Windows Vista Color Management = FAIL, But This May Help You…
If you are having problems with Windows Vista and color calibration and profiles, by all means, read on…
I’ve been on Windows Vista since it’s early beta stages several years ago. To be honest with you, now that I have been using Windows 7, can honestly say that I HATE VISTA! Now before you think I’m just riding on the Vista hater bandwagon, please listen to one of my biggest gripes.
I purchased a new laptop recently. A Dell Studio 15. I had many troubles with it and decided to return it. I exchanged it for an HP dv5 series. A vanilla flavored laptop running Windows Vista SP1. As a photographer, it is important for me to work in a computing environment that is color correct. An issue that I was hoping was unique to the Dell perfectly replicated itself on the HP and that was I noticed that my custom ICC profile for used for color calibration kept dropping out of the video card. I use Datacolor’s Sypder2Pro Suite for calibration. Strange things seemed to cause my profile to be lost, such as Windows Vista UAC prompts popping up. Not being a huge fan of UAC, I just turned it off. Then I noticed that anything that brought Windows to the log in screen would cause the profile I created to vanish such as coming back from the screen saver or powering the screen back on after some idle time. Even worse, whenever this happened, the only thing I could do was reboot the computer entirely. NOTHING WOULD RELOAD MY PROFILE OTHER THAN A COMPLETE POWER DOWN AND REBOOT! This was a huge letdown and actually sort of freaked me out. This laptop would be worthless to me unless I could figure out a way around this.
Now thoroughly panicked, I went to the web and learned that this exact color issue had been a problem with Vista since it’s conception. I find it rather strange that after owning several Vista machines, that I only experienced this problem on my two most recent computer purchases. (I have several Vista machines that DO NOT have the problem I am describing in this article and at the time of this writing, I do not have an explanation for that).
Without going into too much detail, it looks like this problem exists in Vista because of the order that it loads the profile in relation to other display driver mumbo jumbo. Basically, Vista loads your profile, and then loads the uncalibrated luminance data back over the corrected profile. I really don’t understand how such a seemingly simple yet critical issue such as color profiling could fly under the radar (or be ignored) for this long.
The good news is that I have found a solution that works for me every time. Its only a minor inconvenience and has sort of just become part of my work flow. Will it work for you? I don’t know, as I have not really had an opportunity to test this across more than just a couple machines, but so far so good.
You need LUT Manager for Windows (download here)
Solve your Windows Vista color profile nightmares with LUT Manager
Once Installed, place a shortcut for this application on your desktop. As soon as Vista loses your calibration data (for whatever reason), simply launch LUT Manager, load your profile which is saved in C:\Windows\System32\spool\drivers\color\ (you’ll only have to do this the first time or if you want to use a different profile) then in the program, under the LUT menu, select “Load default for device”. This will magically reload the LUT (look up table) data from the profile you created using your colorimeter into your graphics adapter. The change will look dramatic, especially if you have been working without a calibrated screen for a while. When I load the correct LUT data, I am always shocked at how magenta/dark the screen looks at first but its just because my HP’s screen leans so far toward the cyan, blue, way too bright side of the spectrum. (Sound familiar Mac people???) The strangeness subsides after about a minute.
So there it is, my quick, easy solution to solving the ongoing failure of Vista’s color management. I am interested to know if this solution works for other people. Feel free to post comments or discuss!
This worked for me. Thanks a lot. It’s widely believed that there is no work around for this problem. I guess this proves them wrong. I am also using a spyder2.
@RN G
Cool! Glad to hear it.
after searching internet for 10 hours, i found your blog, and your method works for me .thank u!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
but there must be a solution to this problem.
Excellent! Glad this is working for people. You are right though, Microsoft HAS to fix this.
I am going to try your method as I am also frustrated with Vista altering my cablibrated profile for no reason..If It works, it will bring an end to my search for the solution !!!!Finger crossed !!
My friend,
It worked !!!!! Yey !!
Great! I am hoping that this issue is fixed in Windows 7, but I’m not holding my breath.
