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Windows 10 Font Folder nightmare

kevin taylor
kevin taylor asked
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Last Modified: 2019-03-19
I have an issue with Windows 10 that is driving me mental.. For  whatever reason the fonts folder constantly blocks installations that require font installations.. Example Auto Desk Viewer hangs up on "Error Writing to file: C:\Windows\Fonts\arial.tff Verify that you have access to that directory" but it is also happening when I try to install Desi lite which is a label making program "Error Writing to file: C:\Windows\Fonts\DesiPictograms.tff Verify that you have access to that directory"

All of my users have local admin rights, I have tried installing using the domain admin account and the local admin account with same issue. When I originally upgraded to Office 16 word was also complaining about access denied when I would select a font..

When logged on as admin I tried to access the fonts folder permissions and I get "access denied"

Any ideas?
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McKnife
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Distinguished Expert 2019

Commented:
Share the output of
icacls c:\windows\fonts
It should be
c:\windows\fonts NT SERVICE\TrustedInstaller:(F)
                 NT SERVICE\TrustedInstaller:(CI)(IO)(F)
                 NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:(M)
                 NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:(OI)(CI)(IO)(F)
                 BUILTIN\Administrators:(M)
                 BUILTIN\Administrators:(OI)(CI)(IO)(F)
                 BUILTIN\Users:(RX)
                 BUILTIN\Users:(OI)(CI)(IO)(GR,GE)
                 CREATOR OWNER:(OI)(CI)(IO)(F)
                 APPLICATION PACKAGE AUTHORITY\ALL APPLICATION PACKAGES:(RX)
                 APPLICATION PACKAGE AUTHORITY\ALL APPLICATION PACKAGES:(OI)(CI)(IO)(GR,GE)
                 APPLICATION PACKAGE AUTHORITY\ALL RESTRICTED APPLICATION PACKAGES:(RX)
                 APPLICATION PACKAGE AUTHORITY\ALL RESTRICTED APPLICATION PACKAGES:(OI)(CI)(IO)(GR,GE)

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kevin taylor

Author

Commented:
C:\WINDOWS\system32>icacls c:\windows\fonts
c:\windows\fonts NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:(RX)
                 BUILTIN\Administrators:(RX)
                 BUILTIN\Users:(RX)
                 NT SERVICE\TrustedInstaller:(F)
                 APPLICATION PACKAGE AUTHORITY\ALL APPLICATION PACKAGES:(RX)
                 APPLICATION PACKAGE AUTHORITY\ALL RESTRICTED APPLICATION PACKAGES:(RX)

Successfully processed 1 files; Failed processing 0 files
McKnife
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Commented:
See? ACL is not what it should be. Reset it with icacls.
On a different PC, dump permissions of c:\windows\fonts with icacls and restore them on your pc.
kevin taylor

Author

Commented:
Okay how do I export that file and import into this pc?
McKnife
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Distinguished Expert 2019

Commented:
Saving (folder for the ACLfile is d:, here - adjust accordingly)
icacls c:\windows\fonts /save d:\AclFile.txt

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Restoring:
icacls c:\windows\ /restore d:\AclFile.txt

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kevin taylor

Author

Commented:
Okay I get access denied?

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.17763.379]
(c) 2018 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\WINDOWS\system32>icacls c:\windows\ /restore c:\AclFile.txt
c:\windows\fonts: Access is denied.
Successfully processed 0 files; Failed processing 1 files

C:\WINDOWS\system32>
kevin taylor

Author

Commented:
currently logged in as local admin, not domain
McKnife
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Commented:
Right click cmd.exe, select "run as administrator" and repeat.
McKnife
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Commented:
Wait, I am sorry, this will not work. Please do a step in between: on the elevated command prompt, use takeown.exe on c:\windows\fonts, first.
kevin taylor

Author

Commented:
is it takeown.exe c:\windows\fonts? or does the command go different
McKnife
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Commented:
takeown.exe /f c:\windows\fonts
kevin taylor

Author

Commented:
C:\WINDOWS\system32>takeown.exe /f c:\windows\fonts

SUCCESS: The file (or folder): "c:\windows\fonts" now owned by user "ACEWS01\HP USER".

