KB3013455 (MS15-010) causes font corruption

Anonymous
2015-02-10T21:06:56+00:00

February 2015 update KB3013455 causes 'Courier New' font corruption on some Windows systems, I can confirm it for Windows Server 2003 and 2008. You can verify it in Notepad. Removing the update fixes the issue.

Windows 7 and 8.1 are not affected by the update.

[removed information that 64bit may not be affected]

Windows for home | Other | Windows update

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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Anonymous
2015-02-12T05:17:15+00:00

Yes Remove/Add Program >> View Installed Windows Updates >> I added the column to display installation date, reverse sorted and found "3013455" ((this update), then Uninstalled it.

This was common in the late 90's/early 2000's, had to remember which updates not to install that would break things. It's been solid for at least a decade, now this.

I don't really care what the fix is for. If I can't read my screen from my chair, I need to resolve it to do my job (own a web design firm).

I share the same opinion as this article "...the bottom line here is that if you want to be able to actually read the screen, you'll want to hold off installing this update until the problem is fixed."

http://windowsitpro.com/msrc/patch-tuesday-font-corruption-kb3013455

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Anonymous
2015-02-18T18:42:43+00:00

The link for all downloads is:

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/search/Results.aspx?q=kb3013455&form=DLC

Choose your OS from the half dozen big options at the top and it brings you right to the download page.

Hit the big red download button and it should offer you two updates:

kb3013455   (the original that breaks fonts)

and

KB3037639  (the secondary update to fix fonts)

I installed the original, said do not reboot, and installed the second.

After reboot I appear patched and my fonts are good.

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  1. Anonymous
    2015-02-12T15:55:25+00:00

    BTW can you post up examples of how bad the issue is?  Evidence that your system is unusable will help me make the case that this decision they made to leave these older platforms in a mess.

    Apologies for another post on this:

    Many thanks for your earlier reply, by the way.

    I have asked for advice about finding fonts not affected by this faulty patch. If you are in contact with Microsoft perhaps they could be persuaded to suggest some alternatives to:

    Times New Roman

    Arial

    Courier New

    If anyone else has information on this, please do share.

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  2. Anonymous
    2015-02-12T15:53:27+00:00

    The appearance depends on the font and the font size.  For example, in Notepad the default font is fine:

    But Courier New is not:

    The forum software isn't letting me upload the bmp files, so I used jpg files, in which all fonts get a bit degraded, but in actuality and in the bmp files Lucida looks perfectly fine and Courier is a mess.

    I understand that Microsoft had a difficult decision as to whether to leave open a vulnerability or make lots of text unreadable, but when pushing an update there was inadequate disclosure and most people won't know what to do.  Microsoft encourages users to have updates install automatically, and lots of people have had their fonts degraded and have no idea why.  And even people who install updates manually were unlikely to find out beforehand.

    And even those of us who do understand why the fonts have been degraded have gotten no commitment from Microsoft that it will issue a speedy fix and inform us in some way.  The minimum should be to make a statement in this thread and inform us when a fix is ready (or push it as an update).

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  3. Anonymous
    2015-02-12T15:49:35+00:00

    BTW can you post up examples of how bad the issue is?  Evidence that your system is unusable will help me make the case that this decision they made to leave these older platforms in a mess.

    My apologies, I have only just noticed that this was directed at me. 

    The issues for me are exactly the same as those graphics already posted.

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