Unable to Install New Fonts from the Windows 95 Fonts Folder (146490)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0
  • Microsoft Windows 95
This article was previously published under Q146490

SYMPTOMS

If you dual boot between Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0 and attempt to add fonts, the Fonts directories for both WINDOWS and %SystemRoot% are not available in the Folders list of Add Fonts.

NOTE: Both Fonts directories are viewable using Windows 95 Explorer and Windows NT Explorer.

CAUSE

When you click Install New Font from the File menu of the Control Panel Fonts tool, the Add Fonts dialog box appears. This dialog box uses the FileOpen function of the previous version of Windows NT. Directories with Hidden and System directory attributes are not listed. By default, the Fonts directories of WINDOWS and %SystemRoot% have the System directory attribute.

RESOLUTION

If you want to import Windows 95 fonts from the WINDOWS directory:

  1. Create a network share for the Windows\Fonts directory using Windows NT Explorer (For example, FONTS).
  2. In the Control Panel Fonts tool, click Install New Font from the File menu.
  3. Click Network, and type the UNC network path name (For example, \\<My Computer>\FONTS).
  4. After the font names are retrieved, select the one or multiple fonts you want to import and click OK.

MORE INFORMATION

The WINDOWS directory may have a Read-only attribute in addition to the default System attribute. The following table lists the different types of folders the Fonts directory becomes if specific directory attributes are added or removed: 
   System   Read-only   Type of Folder
   ------   ---------   --------------
     No         No      Normal Shell folder
    Yes         No      Font folder
     No        Yes      Font folder
    Yes        Yes      Font folder
The Font folder directories are not viewable in the Add Fonts dialog box. If a directory is a normal shell folder, the fonts are viewable. However, the removal of the System directory attribute is not recommended.

In addition, if Desktop.ini is removed from the Fonts directory, or the CLSID line in Desktop.ini is changed, the symptom mentioned above occurs.

STATUS

This behavior is by design.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:11/17/2003
Keywords:kbbug kbinterop kbui KB146490
©2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.