I use windows xp media center edition. Most of my text displays as unreadable symbols. Everything else seems fine. Some text is readable, though I can't recognize a pattern of which texts will work. In Control Panel, the Fonts folder is empty. I ran Panda antivirus, which did find viruses and did correct them around the time this problem started. Any clue how to get these fonts back without a reboot? It may prove difficult to back up files that I can't read the names of...

To re-install all XP fonts without having to re-install XP:

Two Options:

Make a work folder - say C:\Tempfont
Put the CD in the drive and exit from the auto-run.

Start - Run - CMD.EXE
and in that give the letter of the CD drive (say Z - so
Z:
CD i386
EXPAND *.TT C:\TEMPFONT
EXPAND *,FO C:\TEMPFONT
C:
CD \TEMPFONT
REN *.TT *.TTF
REN *.FO *.FON
EXIT

That will extract all 298 fonts to C:\TEMPFONT. You can then go to the
Fonts folder, Browse to C:\Tempfont, and select the ones you need.

Check the 'Copy to fonts folder' box before OK. Once you are sure you
have everything you need, you can delete the work folder.

Option #2:

Move the contents of the Fonts folder to an empty folder. By opening the
Fonts folder, select all the fonts, copy them, and paste them to a new
folder.

Open your registry and find the key below:

HKEY LOCAL MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Fonts

Highlight the key and press DELETE. Once the key has been deleted create
a new key to replace it, by selecting Edit -> New -> Key and name the
new key [Fonts].

Restart the computer, then re-install the fonts by opening the Control
Panel, double-click on 'Fonts'. And from the File menu select 'Install
New Fonts...' adding the fonts that were previously copied to the
temporary directory.

Fonts Supplied with Windows XP
http://www.microsoft.com/typography/fonts/winxp.htm

This info from KellysKorner

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp.htm

I got as far as chosing the "F" drive with what is called "Vaio Recovery Disk I". The basic response was that none of those files could be found. I got a Sony Vaio that came with no disk. I believe I was prompted to make a recovery disk and actually have 3. Should I try a different one? Also, if I change the theme in control panel, it corrects my problem until I reset my CPU, and I'm left with symbols. I tried going to the fonts folder in control panel and installing all my fonts from out of c:windows/fonts. This seems to work, but it all goes away when I restart. I run System Mechanic and Panda Antivirus, I show no viruses. I did some scans from web sites, and still come up clean. Thanks for your time.

ok... found some similar problems... one solution was to do a system restore to a point before this started to happen (if you have such a point).

All fonts scrambled at startup. Help

the other was a registry problem:

"Based on another font-related post in this group, I went and had a
look at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\Fonts
and found that it had disappeared! Asked a friend to export a copy of it on his machine, imported it on mine, and it looks like (fingers crossed) it's okay
now..."

or if the registry key is not completely gone look for entries that contain an "&"

"The problem is caused by some corrupted fonts. Please try the following
Workaround.

1. Click Start->Run->Type regedit and click OK.

2. Locate the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Fonts

3. Click File->Export the Fonts registry as a backup. You can save it as
backup.reg.

4. In the right panel, delete the items which contains the character "&".

5. Close the registry editor."

I'm not sure if anyone is still checking this thread, but I'm having this problem on my other computer. I'm afraid I'm not totally computer savvy, and don't know where to start. I don't know how to do any of the things mentioned here if all my text is in symbols. Please help. I know the instructions here have helped others fix this virus.

It would be best to start your own thread; but anyway;

Did this just happen? If so try a system restore to a point prior to the happening:

Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore

Also check your fonts folder via Start > Control Panel > Fonts ...is it full of fonts or empty?

Thank god someone's reading this. I'm on another computer right now, as ALL TEXT on the other one is in symbol. How can I 'Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore' or 'Also check your fonts folder via Start > Control Panel > Fonts ...is it full of fonts or empty' if I can't read anything...even where I know start should be? I still get icons, and folders, and windows. The internet opens normally and is in english. I don't know where to start.

Are you familiar with Safe Mode?

Reboot the machine & after the BIOS POST start clicking F8 repeatedly

You should get a screen with boot options ... if, as I say this is a recent problem, then look for System Restore in Safe Mode.

Thank you, I'll try this as soon as I get back to the other computer in the morning. I hate to sound needy, but if I can't figure this out, I'll re-post on this board. Could you check tommorrow and see if I'm desperate? Thank you , thank you...It is a recent problem, it just started about 2 hours ago. The computer is my aunt's and I was just checking e-mail on there and it locked up, so I used ctrl-alt-delete to restart, and it was like that when it reopened. Apparently, from other boards I've read with people who have had this problem it appeared the same way, after the computer was restarted after being on for months. Also, is BIOS POST, when it says 'Compaq'?