Apple Event: May 7th at 7 am PT

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Font in Safari has been switched to an illegible font.

Mid 2010 15" MBP

Core i7//8Gb Ram//500gb HD
OSX 10.11.4


Whenever Safari uses what I can only assume is the default font for normal text, the font comes out in a very janky/techno-industrial looking font (like it came from a video game)....This only happens online in both Safari (my default browser) and Google Chrome (backup browser). I've included a screenshot of the issue

https://www.dropbox.com/s/0k3gzhrsnxerz8p/Screenshot%202016-04-22%2000.48.58.png ?dl=0


What I've done So far..

1.Reset Fontbook fonts to default
2.Cleared the System font cache in terminal

3.Cleared cookies and browser info in Safari and Chrome (it was at this point I determined it was an OS issue and not coincidental to the two browsers.

4.Created a new account within El Capitan to replicate issue on a clean account. The fonts rendered normally (as they should) in the new account.


So now that I know that a clean/new account is unaffected by this issue...where should I be focusing my efforts?

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.7)

Posted on Apr 22, 2016 12:55 PM

Reply
20 replies

Apr 23, 2016 9:58 PM in response to jmmccann

A

Remove "Fontyou" and see whether there's an improvement.

Any third-party software that doesn't install from the App Store or by drag-and-drop into the Applications folder, and uninstall by drag-and-drop to the Trash, is a system modification.

Whenever you remove system modifications, they must be removed completely, and the only way to do that is to use the uninstallation tool, if any, provided by the developers, or to follow their instructions. If the software has been incompletely removed, you may have to re-download or even reinstall it in order to finish the job.

I never install system modifications myself, and except as stated in this comment, I don't know how to uninstall them. You'll have to do your own research to find that information.

Here are some general guidelines to get you started. Suppose you want to remove something called “BrickMyMac” (a hypothetical example.) First, consult the product's Help menu, if there is one, for instructions. Finding none there, look on the developer's website, say www.brickmymac.com. (That may not be the actual name of the site; if necessary, search the Web for the product name.) If you don’t find anything on the website or in your search, contact the developer. While you're waiting for a response, download BrickMyMac.dmg and open it. There may be an application in there such as “Uninstall BrickMyMac.” If not, open “BrickMyMac.pkg” and look for an Uninstall button. The uninstaller might also be accessed by clicking the Customize button, if there is one.

Back up all data before making any changes.

You will generally have to restart the computer in order to complete an uninstallation. Until you do that, there may be no effect, or unpredictable effects.

If you can’t remove software in any other way, you’ll have to erase and install OS X. Never install any third-party software unless you're sure you know how to uninstall it; otherwise you may create problems that are very hard to solve.

Trying to remove complex system modifications by hunting for files by name often will not work and may make the problem worse. The same goes for "utilities" such as "AppCleaner" and the like that purport to remove software.

B

The test results show other issues, probably not related to the original question.

You have the MacBookPro6,2—the Edsel of Macs. It may have the logic-board defect that was covered by a recall program that has now ended.

The model was discontinued in February 2011. It's now classified by Apple as a "vintage product." That means Apple will most likely refuse to fix it (but see the exceptions on the linked page.) In that case, you would have to go to an independent service provider. The part may no longer be available, or the repair may not be cost-effective.

Often the problems start after an OS upgrade. If the upgrade was recent, and you have backups, then you can revert to a previous OS X version.

Otherwise, make a "Genius" appointment at an Apple Store, or go to another authorized service provider, to have the machine tested. The testing will be free at an Apple Store—unless Apple refuses even to look at the unit, which it might. The routine hardware diagnostics used by service providers do not detect the fault. There is a specific test for this issue called "VST" (for "Video System Test.") Ask for it. A "Failed" result means that the fault is present.

If you do decide to go to an independent service provider, be aware that the replacement part may also be defective. Some owners reported that they went through as many as three replacement boards before getting one that worked. Don't expect any help from Apple if you're charged several hundred dollars for another bad logic board and the provider won't replace it again.

If you don't want to take that risk, or if you don't like the price you're quoted, you may (or may not) be able to work around the problem by disabling automatic graphics switching. To use the discrete graphics processor, you'll need a third-party utility to switch to it manually. You already have that utility.

C

The machine is running very slowly, probably because the internal hard drive is on the verge of failure.

