web browser glitch

[Bryon]

Early this month I networked my PowerBook 1400 through a wireless router for Internet use. It worked pretty nicely for a couple of weeks. But now if the browser does load, all I get is strings of little boxes and letters; its most common trick, though, is simply to not load at all and to lock up the computer.

I've reloaded the software for the PCMCIA card, I've talked to tech service for the router, I've loaded an alternate browser (Opera) and reloaded Internet Explorer 5.1 twice. No dice.

What's my next step?

(By the by, I've given up on the Seagate HD from a previous thread. Maybe later ...)

[Buzz]

Could be a bad font.

[Bryon]

I trashed my fonts and replaced them. The problem hasn't changed. What do I try next?

[edsdesk]

can you right click on the corrupted page and change settings for "encoding"? I don't know about macs, but that srtting causes simialar problems in windows

[Bryon]

Well, in Macintosh there's no right button to click on a mouse. And I can't find anything similar to "encoding" on the program, but I'll keep looking. I've replaced the browser (again) with one I know works. I've trashed fonts, preferences, turned off type assistants. I'm going to check some extensions next. It doesn't lock up so much now, but I still get this crud that looks like Webdings on the pages, even though I trashed my Webdings font.

[Buzz]

Are you running any kind of font management utility? Suitcase? ATM Deluxe? Font Reserve? FontAgent Pro?

generally, this is due (when I've seen it) to multiple versoins of the same font installed, liek Courior truetype and Courior type 1.

[Bryon]

I'm running ATM. Come to think of it, there are some duplicate fonts, just as you mention. Should I pull the duplicates into a separate folder to see if that helps?

[Buzz]

Yeah, specifically make certain you don't have duplicates of web fonts.. verdana, courior, arial, helvetica, georgia, times.. if you have duplicates active in both ATM and the system folder they will result in the behavior you've described. Most commonly... it's helvetica that's the issue.

[Bryon]

OK, I've sequestered all the duplicate fonts. I found a spare set of Arial in the Aquarius folder and got rid of it, then I opened all my font suitcases looking for similar duplications. I found some duplicate control panels and extensions and got rid of the spares. I've still got the same problem. What do I try next?

[Buzz]

hmmm.. try deactivating all fonts in ATMD. Then relaunch the browser.

[Bryon]

I've got ATM off, the extension turned off, the control panel in (Deactivated) and all those fonts on a folder on the desktop. I've actually taken all my fonts and put them on the desktop and moved over a copy of the font set on my other computer (from which I also got a copy of IE because I know it works). Nothing has changed.

[Bryon]

Success at last!

I tried another dozen things and finally cut to the chase: I got the program CD and reinstalled the fonts and the core software. It seems to be working for now. Many thanks for the help.

[Buzz]

Glad you got it sorted Bryon. it definately sounded like a font issue somewhere.