System fonts have changed - how to restore to default?

[martienne]

Some of my System font setting seem to have been reset to old fonts like Arial and one of the older Mac fonts. Previously, I think, it was Segoe. This is not something I deliberately changed. I think it might have happened as I tried to solve a Microsoft Office uninstall problem with a rather brutal deletion of Registry keys.

SFC /Scannow and Windows repair did not solve the problem.

Is there anything I can do, short of re-installing Windows?

Example of what it looks like on my computer:




What it normally looks like. As you can see, it's a different font:

 

[MilesAhead]

If you have a restore point from before the change running it should reset the system font settings to what they were. You may want to make a new restore point first in case there are some unwanted changes when the old restore point is run.

For future reference a good way to back up your registry that creates fewer changes during restore is a dedicated Registry Backup Tool. I use the free Registry Backup from Tweaking.com. It uses shadow copy service to copy all the registry hives even though the system is in use. But there are others. Check the large download sites.

 

[Cliff S]

Go to Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Fonts\Font settings and try restoring;:

 

[martienne]

Hi CliffS - Thanks! I didn't know about that setting, it's so hard to find things in Windows 8.1.
However, after I pressed reset, the nothing noticable changed.

Not the fonts in the run box, for example. I must have deleted a Registry key which previously referenced Myriad Pro, or whatever the system font is.

I'll run a few repair and cleaning tools with my fingers crossed.If that doesn't work, I'll give up and live with it.

 

[MilesAhead]

This article has a method to extract the fonts from the install.wim file if you have an install disc or iso image. If not it has download links for them:

How to Restore Default Fonts in Windows 8.1 | Windows OS Hub

 

[Cliff S]

Do you have another account on your PC to see if it's system wide or just your account, If not open a guest account and see.

 

[martienne]

This article has a method to extract the fonts from the install.wim file if you have an install disc or iso image. If not it has download links for them:

How to Restore Default Fonts in Windows 8.1 | Windows OS Hub

Good idea - I've used that approach to other problems in the past, but had forgotten about it. Will check it out!

Do you have another account on your PC to see if it's system wide or just your account, If not open a guest account and see.

Another very good idea - will do it straight away!
EDIT: The fonts are bad in the other accounts too.



In the meantime, I found a reference to how to a registry key called "MS Shell Dlg" and "MS Shell Dlg 2" in HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\Current Version\FontSubstitutes

I have Microsoft Sans Serif and Tahoma there respectively.
Please, please could somebody check what they have there (as default)?
These are the main fonts used by the system, in dialogue boxes.
I haven't touched it myself, but I am thinking that it may have reverted to MS Sans Serif for some reason.

 

[MilesAhead]

I don't have the FontSubstitutes key. I am on 8.0

If memory serves MS uses Segoe UI

 

[Cliff S]

I don't have the FontSubstitutes key. I am on 8.0

If memory serves MS uses Segoe UI

Is this what you mean? If another screenshot from registry will help just post where to go...