Keith – You probably know by now, but it's not fixed in Windows 7. I'm uncertain if the problem with color profiles being dumped every time my HP DV6 laptop recovers from hibernation/sleep mode or after the screen saver is related to the OS or video drivers. I had to log off and log back in before I could get my profile back. Reloading the profile via lutloader was very hit or miss. I've found that LUT Manager is doing a very nice job of streamlining the process. I've also noted, at least on my laptop, that I would have to click Reset LUT, Reload LUT. Better than having to log off or rebooting. Thanks for sharing the info on the program.
Should have read – ….Reset LUT, Default LUT…
Great! I thought it was my new ATI GFX card causing the trouble and was about to sell it (with a 100US$ loss), but this solution solved my problem!
Thanks Keith! MS should really never have released Vista…
I know what you mean. I can barely stand Vista myself. I have been on the Windows 7 beta for some time now, and I really feel like they might get this one right. To be honest, I am not using it on any production workstations with color calibration, so I can’t yet say if Win 7 has fixed this ridiculous problem. We shouldn’t have to use workarounds like this just to work with custom color profiles. What a drag. Oh well, it’s better than rebooting every time! Thanks for stopping by my site!
does it have to be done every time? it didn’t seem to stick for me
Yes, due to the problem with Vista not holding a profile, you need to load it every time. I just put a shortcut on my desktop.
I’m really relieved to see your solution has worked for the people up there and I’m really hoping it would work for me too.
Being an illustrator, having a well calibrated monitor is very important to me. I’ve just recently purchased a new laptop which had Vista Home installed in it. The bright colors on the screen really freaked me out but google-ing a bit and discovering that this has been an eternal Vista problem really shocked me. The first thing I thought was how did Microsoft left such an important problem unresolved for so long =\
Anyway, as long as your method works, things should be fine.
I’ve got only one little problem while following this solution. I can navigate upto system32 folder but after that, there is “spool\drivers\color\” folders. What do I do now ?
If it helps, I’m using a Sony Vaio AW and run vista home premium.
I’ll be very thankful if anyone shows me what I’m doing wrong.
You shouldn’t need to actually put anything in that folder, your custom profile should already be there. It will end in .icc or .icm. You basically just need to browse to the profile using the LUT loader. Hope this helps!
Did you get it working?
Thanks Keith.
It helped me too!
It works well for my vista too. Thanks a lot.
This is huge. Somebody should pay you for this gem. You had to reboot to reset your system? I had no choice but to go through the 15 minute calibration sequence again everyt time I rebooted. Hideous!!
Ohh man! That is pretty horrible. I haven't gotten around to testing the color management in Windows 7, but I'm really keeping my fingers crossed that this ridiculous situation will finally be handled.
This is great. It works on my Windows7 laptop as well. Thank you so much.
Glad the workaround works for you too. I haven't had a chance to check out color calibration in Windows 7 yet, so are you saying that the same problem is also present in Windows 7?!!?!?! How can this be? How are they messing up this bad?
I really can't express how excited I am to find this post. I'm working off a Dell laptop with an atrocious out-of-the-box color profile. I color manage, but like any Windows machine (presumably, because unlike everyone else here, I'm running XP), once this thing goes into stand by my profile is lost. When that happens I'm faced with two options: 1. look at impossibly skewed colors or, 2. initiate the 10-minute restart process.
And I have dealing with this problem for YEARS.
I'm trying to download the LUT Manager for Windows, the download linmk above just seems to direct me to some Mac software.
Found it here
http://lut-manager.software.informer.com/
I have figured out another way of doing this that seems to work for me. Create two profiles with your calibrator. They can both be the same with slightly different names. So one will always act as the default.
Steps:
Start – all programs – startup
drag your calibrators icon into your desktop.
Now each time Vista reverts back to factory default, you can double click the icon and it should get reloaded. But sometimes it doesn't. In that situation, backward click on the desktop – display settings – advance settings – color management. Then click color management tab and if you have created two profiles with different names with your calibrator, you should see both there, one being (default). All you have to do is click the other one and make it default (press set as default after switching and then close window). It shouldn't matter if both were calibrated and look the same.
Now double click the icon on desktop again and it should be loaded. If you wish, you can go back and repeat the steps to go back to the previous default.
