Microsoft updates KB 3057110, KB 3045171 cause Windows 7 PCs to crash

[steven36]

GDI+ updates freeze Win7 and earlier PCs when using GsDraw and other drawing tools to create text outline-based path objects

Microsoft has issued an acknowledgment that MS15-044/KB 3057110 and MS15-051/KB 3045171 -- both massive font driver updates that fix TrueType font handling in Windows, .Net Framework, Office, Lync, and Silverlight -- can cause Windows 7 and earlier PCs to freeze.

The official warning goes like this:

After you install this security update, you experience crashes when you use Windows GDI+ to create text outline-based path objects on a computer that is running Windows 7 or an earlier version of Windows. We are aware of this issue and will address it in the near future.

Golden Software has a detailed description on its website:

The company's immediate fix is to uninstall KB 3045171 and, if that doesn't take care of the problem, to uninstall KB 3057110. (May 13, 2015) Microsoft released a series of updates. Two of those affect Golden Software products. Attempting to create maps or graphs containing symbols, opening files containing symbols, or drawing symbols results in a GsDraw error.

Surfer Error / GsDraw error (1): GenericError / Module GsDraw, File Path.cpp, Line 953

GsDraw has a permanent fix posted on its KB 1957 page. There's no indication whether the Fix-it file works for all instances of the bug, or GsDraw only. The page has additional instructions for manually installing specific GsDraw fonts.

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