Windows 10 Turned on PC and the icons on the desktop had symbols instead of letters for titles.

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Wes202

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Greetings. I have Windows 10 home with 8 GB of ram and i5 core CPU and use this PC for producing music. Went on a mini vacation and when i came home and turned on PC, the icons on my desktop had symbols not letters under my programs and on my taskbar. Please help!!!!
 

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Solution
Hello there! It sounds like your PC may be experiencing some trouble with its system fonts. Here are some steps you can try to fix the issue on your Windows 10 computer:
1. Restart your PC - Sometimes a simple restart can solve the issue.
2. Run the SFC (System File Checker) tool - The SFC tool will scan your system files for any issues and will fix them automatically. To run the SFC tool, click on the Start menu > Type in 'CMD' in the search box > Right-click on 'Command Prompt' and select 'Run as administrator' > Type in 'sfc /scannow' and press Enter > Wait for the process to complete.
3. Restore default font settings - If the fonts have been changed, restoring the default font settings may help. To do this, go to Start Menu > Type...
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Hello there! It sounds like your PC may be experiencing some trouble with its system fonts. Here are some steps you can try to fix the issue on your Windows 10 computer:
1. Restart your PC - Sometimes a simple restart can solve the issue.
2. Run the SFC (System File Checker) tool - The SFC tool will scan your system files for any issues and will fix them automatically. To run the SFC tool, click on the Start menu > Type in 'CMD' in the search box > Right-click on 'Command Prompt' and select 'Run as administrator' > Type in 'sfc /scannow' and press Enter > Wait for the process to complete.
3. Restore default font settings - If the fonts have been changed, restoring the default font settings may help. To do this, go to Start Menu > Type in 'Control Panel' > Click on 'Appearance and Personalization' > Click on 'Fonts' > Select 'Font settings' from the left-hand side menu > Click on 'Restore default font settings'.
4. Clear the font cache - Clearing the font cache can sometimes resolve issues with fonts. To clear the font cache, go to Start Menu > Type in 'CMD' in the search box > Right-click on 'Command Prompt' and select 'Run as administrator' > Type in 'c:\windows\system32\FNTCACHE.DAT' and press Enter > Wait for the process to complete.
5. Reinstall the affected applications - If the issue persists, try uninstalling and reinstalling the affected applications.
I hope these steps help resolve your issue. Let me know if there is anything else I can do to assist you.
 
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Solution
None of that works because when I try to use command or CMD or anything in the start menu search bar, it won't take the command. When I click on settings or anything for that matter, the characters are all symbols. The taskbar where the time is, is symbols. When I right click, everything is symbols. Helpp!!!!!
 
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where did you install this OS from... that looks to be a webdings language set [is there perhaps a small kid allowed on this system?]

1st the robot is wrong about point 3... and you have to be in "category" view to follow + those instructions are out dated


to see or change fonts on Windows 10 you should use the settings path
1 - press Windows key and select the settings icon

2 - look for the personalisation icon... even if the lang is bullshit that icon stays the same [which is the point]


3 - the Fonts is the 5th down but again the icon AA doesn't change


4 - select something else or post a screenshot to show us your settings
 
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Also, a lil bit of info. Everytime I try to type in the command bar it either won't do anything or buffers and sends me back to the search bar and that has symbols in it with a hockey stick and a puck at the end.
 
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Okay, to answer your question. I bought the PC from a computer store used. Haven't had any problems until a possible Windows update. I've attached the PC specs in this thread. After following your suggestions, it appears that the font is Marlett and I tried to uninstall in personalisation but when restarting, it gave me the blue screen of death. I've also, did a system restore to no avail. Anything that I do pulls everything up in this Marlett font and I can't read it to make normal changes or selections. I appreciate you helping me on this.
 

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Yikes! It sounds like your system's language packs or system fonts might have become corrupted, causing all the text to appear as symbols. Let’s try to tackle this step by step, even with reduced usability due to the symbols. Here’s how you can start troubleshooting:

1. Boot into Safe Mode​

We need to access a more stable environment to work on fixing the problem.
Steps to Enter Safe Mode:
  • Turn off the PC.
  • Turn it back on and repeatedly tap the F8 key (or Shift + F8) during startup (if applicable).
    (On newer systems, this might not work due to fast boot, so you may need to hard reset during boot three times to force the Windows Recovery Environment.)
  • When the recovery options appear, choose:
    • Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Startup Settings > Restart > Select 4: Safe Mode.
From Safe Mode, try the solutions below.

2. Restore Default System Fonts​

The issue might be linked to corrupted or missing system fonts.
Manual Font Reset (via Safe Mode):
  1. Open Control Panel (search for it in Safe Mode's Start Menu).
  2. Navigate to Appearance and Personalization > Fonts.
  3. On the left-hand menu, click Font Settings.
  4. Select Restore default font settings.
If restoring fonts doesn’t work, the issue might require manually replacing corrupted files (explained in a later step).

3. Attempt System Restore​

If you recently noticed this issue and a system restore point exists, rolling back could save the day.
Steps:
  1. Boot into Safe Mode (as explained earlier).
  2. Go to Control Panel > Recovery > Open System Restore.
  3. Choose a restore point from a date when your PC was working fine.

4. Try Running SFC and DISM Commands​

These tools repair corrupted system files, including language packs and fonts—though your current issue may make running these commands tricky.
If you can open Command Prompt in Safe Mode:
  • Run the following:
    • sfc /scannow
    • DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
If Command Prompt is inaccessible (due to symbols), this step might require using a bootable USB drive.

5. Reset or Reinstall Windows​

If all else fails, a system reset or reinstall may be your best option. Before doing this, try to back up your data using a bootable USB (like a Windows installation USB or a Linux live CD).
Steps to Reset:
  1. Boot using a Windows installation USB.
  2. Select Repair your computer > Troubleshoot > Reset This PC to perform either:
    • Keep My Files.
    • Remove Everything (best for starting fresh).

Prevention for the Future​

If this problem stems from a third-party app or a Windows update gone haywire:
  • Keep backups of your system settings or create restore points regularly.
  • Update only using the Windows Update tool (avoid third-party driver tools unless absolutely trusted).
Let me know if you can safely enter Safe Mode or need guidance on preparing a recovery USB! We’ll get your PC functioning properly again.
 
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