Sounds like a lot of steps, but it takes all but 10 seconds to do this. It's been working for me well, whereas nothing else worked on my brand new machine. I hope it works for others as well.
Now if only I can get my Spyder Pro2 to calibrate correctly so my black and white work doesn't have that ugly sepia tint.
Thank you! thank you! thank you, Keith!! (and thanks to Matt for the correct/updated link).
I am so relieved to have found this solution after hours of searching the web. I was about to return my new 5-day-old Samsung R710 to the supplier, thinking it was a manufacturing fault. I'm relieved (in a strange sorta way) that it's a Vista problem — and hoping like hell that Windows 7 won't have this problem!
At least now the colors on my notebook and my PC look almost the same, though I will always double check colors on my PC running XP Pro (with Acer monitor) before printing or making PDF print files.
Glad to hear it John. I guess we'll all find out in october if Windows 7 has fixed this issue. Ill report on it as soon as I can. Keith Slagerman Photo & Design 106 K Street STE 38 Sacramento, CA 95814 916-623-5414 P 916-258-0182 F http://www.slagermanphoto.comNote: This message was composed on a mobile device and sent via AT&T Business Services.
From: IntenseDebate Notifications
something that seems to work for me is under display settings to change the color depth of my desktop to 16 bit. i can then also change it back to 32 bit. upon doing this, the colors are a lot better, though i'm definitely not a color expert so i can't say for whether they're accurate.
Hmm, unfortunately, that won't help in terms of loading your ICC profile back into your video device. But you are correct, 32-bit color is the way to go if your doing any serious editing or viewing. Keith Slagerman Photo & Design 106 K Street STE 38 Sacramento, CA 95814 916-623-5414 P 916-258-0182 F http://www.slagermanphoto.comNote: This message was composed on a mobile device and sent via AT&T Business Services.
From: IntenseDebate Notifications
Dear friends ,
actually I've bought a new laptop acer about 3month ago , and unfortunately I had a vista on it , I have a problem for watching videos and it is that ,every thing ,is green in every videos ,and I did some thing in color management but still i have this problem , can you help me in this case?
thanks
I experience the same issues on Windows 7. Why don't they fix their bugs for years?
yes i've got same matter on windows 7… I use DisplayProfile to fix it but it doen't work when i'm playing on fullscreen mode I lost ICM profile… Will be the same issue with LutManager ???
Just to clarify/simplify the procedure that Mike describes six posts back, it is NOT necessary to create multiple profiles for each display, as reapplying the default as the default will correct the colours.
To steps are now:
1. Just create one profile (for each display if more than one).
2. Set as default for the display (in System Defaults if required).
3. If the colour is lost, open Color Managment dialog.
4. Select display.
5. Click the default profile.
6. Click set as default.
The colour for that display will be corrected.
7. Repeat 4. to 6. for other displays.
In fact a simpler process is:
1. Open the Color Management dialog (better to drag a shortcut to the Start Menu).
2. Click the Advanced tab.
3. Click the Reload current calibrations button.
All displays will be set to their proper calibrations.
Note that this only works if Windows is controlling the calibrations and not a third-party service.
Help, help help – please
We have a 64 bit vista home premium operating system and cannot even get the calibrator (EZ color eye-one) device to load. The computer asks us for a digital signature and will not let us use the calibrator to set up a profile.
Can anyone advise?
Not familiar with that one but I suspect the driver CD only has 32-bit drivers. Did you check the manufacturers website for 64-bit drivers?Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T
From: IntenseDebate Notifications
Even better solution is to change the activation of it in the Scheduler.
In Win 7 (not sure for Vista, but may be similar):
1. Open the Scheduler, by typing 'sched' into the Start search field (bottom of Start panel).
2. In left hand pane, drill down to: Task Scheduler (loacl) –> Task Scheduler Library –> Microsoft –> Windows –> WindowsColorSystem.
3. In the central upper pane, double-click on Calibration Loader to open the Properties dialog box for it.
4. Click on the Triggers tab to show the panel.
5. Click on the 'On connection to user session' and click Edit…
6. Check 'Delay task for' and edit the '30 seconds' option to '10 seconds'.
7. Click the OK button on each dialog box to close them.
You may have to adjust the delay depending upon how long it takes for your computer drop the colour calibration.
