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

[Dov Isaacs]

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

[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.

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

[Dov Isaacs]

Note that the .regx file attachments are in a .ZIP wrapper. Extract before renaming! 

          - Dov

[betsys14997252]

I was afraid to make this fix myself & was able to have one of your techs from India, Deepak is his name, fix the fonts for me in Photoshop 2015.  He went the extra mile and looked at my Photoshop Elements 11 but was unable to help me get that back.  My elements 11 has been disabled altogether from the Windows update. 

I know you are not a scientist with Google, however, do you think this update could have caused issues with google photos as well?  I can no longer upload videos to my Google photos since this Windows update a couple of weeks ago.

[Dov Isaacs]

(1)     For issues with Photoshop Elements, please post in the Photoshop Elements forum and maybe someone there can assist you. If “Deepak” actually fixed your Windows 10 system per the instructions I provided above, then the problem you are experiencing has nothing to do with fonts.

(2)     Google software is all cloud based and doesn't depend one iota on fonts installed on your computer. Contact Google for assistance with that set of problems.

          - Dov

[betsys14997252]

Dov, Thank you for your response.  I'm very happy that Deepak got my fonts working again in my Photoshop cc 2015 ~ I will post in the Elements forum regarding my Elements 11 being disabled.

Sincerely,

Betsy

[Dov Isaacs]

October 29 , 2017
Update on the Windows 10 Creators Update Linked Font Bug

Having just installed the Windows 10 Creators Fall Update on three of my systems and having done multiple reboots and significant work in applications (Adobe and Microsoft) using fonts that installed via links, I am happy to announce that Microsoft has finally fixed this problem.

Assuming that you used the patch that I provided in this thread to temporarily mask the problem, you should now apply the registry patch with removes that temporary workaround. Download and run the registry patch attached, file Undo_Temp_Fix_Windows_10_Creators_Update_LinkedFont_Bug.reg to remove the temporary fix (you should to use this prior to installing the Windows 10 Creators Fall Update, but there should be no harm if you run it after the update installs):

File Contents:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

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

If anyone is still having issues with this problem after installing the Windows 10 Creators Fall Update, please contact me via private message on these forums.

      - Dov

[paulineg71598231]

Hi,
Where should I install the fixes that you have attached?

[Dov Isaacs]

They are registry entries that you double click on after extracting them from the ZIP file. Obviously, the “undo” file is only necessary for when Microsoft releases the update with the fix in it (presumably in mid-October).

          - Dov