Truetype fonts.
    Both are misleading.

    For an installed TrueType font-style, the message reads:
    "This is a True Type font. This font will be used on both printer
    and screen."

    For an installed Type 1 or OTF font-style, it reads:
    "This is a scalable printer font. The screen image may not match
    printed output."

    MS Office Apps describe Type 1 and .otf fonts as "Printer Fonts", and
    associate a printer-looking icon in font selection drop-down lists.

    Selected styles that are NOT available, either TT or T1, yield the
    same message:
    "This font style is imitated for display. The closest matching
    style will be printed."

    - Herb
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