The Windows command line (CMD) is a powerful tool for administrators, allowing them to perform a variety of tasks from basic system maintenance to troubleshooting complex problems. However, one of the most common issues that administrators run into is being unable to add the Microsoft Console font to the registry. This is especially true for those using Eastern Asian language versions of Windows, such as Japanese and Chinese.
The issue stems from the fact that the Microsoft Console font is not supported in these language versions. This means that while it is possible to add the font to the registry, it will not display properly in the command line, resulting in garbled characters. This is a major problem for administrators who need to use the command line to manage their systems.
Fortunately, there is a workaround. To add the Microsoft Console font to the registry and make it usable in Eastern Asian language versions of Windows, administrators must first install the Microsoft Global IME (Input Method Editor). This is a language support package that allows users to input complex characters and symbols.
Once the Microsoft Global IME is installed, administrators can then add the Microsoft Console font to the registry and it will be usable in the command line. To do this, they must open the registry editor and navigate to the following key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows NT\\CurrentVersion\\Console\\TrueTypeFont
Once inside this key, they can add a new string value with the name of the font they wish to use. For the Microsoft Console font, this should be “MS Console”.
Once this is done, they must then restart their system and the Microsoft Console font should now be usable in the command line. This should allow administrators to properly manage their systems, regardless of their language version.
While this workaround does provide a solution to the issue of not being able to add the Microsoft Console font to the registry in Eastern Asian language versions of Windows, it does come with some caveats. For example, the Microsoft Global IME package is quite large and can take a long time to install, especially on slow or older systems. Additionally, it is important to note that the Microsoft Console font is only available in certain language versions of Windows. For example, it is not available in Korean.
In conclusion, adding the Microsoft Console font to the registry in Eastern Asian language versions of Windows can be a challenge. Fortunately, there is a workaround available that involves installing the Microsoft Global IME package. Once this is done, administrators can then add the font to the registry and it will be usable in the command line. While this solution does come with some caveats, it is a viable option if they need to use the Microsoft Console font in their command line.
