hi chris, this is probably caused by microsoft update kb3013455 which can cause font rendering issues on vista:

After you install security update 3013455, you may notice some text quality degradation in certain scenarios. The problem only occurs on systems that are running Windows Vista SP2 or Windows Server 2003 SP2. Microsoft is researching this problem and will post more information in this article when the information becomes available.

^{https://support.microsoft.com/kb/3013455}

you could also try if an update of your graphics driver can improve things (this should be the right link for your particular configuration): https://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?DwnldID=16312

That sure sounds like it. Funny though, only on Firefox, not a sign anywhere else. You must be doing something with the fonts they didn't anticipate.

I guess I will have to wait on Microsoft, or try a restore and then avoid that update.

Thanks.

i have this same issue anyone know how to remove a windows update? or will we just have to wait on a fix?

philipp said

you could also try if an update of your graphics driver can improve things (this should be the right link for your particular configuration): https://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?DwnldID=16312

Thank you for the good link, I didn't know they came out with one more version seven years ago. Bad news -- didn't fix the problem.

Good news (sort of), FireFox is not alone! The Intel installer had a bad font for their license, and I see their control panel has bad fonts too.

I will see if I can remove this patch. Thanks again.

i uninstalled 3013455 and the problem is gone so if you want to get rid of it you can uninstall it or wait for microsoft to release a fix for it

HitokiriBattousai said

i uninstalled 3013455 and the problem is gone so if you want to get rid of it you can uninstall it or wait for microsoft to release a fix for it

Me too! I didn't know Vista would let me do that!

Thanks to everyone.

1) Run Windows Update from the Control Panel 2) Lower left, click to change to Installed Updates 3) Find 3013455 and uninstall

Since no-one else has mentioned this I thought I should chime in. The Windows Update in question fixes six severe security vulnerabilities, one of which has been publicly disclosed.

Removing this update from your system means that all that's needed to compromise your computer is for someone to use a specially-crafted font and place it on a web site, post an advert to a popular advertising platform, inject code into a forum post, etc.

"This security update resolves one publicly disclosed and five privately reported vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows. The most severe of the vulnerabilities could allow remote code execution if an attacker convinces a user to open a specially crafted document or visit an untrusted website that contains embedded TrueType fonts."

Please consider the trade-off you are subjecting yourself to when choosing between some fonts being degraded and leaving your computer open to completely being taken over by visiting a single web site. This happens every day to many computer users - it is not a rare event!

See also: Microsoft Security Bulletin MS15-010 - Critical: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/security/MS15-010

Proactive Services said

Since no-one else has mentioned this I thought I should chime in. The Windows Update in question fixes six severe security vulnerabilities, one of which has been publicly disclosed. Removing this update from your system means that all that's needed to compromise your computer is for someone to use a specially-crafted font and place it on a web site, post an advert to a popular advertising platform, inject code into a forum post, etc. "This security update resolves one publicly disclosed and five privately reported vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows. The most severe of the vulnerabilities could allow remote code execution if an attacker convinces a user to open a specially crafted document or visit an untrusted website that contains embedded TrueType fonts." Please consider the trade-off you are subjecting yourself to when choosing between some fonts being degraded and leaving your computer open to completely being taken over by visiting a single web site. This happens every day to many computer users - it is not a rare event!

This is true -- but the system is really quite unusable with that patch. I'm hoping Microsoft will get their act together and create a usable patch. Break it into five pieces, whatever.

cor-el said

See also: Microsoft Security Bulletin MS15-010 - Critical: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/security/MS15-010

I see only three of the problems are serious threats to Vista 2-bit SP2, Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability - CVE-2015-0003 CNG Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability - CVE-2015-0010 Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability - CVE-2015-0057

Just to clarify this issue of rendering fonts, Vista users that have already installed the KB3013455 security patch (very important one) will also now need to install the Windows update patch KB3037639 to resolve the problem. This patch does not normally show on Critical Upates, but can be found in the link below. When you hit the download button you are given the choice of which update you need. Rendering issues will then be resolved, with fonts showing normally.

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=45662

See also: Fix for text quality degradation after security update 3013455 (MS15-010) is installed:

• http://support2.microsoft.com/kb/3037639

I have the font problem too in FF 38.0.5

The thing is.. I've just install a fresh copy of windows 7 ultimate following a hard disk failure. I've installed all the necessary Windows updates which DOES NOT include KB3013455. And my fonts are all blurry In FF with hardware acceleration enabled.

I've tried settings things like Clear Type Text On/OFF in Windows etc but that doesn't change the issue with regards to blurry fonts in the FF browser.

The fonts only return to looking nice again once HW Acceleration is switched off in FF.

I have the same problem with Windows Vista - but can't find update 3013455.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

christian