C:\WINDOWS\system32>icacls c:\windows\ /restore c:\AclFile.txt
c:\windows\fonts: Access is denied.
Successfully processed 0 files; Failed processing 1 files

C:\WINDOWS\system32>icacls c:\windows\ /restore c:\AclFile.txt
c:\windows\fonts: Access is denied.
Successfully processed 0 files; Failed processing 1 files

C:\WINDOWS\system32>

still access denied
McKnife
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Commented:
That is weird.
I wonder why it won't let you now that you are the owner. Let me think...
kevin taylor

Author

Commented:
Here is the core of my issue, everything I install to do with fonts folder fails.. However I can install fonts.. very weird.. see attachment
Untitled.png
kevin taylor

Author

Commented:
Seems I ran into this once before and the only way I could fix it was through the security tab on the fonts folder. But I can't remember how to enable to security tab, its hidden by default..
McKnife
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Commented:
Please try

icacls d:\own /grant ACEWS01\HP USER:f

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If that is executed on an elevated command prompt and FAILS, this can only mean, we have a file system error and you will need to run
chkdsk /r c:

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and retry.
kevin taylor

Author

Commented:
C:\WINDOWS\system32>icacls c:\own /grant ACEWS01\HP USER:f
Invalid parameter "ACEWS01\HP"
McKnife
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Commented:
This problem has been solved!
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kevin taylor

Author

Commented:
C:\WINDOWS\system32>icacls c:\own /grant "ACEWS01\HP USER":f
c:\own: The system cannot find the file specified.
Successfully processed 0 files; Failed processing 1 files

okay I replaced own with \windows\font got same error.. shouldn't the parameter be folder?
McKnife
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Distinguished Expert 2019

Commented:
LOL. Own was my test folder, forgot to change that. The foldername is fonts, not font.
kevin taylor

Author

Commented:
McKnife after disk chk last night the following command succeeded..

C:\Users\administrator.ANDREWENG>icacls c:\windows\fonts /grant "ACEWS01\HP USER":f
processed file: c:\windows\fonts
Successfully processed 1 files; Failed processing 0 files

C:\Users\administrator.ANDREWENG>
kevin taylor

Author

Commented:
however I just realized it says domain admin is owner, not hp user.. Didn't notice that before I ran the command
McKnife
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Commented:
This problem has been solved!
(Unlock this solution with a 7-day Free Trial)
UNLOCK SOLUTION
McKnife
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Commented:
Possibly the ACLs are alright anyway, after running chkdsk. It might have fixed the corruption.
kevin taylor

Author

Commented:
No still get access denied trying to run the install.. see attachment  .. Also folder icacls look the same as before

C:\Users\administrator.ANDREWENG>icacls c:\windows\fonts
c:\windows\fonts ACEWS01\HP USER:(F)
                 NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:(RX)
                 BUILTIN\Administrators:(RX)
                 BUILTIN\Users:(RX)
                 NT SERVICE\TrustedInstaller:(F)
                 APPLICATION PACKAGE AUTHORITY\ALL APPLICATION PACKAGES:(RX)
                 APPLICATION PACKAGE AUTHORITY\ALL RESTRICTED APPLICATION PACKAGES:(RX)

when I run an import of a proper icacls I get this ..

C:\Users\administrator.ANDREWENG>icacls c:\windows\ /restore c:\AclFile.txt
c:\windows\fonts: Access is denied.
Successfully processed 0 files; Failed processing 1 files

Chk Dsk didn't change anything..

ARGGGG!!
Untitled.png
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Distinguished Expert 2019
Commented:
This problem has been solved!
(Unlock this solution with a 7-day Free Trial)
UNLOCK SOLUTION
kevin taylor

Author

Commented:
okay.. sorry.. logging out and logging into HP USER
kevin taylor

Author

Commented:
McKnife I want to give you  a big hug!!!! Worked like a charm!!! However I didn't do it with the local user I followed the instructions to the "T" with the domain admin..

Thank you my Brudda!!
kevin taylor

Author

Commented:
Appreciate you hanging with me and helping me get through this windows 10 bug..
McKnife
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Commented:
Very welcome.

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