Numbers and other characters not appearing, entire computer

[Craylee]

I started up my PC today, and have since restarted to see if that would help, and numbers and many characters are not being displayed.

Here's an image
You can see in the address bar that ". : /" characters do not show, as well as the blacked out shapes that show instead of the letters and numbers of the web address.
Many many options are not showing in any computer settings windows (the list of updates, for example).
As well as the date and time not showing in the taskbar along with the numbers of the calendar.

Googling doesn't help me find any specific help for this; in fact, I can't find anything that even describes this problem.

I don't have a system image to restore to, though I do have a USB with a clean, very small Win7 on it. I'd really rather not have to reinstall Windows entirely, though.

I'm going to restart my PC again, perhaps a few times, and keep checking through settings for a fix, but if anyone has any advice, that'd be great.

edit- It may be pertinent to add that more times than not, recently, Windows Explorer will crash over and over until I force shut down my PC (power button hold).

 

[RolandJS]

Windows Explorer [explorer.exe] crashing over and over is not a good sign. If you can do so, download, install, run tweaking.com's Windows Repair (All in One), accept defaults, add items 26 & 27 within Safe Mode w/Network, unless you can temporarily disarm real time protection shields. While WR is running, leave all other stuff closed.

 

[Craylee]

Windows Explorer [explorer.exe] crashing over and over is not a good sign. If you can do so, download, install, run tweaking.com's Windows Repair (All in One), accept defaults, add items 26 & 27 within Safe Mode w/Network, unless you can temporarily disarm real time protection shields. While WR is running, leave all other stuff closed.

I followed your directions. It appears to be fixed. No characters are missing, and my Windows Explorer is stable (though, that was an on/off thing so let's hope it continues to be stable in following power-ups).

Just for information, all my pre-scans were fine (all files were present and fine). I didn't run into any troubles going through all the steps of Windows Repair. I'll update if anything else weird happens.

Thank you very much for the suggestion!

 

[Layback Bear]

You could also check Windows 7 System Files by using this tutorial by Brink.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1538-sfc-scannow-command-system-file-checker.html

 

[RolandJS]

LaybackBear, thanks for the reminder of SFC /SCANNOW Command - System File Checker -- I totally forgot to mention it!

 

[margrave]

I'll take a guess. Some Explorer add-ins/plug-ins/helpers (aka "shell extensions") were the cause.

I find ShellExView very useful. It shows all of these extensions, and lets you turn off any of them. I'd start by disabling any of them not issued by Microsoft. (The tool shows the company of origin.)

This will disable some useful extensions ... so just turn on the ones you disabled, one at a time, until the problem surfaces. The last one re-enabled is the culprit.

Sometime that errant extension goes awry because of poor programming. Sometimes it's a hack attack. Either way, this tool will help you find the problem.