Brainiac

Answered

Problems in Windows 10 Creators Update with Fonts Installed via “Shortcut”!

Forum|Forum|8 years ago
July 13, 2017
7 replies
32683 views

We have recently become aware of an anomaly that was introduced with the Windows 10 Creators Update affecting fonts that are installed via “shortcut.”

Most fonts are either installed by the operating system or applications directly into the C:\Windows\Fonts directory and users can install fonts into that directory by right-clicking on a font and selecting “Install.” However, Windows also offers the option to install a font but keeping the font file itself in some other location in the file system. This option is invoked by right-clicking on the font file and selecting the “Install as Shortcut” option. (Many of us use such “Shortcut” installation of fonts as a means of disciplined housekeeping for large numbers of fonts and font families!)

The anomaly is that after powering up / rebooting your system, fonts installed via “Shortcut” won't appear either in the Fonts Control Panel or in applications' font lists.

By simply rebooting your system, those installed by “Shortcut” fonts will reappear in the Fonts Control Panel and the applications' font lists. Thus, if you have any such installed by “Shortcut" fonts, you will always need to do a second boot of your computer system until Microsoft fixes this nasty bug. Alternatively, you can uninstall those particular fonts and reinstall them via the normal “Install” which places the font files themselves in the C:\Windows\Fonts directory.

Important Note — This anomaly does NOT appear to affect Typekit font synchronization in any way!

Microsoft is aware of the problem, but we have no ETA for a fix. (The July 11 Windows 10 update does not fix the problem!)

- Dov Isaacs, Principal Scientist, Adobe Systems Incorporated

This topic has been closed for replies.

Correct answer Dov Isaacs

Update on the Windows 10 Creators Update Linked Font Bug

On behalf of Adobe and its customers, I officially submitted a bug report to Microsoft with regards to this serious problem.

Working closely with one of their Senior Escalation Engineers in their Windows Support organization, Microsoft was readily able to reproduce the problem exactly as I represented it to them.

Good News – Microsoft now acknowledges that this is a bug and that it will be fixed. Apparently the bug was introduced as part of major changes associated with improved security in the boot process.

Bad News – The permanent fix for the bug will appear in the Windows 10 Creators Fall Update, the exact release date TBD. This fix isn't something that is readily exportable as a patch in one of the upcoming monthly updates.

Good News – There is a very reliable workaround, based on a single registry entry, which forces rebuild of the font cache at bootup. The side effect is slightly increased boot time, but if you have a reasonably robust hardware configuration (SSDs, fast processor, a good amount of memory, etc.), this increased boot time should not be that noticeable. (My systems are particularly well-endowed in terms of such resources and also have close to 2000 typefaces installed. I see no noticeable difference in boot times!)

I have attached two registry files. To avoid problems of “issues” with e-mail and other systems censoring .reg suffix file attachments, I have renamed them with a .rex file suffix. Change the file suffixes to .reg to be able to double-click and apply the registry changes. (You may need to extract these files from a .zip container first!)

Use file Temp_Fix_Windows_10_Creators_Update_LinkedFont_Bug.reg to install the temporary fix:

File Contents:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\GRE_Initialize]
"DisableFontBootCache"=dword:00000001

Obviously, you will need to reboot your system after having applied this registry change.

Use file Undo_Temp_Fix_Windows_10_Creators_Update_LinkedFont_Bug.reg to remove the temporary fix (you'll need to use this prior to installing the Windows 10 Creators Fall Update):

File Contents:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\GRE_Initialize]
"DisableFontBootCache"=-

Microsoft offered a second workaround which I don't recommend – deleting the font cache file as part of the logoff process. This effectively accomplishes the same thing with the same increased boot time, but quite frankly, if a system crashes or otherwise reboots without logoff, you can't count on this workaround since a logoff script won't be run.

I'll update this thread if and when I get further information from Microsoft confirming that the fix has been made, tested, and included in the Windows 10 Creators Fall Update (or if miraculously, an earlier fix is made available)!

- Dov

A

Anonymous

New update today [Windows 10, version 1709, also known as the Fall Creators Update] still doesn't seem to have fixed the font issue. I am so frustrated with this font issue. Can't work like this..it's not creative at all.

