Do updates replace bad system fonts

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Level 1

9 points

Do updates replace bad system fonts

Hi

This is more of a question regarding how Apple Mac OS updates work.

I have an older late 2012 iMac running High Sierra. I have recently discovered one of the system fonts is corrupted; “Apple Color Emoji.ttf”. A recent upgrade of Adobe cloud has highlighted this problem, as all of their apps now crash. Adobe support spent 4 hours working on my computer today and determined it was a corrupted system font, which Font Book validation also indicates cannot be used. As I cannot replace the font in the system fonts folder (that I know of), and I can no longer use the Adobe software, I’m hoping someone may be able to help answer my query.

I don’t believe I can reinstall High Sierra as this is no longer available in the App Store, (unless there is a workaround for this), so my question is; if I upgrade to Mojave (which for my model is the only OS option available), will the upgrade replace any problem system fonts, ie will the ‘bad’ font Emojis be updated and replaced during the update? Or is my best option to erase the HD completely and install Mojave as new. You can understand this is not the best option as it means I’ll need to reinstall ALL my apps.

FYI: I am keen to upgrade my iMac, but waiting and hoping a newer larger screen iMac model will be launched this year.

iMac 27″, macOS 10.13

Posted on Aug 18, 2021 5:31 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Eau Rouge

Level 8

42,554 points

Aug 18, 2021 6:07 AM in response to Tony Gilmore

macOS High Sierra is still available for download through the App Store.

Reinstalling the OS should sort out your font issue.

Your mac can also be upgraded to macOS Mojave or macOS Catalina.

For High Sierra, Mojave or Catalina,

Open Safari and click on this link,

How to get old versions of macOS – Apple Support

Go to Check Compatibility to see if your mac qualifies for the OS upgrade you want.

Then go to the Download OS section and click on the OS you want to install.

Before upgrading make a full back up of your Mac.

Check that third party apps you use have updates available for the new OS.

https://roaringapps.com

Check that your printers/ scanners etc have updated drivers and software available for the new OS.

Connect your mac to your router via cable rather than rely on WiFi.

Do not use your mac while it is downloading

and do not use any other devices that share the same internet connection.

If the App Store says ‘Open’ then it is detecting a previous download of the install app

go to the Applications folder locate Install macOS ******.app.

Move it to the Trash, empty the Trash.

Restart, click on the link again, the App Store should say ‘Get' or 'Download'.

If you are considering upgrading to Catalina be warned it does not support 32bit apps.

Your Mac is probably running 32bit apps and these will need to be updated to 64bit apps,

some updates may be free, some may be paid. Use this app to discover which apps you have

are 32bit, https://www.stclairsoft.com/Go64/ then contact the developers of the software to see

if they are offering 64bit updates.

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Answer 2

PRP_53

Level 10

85,609 points

Aug 18, 2021 6:28 AM in response to Tony Gilmore

One can restart in Recovery Mode Command + r immediately at restart and choose Reinstall macOS. It should download the versions associated with the Recovery Volume on the computer and overwrite any missing or corrupted system files.

Be away, doing this may require reinstalling all the High Sierra updates up to and including Security Update from November 2020.

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Answer 3

Tony Gilmore Author

Level 1

9 points

Aug 18, 2021 4:00 PM in response to Tony Gilmore

Thanks for the tip. I could only see the latest version of the OS in the App Store, didn’t realise older OS were still available. I’ll try the reinstall. I’m more than happy to upgrade to Catalina, but as you have pointed out my 32 bit applications aren’t supported. At the moment the issue I have is a recent update to CC 2020 Adobe now causes my Adobe apps to crash on launch, and it appears the corrupted system font is the problem. I still have CS6 versions and have gone back to these, but an upgrade to Catalina will make these unusable, hence my hesitation, if the Adobe apps still won’t work in Catalina I’ll have nothing to fall back on. I’ll see how the High Sierra update works, fingers crossed. Thanks again for your help

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Answer 4

PRP_53

Level 10

85,609 points

Aug 18, 2021 4:56 PM in response to Tony Gilmore

Of course a good TM Backup before any attempts to reinstall or upgrade to newer version of macOS is inorder.

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Do updates replace bad system fonts

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