Can't set color profile

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Level 1

8 points

Can't set color profile

The system no longer accepts setting a specific color profile. When I select a color profile OS X instantly adjusts the screen and displays it correctly, but after half a second or so it falls back to the default profile.

It has never been like this before.

Setup: MacBookPro5,3 OS X 10.6.8 and Cinema Display 23" (the old one with matte screen and DVI connector).

Note: I have resetted NVRAM and PRAM and ColorSync Utility -> Profile First Aid -> Repair. But that didn't change anything.

Posted on Feb 8, 2013 9:32 AM

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Answer 1

Elimo Author

Level 1

8 points

Feb 8, 2013 11:24 AM in response to Elimo

Is it safe to delete all color profiles in /System/Library/Displays ?

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Answer 2

Kurt Lang

Level 9

57,996 points

Feb 8, 2013 12:14 PM in response to Elimo

Is it safe to delete all color profiles in /System/Library/Displays ?

No, the system uses at least some of them to control the color of items it displays in the interface. sRGB is there for Safari and other web browsers. Any image that has no profile is then displayed with sRGB as an assigned profile since that's the most commonly embedded profile for web images.

Your issue may be a corrupt .plist (preference) file. In your user account, go to the ~/Library/Preferences/ folder and move this file to the desktop:

com.apple.systempreferences.plist

Log out and log back into your account. Choose your display profile and see if it sticks. It should. This preference file holds a variety of settings, so you'll have to go through the System Preferences and see what else you need to change back to your preferred settings.

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Answer 3

Elimo Author

Level 1

8 points

Feb 8, 2013 12:37 PM in response to Kurt Lang

Thanks. But nothing changed. This problem might have appeared after I cloned and replaced my HD with a SSD. Though everything else is as it was before.

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Answer 4

Kurt Lang

Level 9

57,996 points

Feb 8, 2013 1:02 PM in response to Elimo

Then it's the other file. Trouble is, I can't find my note on it. It has to do exactly with what you're seeing. You choose a monitor profile, but it won't stay there. I'll keep looking.

In the meantime, check to see that it is account related. Create a test user account and try it there. If that monitor profile choice sticks, then the issue is definitely somewhere in your account.

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Answer 5

Kurt Lang

Level 9

57,996 points

Feb 8, 2013 1:49 PM in response to Kurt Lang

Ha! Found it. 🙂

If the "Show profiles for this display only" button becomes stuck permanently on, remove the following file from your user account in the ~/Library/Preferences/ByHost/ folder.

com.apple.preference.displays.5BC2023E-C4E5-5F2E-9149-F70B07B15AF2.plist

The numbers following "com.apple.preference.displays." will likely be different than what you see here. But that's the file to remove.

The text I saved (as you see) had to do with a button in the settings getting stuck, but may also be the answer to the profile choice not sticking.

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Answer 6

Elimo Author

Level 1

8 points

Feb 8, 2013 2:27 PM in response to Kurt Lang

Thanks for your efforts and hints. Prior to your reply I found this help: http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-57540493-263/how-to-make-colorsync-profiles -stick-in-os-x/

And it worked.

In terminal:

open $(getconf DARWIN_USER_CACHE_DIR)

Delete

com.apple.colorsync.profiles.UID

Show your user id (UID) with: id username.

Note: don't change color profile directly, log out and in first.

So I can't confirm if deleting

~/Library/Preferences/ByHost/com.apple.preference.displays.nnnn-nnn.plist

will work.

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Answer 7

Kurt Lang

Level 9

57,996 points

Feb 8, 2013 2:18 PM in response to Elimo

Excellent find. Glad you figured it out. 🙂

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Answer 8

Elimo Author

Level 1

8 points

Feb 10, 2013 12:17 PM in response to Kurt Lang

But the problem with non sticking color profiles came back after switching screens.

And I also tried to delete:

~/Library/Preferences/ByHost/com.apple.preference.displays.nnnn-nnn.plist

Couldn't notice any difference.

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Answer 9

Kurt Lang

Level 9

57,996 points

Feb 10, 2013 12:42 PM in response to Elimo

Hmm. Did you try the suggestion above about a test user account? Does the same thing happen there, or is it confined to your normal account?

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Answer 10

Elimo Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 3, 2013 6:34 AM in response to Kurt Lang

When I unplugged my MBP from the Cinema display and all the problems came back, I tried to create a test user account for verifying. And it appears as if the test account works fine. And one other thing, the log in screen always looks good.

Still not really solved. OS X has been acting all weird lately.

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