Dov IsaacsAuthor

Brainiac

Our tests, including all three of my Windows 10 x64 systems show that the font issue is fixed in the Windows 10 1709 release. And we have similar reports from many other users that the problem was fixed.

What happens if you reinstall the fonts (as shortcut) and reboot and reboot and reboot? The problem still occurring?

- Dov

- Dov Isaacs, former Adobe Principal Scientist (April 30, 1990 - May 30, 2021)

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Anonymous

Good to know thanks...will try rebooting a thousand times. I am using a font manager - NexusFont. Leaving fonts in it's location. I've been uninstalling and reinstalling fonts when my projects says it's missing ever since this issue occured. That has worked most times.

But I will post an update on this.. Thanks Dov!

A

Ahari511

New Participant

Thank you for the explanation to all my font woes!!

I have just installed the Fall Creators update and can confirm my font troubles are gone!! All my fonts are suddenly back, including fonts installed as shortcuts.

I have rebooted a few times and the fonts are still there.

Yayy!! No more mysteriously vanishing fonts!!

Dov IsaacsAuthor

Brainiac

Thanks for your report. Ironically, since I am travelling with only a single Windows 10 system, I was not able to install the Fall Creators Update yet (and I certainly wouldn't since if anything goes wrong, I would be without a system).

I'll confirm your findings on this list when I get to do the upgrade/update on my systems (and will remove the registry patch as well).

- Dov

- Dov Isaacs, former Adobe Principal Scientist (April 30, 1990 - May 30, 2021)

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inlooker009

New Participant

I am happy to tell you I have successfully updated both my PC and my Surface Tablet with the Fall Creator Update (last night) and both installed without a glitch. The fonts issue seems to finally be resolved. (it only took almost a year but it's fixed). I have rebooted both machines several times just to make sure it is stable and without font issues and all seems to work properly.

Thanks again Dov for the previous temp fix.

R

rachelb87041668

New Participant

Sorry I am not the best with computers but does this look right for the instructions?
I am just wanting some confirmation before I press OK
Lost all my fonts and cannot load CorelDraw at all and it's Sunday so been looking round the internet for last couple of hours to see if I can solve!

Dov IsaacsAuthor

Brainiac

That looks correct in terms of mimicking the registry script I provided (why not use them directly?)!

However, the symptom fixed by this registry entry is not that of losing all fonts, but rather, only the fonts that were installed by right clicking on the font file and using the Install as Shortcut option (for which the system doesn't physically copy the font file to the Windows system font directory but rather, uses the font wherever it is located. Also, the problem occurs on alternate boots of your system. If these are not the symptoms you are seeing, then there is something else going on. However, applying this fix should not cause any damage.

Note that at Adobe we have no idea whatsoever how these font issues may or may not affect CorelDraw (which may be experiencing some other Windows 10 incompatibility issue).

- Dov

- Dov Isaacs, former Adobe Principal Scientist (April 30, 1990 - May 30, 2021)

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rachelb87041668

New Participant

Thanks, I will be contacting Corel today to see if they can help.
I had no idea how to follow the instructions other than follow the registry path.
I have left it for now as I feel there is something else going on when you cannot even see the MS fonts too.

Many thanks for the reply

Rachel

A

Anonymous

This worked well on my windows 10 machine. I appreciate the support. I am hoping that I don't run into trouble change the registry entry back when the next update is released.

Dov IsaacsAuthor

Brainiac

I did test the uninstall and it does work. The real question is whether Microsoft will deliver the fix in the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update due mid-October.

I'll report back with my findings at that time!

- Dov

- Dov Isaacs, former Adobe Principal Scientist (April 30, 1990 - May 30, 2021)

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inlooker009

New Participant

Hi Dov, I just want to say THANK YOU for providing this registry fix! At last something that works!

This is something Microsoft should have fixed months and months ago. I spent countless hours pulling my hair and even contacting Microsoft tech support trying to find solutions that worked. Even their level 3 technicians had NO CLUE what to do...

I just hope the next Win update does not remove my fix.

Dov IsaacsAuthorCorrect answer