actually the first thing I notice is the red security shield down in the bottom, is she currently running an antivirus program that is updating? a firewall? has she checked to see why it is in the Red?

For the other problem I would tell her to try a system restore to the day PRIOR to changing her settings. You did not mention if it is xp or vista.
System Restore
Using Windows 7 or Vista System Restore

Sorry for the late response ravencajun and thank you for your suggestions.

She's running XP and has tried system restore to no avail. Seems this is an old problem and she'd tried everything at the time. She wound up with a virus and was able to get rid of it but since it's been so long, she can't remember the date this all took place and is afraid to take her computer back to a time she had the virus. Hope that makes sense.

The problem here is that we don't know What browser she is using and whether or not this is happening across All browsers?

Here is one way to correct the problem in IE: Click on Tools at the top of page.
Click on Internet Options.
Click on Fonts at the bottom of the page.

If your friend IS using IE, she can change the font style there.

Without checking, I'm pretty sure that the other browsers have a similar setup.

I am just guessing that this is the problem?

Let us know.

At the bottom of that same page .. where you change the font, you have the color change options along with other page layout tools.

well if she does not get her security center set up and in the green she will likely have more virus issues.
I would suggest she get free malwarebytes and at the very least install update it and run full scan.
How to download and install Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware application for Windows computers

let us know which browser this is happening with or if it is on all browsers

well if she does not get her security center set up and in the green she will likely have more virus issues.
My shield is red colored also. It is just because I have automatic updates turned off.

Have her click on "link options" and a window will pop up, then click on "only on mouseover", "save"

Isn't there a new 'Free' virus and malware thingy out now by Microsoft that she could use? Essentials something or other?

I have all paid for thingy's so I haven't kept up on these things.

(I call em Thingy's for lack of a better name OR just plain Brain-Lock .. You choose ) LOL

usually you can get rid of that red shield if you go to security center and on the left select the option to change the way security center notifies me, if you do have the other options set properly.

I'm sorry for being so long in responding to your very helpful and kind suggestions. He a stray pup show up yesterday and had to devote the rest of the day to finding him a safe haven.

I've heard from my friend, who is coming down with the flu unfortunately but she did offer this:

"I do use IE. I did the tools/internet options/fonts. Then I did the same 'tools/internet options/Accessibility' box. In 'Formatting' (on the top of the box)I have to check all three boxes to 'ignore' in order to get my font big enough to read. If I don't click the three boxes, my font is so tiny, I can't read. Clicking the three boxes is what's making my text stack. I just found that out when I changed my font then went to PB (pic storage) and the text was not stacked but was teeny tiny, even though I clicked on the AA button that changes your font from smallest to largest.

I wish I could find a default button for font and sizes. I searched google for help, many times and after trying other solutions, the only way I can read the puter is to check those three boxes in 'formatting'."

Maybe her offerings will answer some of your questions.

PS: And yes, she says her shield was red because she had her automatic updates turned off.

Your friend tried to make adjustments where adjustments weren't needed.

You adjust font size .. across All browsers by adjusting the DPI settings.


I have Vista so .. going on memory here for xp: On windows XP right-click on an empty area on your desktop.


Go to properties then to settings then to advanced.


I think you can go from 96 dpi to 120 dpi?

On Vista, you have a customize option for DPI that you can REALLY up the settings.


(I tried 250 .. Just for grins)

I'll sure pass this info along to her justme4now. I know she'll appreciate your input. 250 Wow! LOL

I really do hope that this will help.

If not, let us know and we'll go from there.

I tried the 250 DPI but this thing is customizable to 500 DPI .. Don't think I'm gonna try that. LOL

I do adjust my DPI also since I have such bad eyesight.

is she only having this problem on that one website mainly?

if she has not changed her font back to what it was at default from comic sans I would do that also because some sites may not be able to render properly in that font.

dpi setting in xp is right click on desktop, properties, display properties, settings tab then the advanced button.

To change font size it is the same procedure only choose the appearance tab where you change font size and apply changes. Did she by chance change the theme or style in there? if so she needs to try to change them back to default settings.

Apparently she's tried all of the suggestions above and we are both very thankful for your help and advice.

I heard from her this morning and here is what she relayed.

I've had my dpi set to 120 the entire time and it helps but does not unstack the text. So, I set my Theme back to normal and tried unclicking the three checks in 'Formatting' but the text went back to tiny. Even when I set my font to Largest and the dpi back to 120.
When I rechecked the three boxes in 'Formatting' the font stayed small and I couldn't get it back to where I was the day before yesterday, so I ended up doing a Restore to Nov. 10th. And I'm now back to square one. Meaning, stacked text but the font is large enough for me to read.
Also, The text is stacked in most sites. Some are worse than others.
Back when I changed all the settings in Desktop, Properties, Appearance, Advanced, I changed sizes in just about every one of those and I'm thinking that's where my problem remains. No matter what size I change them to, it doesn't help. Only because I don't know what the defaults are for them individually.

Also, for some time now, the font in email OE, will not stay on Comic sans. I've used comic sans for years but for whatever reason, no matter how many times I repeat setting it to comic sans, as soon as I type the first letter in the email, it reverts back to Times New Roman. I've checked the settings in case I had them set for reverting to the senders font but that's not the case.

I don't know if they two issues are related, maybe you folks would know or it might shed some light on her troubles.

Again, thank you so much for your help and suggestions.

I actually need large text also (very bad eyesight) and because of the 'stacked text' only use IE for photobucket. I guess I'm just too lazy to work out another method.

Pam

pkponder, I run into that often. I use Firefox, and if I get something like the above example of stacked text, I hit the IE Tab button on my toolbar and it clears it right up. Seems like quite a few sites don't display right unless I do that.