What is the huge "Windows Setup" font?

[AlejHerrBar2k3]

I have a bit of curiosity about the font that appears in the background (not in the Setup dialogs) of the Windows-based portions of Windows Setup on Windows 3.x and Windows NT 3.1 and 3.5. Does anybody know at least what is that font's name or which files is it made of?

[xelloss]

I have a bit of curiosity about the font that appears in the background (not in the Setup dialogs) of the Windows-based portions of Windows Setup on Windows 3.x and Windows NT 3.1 and 3.5. Does anybody know at least what is that font's name or which files is it made of?

IIRC it's a bitmap resource in setup.exe/winsetup.exe, not a font.

[roytam1]

I have a bit of curiosity about the font that appears in the background (not in the Setup dialogs) of the Windows-based portions of Windows Setup on Windows 3.x and Windows NT 3.1 and 3.5. Does anybody know at least what is that font's name or which files is it made of?

IIRC it's a bitmap resource in setup.exe/winsetup.exe, not a font.

We knew that, but there should be a font for creating that bitmap.

[xelloss]

We knew that, but there should be a font for creating that bitmap.

An answer to that question requires insider knowledge.

I recall that Arial Bold Italic is not thick enough, but if you use some graphic program that allows you to place a thicker outline on TT fonts, the result is close enough.

Given that the Setup text appeared in Windows 3.0, you could try and see if you can find a similar font in graphic design software from the late 80s.

We knew that, but there should be a font for creating that bitmap.

An answer to that question requires insider knowledge.

I recall that Arial Bold Italic is not thick enough, but if you use some graphic program that allows you to place a thicker outline on TT fonts, the result is close enough.

Given that the Setup text appeared in Windows 3.0, you could try and see if you can find a similar font in graphic design software from the late 80s.

I can add that the font used in Microsoft setup programs around 1990 mixes well with the old Microsoft logo (which is, in fact, used as part of the "setup" text in programs like Works 2.0 or Publisher 1.0), so it's likely that the setup text uses the same font as the MS logo. According to the internet, the font in question is Helvetica Black Oblique, but I believe it was adjusted to pack letters more tightly.

[AlejHerrBar2k3]

I can add that the font used in Microsoft setup programs around 1990 mix well with the old Microsoft logo (which is, in fact, used as part of the "setup" text in programs like Works 2.0 or Publisher 1.0), so it's likely that the setup text uses the same font as the MS logo. According to the internet, the font in question is Helvetica Black Oblique, but I believe that it was adjusted to pack letters more tightly.

Well, most Microsoft programs had, as you say, a Microsoft Setup background text with a different font. Other Microsoft programs didn't follow this (example, Word 2.0 for Windows and Excel 4.0, having a font that I could consider similar to Franklin Gothic Heavy.

I recall that Arial Bold Italic is not thick enough, but if you use some graphic program that allows you to place a thicker outline on TT fonts, the result is close enough.

Given that the Setup text appeared in Windows 3.0, you could try and see if you can find a similar font in graphic design software from the late 80s.

It does not look like Arial Bold Italic or Black Italic (yes, there is an Italic variant of Arial Black) to me. For me it's similar to Franklin Gothic Heavy Italic. I do not use graphical design software for MS-DOS, so I don't know where could that font originate from.

[AlejHerrBar2k3]

And by the way, in my computer there's a font that is very similar to Helvetica Bold (but not Black) Italic. The Windows Setup font might have actually been based on Helvetica Black Italic after all.

That font is called Neue Haas Grotesk Bold Italic. I know it's not a "Black" typeface but it might still work for something. Try to make a comparison of my uploaded font image and the bitmap file used for the Windows Setup font in Windows 3.x.

[os2fan2]

I seem to recall that it used some measure of kerneling. I did a setup with 'Windows' replaced with 'Windoze'.

But it is correct that it is a resource bitmap inside setup.exe Using some italic san-serif font, you could simply replace the bitmap with something different. The gradient comes from somewhere else.

WinHelp uses the same scheme.

[AlejHerrBar2k3]

I seem to recall that it used some measure of kerneling. I did a setup with 'Windows' replaced with 'Windoze'.

Kerneling? I don't understand what you refer to. I know that versions of Windows 3.x in other languages change the text while still using the bitmap from the English version. Example: the Spanish Windows 3.1 would show Instalar Windows instead of Windows Setup.

But it is correct that it is a resource bitmap inside setup.exe Using some italic san-serif font, you could simply replace the bitmap with something different. The gradient comes from somewhere else.

That's what I noticed with versions of Windows 3.x in other languages. Some of them would change the bitmap using another, small-sized font just to at least fit on VGA resolution. One of the fonts might be a version of Franklin Gothic.

WinHelp uses the same scheme.

I already knew that!

[xelloss]

Kerneling? I don't understand what you refer to.

It's called "kerning".
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerning

[EvanKTC]

IDK seems like arial black italic to me

[AlejHerrBar2k3]

IDK seems like arial black italic to me

Evan, to me it would seem like a modified* Helvetica Black Italic. Arial by itself is a clone of Helvetica. By the way, I already figured out what are the files for this font.

*When I say 'modified' I mean that there are some glyphs that are distinct from Helvetica as seen on Macs. AFAIK the Setup font has different lowercase 'a' and 'y' glyphs.