I actually left the standard ones, but edited them to repeat at '1 minute' intervals for '1 minute', and then added the same two with a delay of '30 seconds' but no repeat. I also added a Triiger for 'Unlock workstation', which may be useful for those who use a screensaver with lockout.
Hi Patanjali,
I am not sure whether your post was in reply to my post but we cannot even get the calibrating device to load. We are ot atnot even at the stage where we can get a colour profile set.
Can anyone help?
Thanks,
Jane
Sorry Jane,
My post was for for those afflicted by the original issue and as an alternative to using a third party app. Actually, it is only varying how Windows itseft invokes the calibration.
You can override Vista's need for driver digital signature checking by following steps at:
http://digiex.net/guides-tutorials/116-how-disabl...
Note the warning that doing so is at your own risk as NO requests leaves the computer at risk (but I think at no more than if you select the install anyway option on the requests in 32bit).
My procedure MAY help you if you are affected by the issue after you have installed the drivers, but NOT if your installation loads its own service to manage the calibration loading, instead of using Windows'.
The third party app no longer appears to be at the link provided in the original article. Is there an alternate source or product to load calibration profiles after the system has booted?
ballroompics,
Try using the scheduler as I detailed a four posts back. It may seem complex but is actually simpler than third-party programs.
I have the following Triggers now:
1. At log on = no delay, Repeat every 1 minute for 1 minute.
2. On connection to user session = same as 1.
3. On connection to user session = Delay 30 seconds, no repeat.
4. At log on = Delay fo 15 seconds.
5. On workstation unlock = No delay, no repeat.
Feel free to ask if you have any queries.
If you are using Eye One to calibrate, make a shortcut on your desktop to the follwing location (default)
"C:Program FilesGretagMacbethi1Eye-One Match 3CalibrationLoaderCalibrationLoader.exe
run it after startup or if you think that the calibration has gone.
Patanjali, your method is best for windows 7.
Before finding this post, I had a shortcut to colorcpl.exe on my desktop and it took 3 steps to returng color setting to desired (run shortcut, switch to 3rd tab, click button to reload calibrations).
Dimitry,
I wish I knew what knocked it out so soon after startup anyway, but at least we have an automatic way of restoring it.
Guys, may be you can help me. When I set calibration profile from X-rite Eye One display in Windows colors look dull in Photoshop and all other color managed programs.
here is an example
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2597/4022959493_54...
from the left is how image looks in AcdSee, and from the right how it looks in photoshop. The only way to get in photoshop the same colors as in AcdSee is to select "Discard color profile" in photoshop when opening a file. I guess I tried everything, reinstalled all drivers and software. The only thing I haven't tried is to reinstall Windows.
I also tried LUT manager, It loads calibration profile, but I experience the same problem.
It would appear, that at least for me, that the official release of Windows 7 has solved the issue. I have installed it on four of my machines, all with different video cards and the profile holds just fine. Any one else having such luck?
Found something interesting interesting.. Just purchased a Sony VAIO laptop running Windows 7. Starting immediately having the LUT bug. Found a blog post and a commenter said that disablin igfxpers.exe from running on startup would solve the color management issue. I did that and voila. Problem fixed. So maybe this is a driver issue, and not so much a Windows issue. The jury is still out, but I'm doing OK on my setup for now.
Look here:
http://neosmart.net/blog/2007/windows-vistas-gamm...
search on the page for "igfxpers.exe"
Keith removing igfxpres.exe solved the problem for me! Thanks a lot! It has been bugging me for years….
Doesn't explain why it occurs on non-Intel graphics chipsets.
It isn't platform dependent. It happens on all chipsets. The common factor is Windows. Keith Slagerman Photo & Design916-623-5414 P916-258-0182 Fhttp://www.slagermanphoto.comSent via Blackberry by AT&T
Thanks for posting this – thought I had a problem specific to my Laptop.
I couldn't find LUT manager on the link provoded but found it here:
http://fotomania.nixz.net/lutmanager/
Thanks again for posting – saved me a load of hassle!