Font Disaster

[AlBDamned]

Hi All,

first time I've been on here and I'm in need of desperate help.

Installed an old fonts disc from our production department, on my new DP1.8 G5 and have met with disaster. Some fonts were corrupt, some just plain bad (?!) and basically it's reduced my machine to treacle.

Mac now takes 3-4 minutes to boot up whereas it was taking seconds.

MS Word now 'Optimizes Font Menu' before opening, again taking minutes to open, before it was lightening quick.

Hard drive seems to be depleting at faster than normal rate.

Most other functions now taking noticeably longer to open than before.

I've tried trashing the font files that were installed but unfortuantely, I made a classic beginner mistake of not putting the new ones in a separate file so they mixed in with the existing ones. I run Quark 6.5, Photoshop 8 and MS Office 2004, plus all usual pre-installed OS X programs.

Tried to filter out bad fonts with some success but things are still rotten in Denmark! Also tried OnyX but this has not made any difference.

Finally, I have to admit to trying ClamXav anti-virus before I discovered this was probably a bad idea. Have deleted this also but I'm sure it hasn't helped!!

Can I get the remaining dodgy fonts off? Is it best just to start again and delete/re-install my programs. What are the system or program necessary fonts?!

Anybody, please I need some advice!!

Cheers

AL

 

[PlaceofDis]

if things are really bad your best bet would be to re-install OS X

an archive and install is the most painless way to go about this...
it would be a huge pain in the butt, but would probably work the best in this situation

 

[AlBDamned]

So I could probably Arvchive my work, kiss goodbye to my iTunes and just re-install the whole lot?

 

[kettle]

If you open Fontbook it might show you some duplicate fonts, there is a drop down menu selection to help fix these.

You could also disable a whole load of new ones and then enable them one at a time until you feel happy with the number of fonts v system performance. This process could also help to root out bad fonts.

 

[chaosbunny]

I once had a similar problem. I installed some 1000 fonts on my powerbook shortly after I bought it. The poor thing needed some 10 minutes to boot up. Here is what I did:

I called the apple store where I bought the powerbook and asked them which fonts are system fonts.

They emailed me a list and I manually put all the others in the trash. After that everything was fine again.

I have about 300 fonts I often use installed now. It makes the startup of the machine slower but I'd rather wait a little longer than installing new fonts/removing old fonts whenever I work on a different project.

How many fonts have you installed to slow the G5 down that much?

 

[AlBDamned]

The disc had about 5000 fonts on it...

I've had a good go through most of them but aside from the ones locked in the system library, I've no idea which ones are vital (or indeed if they are vital) to the running of things except the obvious ones which I use every day in Quark/Word etc.

There's also dozens of "XML Documents" listed.

The problem is amplified by having all these extra fonts installed in both the Mac HD library a separate library. It's a proper mess. I will try the route of Apple store for a list though. That sees a good idea to start with.

BTW, Anyone any views on ClamXav. Was that another ill-fated beginner mistake?

I've been using Macs for a while but only just got into the modern world about a month ago. Was running an ancient PowerPC 7300/200 before, Hence all the 'learning by mistakes'!.

 

[Moof1904]

You could scrape together $100 or so and download one of the leading OSX font utilities like Font Agent Pro. I've not used them, but I hear they're pretty good at identifying which fonts are corrupt and letting you define groups that you can toggle on and off. Font Agent Pro is available for immediate download purchase.

 

[AlBDamned]

Disabling the majority (around 95%) has done some good with regard to program boot-up.
Will have to see over the course of tomorrow if anything else has improved.

Will keep you posted. Many thanks for the fast replies everyone!

Cheers

AL

 

[kettle]

You could scrape together $100 or so and download one of the leading OSX font utilities like Font Agent Pro. I've not used them, but I hear they're pretty good at identifying which fonts are corrupt and letting you define groups that you can toggle on and off. Font Agent Pro is available for immediate download purchase.

Or open up "Font Book" in your Applications folder.

 

[Blue Velvet]

Use Quark? Get Suitcase.

Fontbook bites the big one...

 

[CanadaRAM]

>I'm in need of desperate help

Desparate times call for desperate help...

Suitcase X is good...

Have you looked in all the usual font folders:

Library: Fonts
System:Library: Fonts
Users:Username:Library: Fonts
System Folder: Fonts (the Classic system folder)

You can delete anything in these folders that are not fonts you recognize as needing. Some of them will squawk that they can't be removed, chances are those are OK to leave then. Any "other" files in these folders, trash.

Go into your various Preferences folders and look for plist files that have anything to do with fonts, & trash those too, to make MS word, etc. "forget" about the previous fonts.