D

Please remove "AppBarrier," "ContentBarrier," "NetBarrier," and/or "VirusBarrier" by following the instructions on this page. If you have a different version, the procedure may be different.

Back up all data before making any changes. Never install any "anti-virus" or "anti-malware" product again.

E

You have two "cracked" and pirated applications: "Sound Studio" and "Transmit." Running cracked software, downloaded from a torrent perhaps, is one of the most dangerous things you can do with a computer.

F

Some of your user files (not system files) have incorrect permissions or are locked. This procedure will unlock those files and reset their ownership, permissions, and access controls to the default. If you've intentionally set special values for those attributes, they will be reverted. In that case, either stop here, or be prepared to recreate the settings if necessary. Do so only after verifying that those settings didn't cause the problem. If none of this is meaningful to you, you don't need to worry about it, but you do need to follow the instructions below.

Please back up all data before proceeding.

Step 1

If you have more than one user, and the one in question is not an administrator, then go to Step 2.

Enter the following command in the Terminal window in the same way as before (triple-click, copy, and paste):

sudo find ~ $TMPDIR.. -exec chflags -h nosappnd,noschg,nosunlnk,nouappnd,nouchg {} + -exec chown -h $UID {} + -exec chmod +rw {} + -exec chmod -h -N {} + -type d -exec chmod -h +x {} + 2>&-

You'll be prompted for your login password, which won't be displayed when you type it. Type carefully and then press return. You may get a one-time warning to be careful. If you don’t have a login password, you’ll need to set one before you can run the command. If you see a message that your username "is not in the sudoers file," then you're not logged in as an administrator.

The command may take several minutes to run, depending on how many files you have. Wait for a new line ending in a dollar sign ($) to appear, then quit Terminal.

Step 2 (optional)

Take this step only if you have trouble with Step 1, if you prefer not to take it, or if it doesn't solve the problem.

Start up in Recovery mode. You may be prompted to select a language, then the OS X Utilities screen will appear.

If you use FileVault 2, select Disk Utility, then select the icon of the FileVault startup volume ("Macintosh HD," unless you gave it a different name.) It will be nested below another drive icon. Click the Unlock button in the toolbar and enter your login password when prompted. Then quit Disk Utility to be returned to the main screen.

Select

Utilities Terminal

from the menu bar. A Terminal window will open. In that window, type this:

resetp

Press the tab key. The partial command you typed will automatically be completed to this:

resetpassword

Press return. A Reset Password window will open. You’re not going to reset a password.

Select your startup volume ("Macintosh HD," unless you gave it a different name) if not already selected.

Select your username from the menu labeled Select the user account if not already selected.

Under Reset Home Directory Permissions and ACLs, click the Reset button.

Select

Restart

from the menu bar.

G

Back up all data.

Run the following command in the same way as before. It moves to the Trash "semaphore" files that have not been cleaned up by the system and may be interfering with normal operation. The files are empty; they contain no data. There will be no output this time.

find L*/{Con*/*/Data/L*/,}Pref* -type f -size 0c -name *.plist.??????? -exec mv {} .Trash/ \; 2>&-

Log out or restart the computer and empty the Trash.

Apr 23, 2016 10:29 PM in response to Linc Davis

A - Remove "Fontyou" and see whether there's an improvement.

Definitely will remove this. I thought it had already been done. But, I'll ensure this time it's gone. Probably the most likely culprit.


B - The test results show other issues, probably not related to the original question.

I am definitely aware of the faulty logic board and am currently running GFXCardstatus and very carefully holding things together until I can afford to upgrade. I replaced the logic board on this twice and after the second malfunction, had a repair done at a 3rd party facility where everything went south a few weeks to a month later. At this point, I am just hoping to get enough use out of it to get me through until i can (as I said...) put the money out for a new machine.



C - The machine is running very slowly, probably because the internal hard drive is on the verge of failure. - Is there any way of verifying this?

D - Please remove "AppBarrier," "ContentBarrier," "NetBarrier," and/or "VirusBarrier" by following the instructions on this page. If you have a different version, the procedure may be different.

Not sure where these came from...

E - You have two "cracked" and pirated applications: "Sound Studio" and "Transmit." - Definitely will delete this.

F - When I get this far I'll report back.

Thanks so much for your help so far. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it.

Font in Safari has been switched to an illegible font.

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.