Age of Empires 2 on Windows 7 has color issues

Go into task manager select the processes tab and end explorer.exe then alt-tab back into age of empires

Note: this will make your task bar disapear and any open folders

To restart explorer open the task manager agian in the aplications tab hit new task and type explorer in the box

The colours change because of the Aero theme's poor handling of colours

Edit:

You can also make a batch file with the following lines and place it in the same location as your age of empires 2 executable

taskkill /F /IM Explorer.exe

age2_x1.exe

Start explorer.exe

There is now no longer any need for this lame fix.  Here is the REAL fix:

DirectDrawFix 20111211-005156

Introduction

Windows Vista and Windows 7 break color compatibility with

certain applications that depend upon palette-based, 256-color

graphics. Due to changes to DirectX and DirectDraw, the colors

of these applications and games may appear distorted under

these newer operating systems.

DirectDrawFix will allow you to resolve this specific issue by

applying required compatibility fixes to the registry. Elevation

is required for this application to perform its updates.

System Requirements

• Windows Vista or later operating system
• Elevated user account privileges

Get More Information

• Website: http://www.xomicron.com/software/directdrawfix/
• Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/xOmicron/

Works for ALL older Games.  I also tried the newest version of DirectX as someone suggested.  It id NOT work.  Xomicron did and has worked every time I have used it on someones computer without fail.  Run it ONCE on the game and it is fixed forever.  You do NOT have to disable anything.

Hello, i want to run Age of Empires 2 on my Windows 7 rc computer. But there are color issuse when i run it, the grass aren't green and the water isent blue. How should i do to fix this? I have try to run it complatify with windows xp service pack 2, and installd some driexct 9 drivers. but not result to better colors. I hope someone have a good answer, because i love this game.

---

Frozzare, Scout in Sweden

DirectDrawFix 20111211-005156

Introduction

Windows Vista and Windows 7 break color compatibility with

certain applications that depend upon palette-based, 256-color

graphics. Due to changes to DirectX and DirectDraw, the colors

of these applications and games may appear distorted under

these newer operating systems.

DirectDrawFix will allow you to resolve this specific issue by

applying required compatibility fixes to the registry. Elevation

is required for this application to perform its updates.

System Requirements

• Windows Vista or later operating system
• Elevated user account privileges

Get More Information

• Website: http://www.xomicron.com/software/directdrawfix/
• Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/xOmicron/

I was having this problem with Windows Vista also.

 

No fun to even try to play with this problem.  I had hoped when I upgraded to windows 7 that it would fix problem but no luck.

 

When I close windows explorer and alt tab back the graphics are OK for a few minutes, but I have to keep alt tabbing even when windows explorer is closed.  Long I play faster it goes bad.

 

Why can't Microsoft can't fix this???

 

This HAS been fixed, a LONG time ago.

DirectDrawFix 20111211-005156

Introduction

Windows Vista and Windows 7 break color compatibility with

certain applications that depend upon palette-based, 256-color

graphics. Due to changes to DirectX and DirectDraw, the colors

of these applications and games may appear distorted under

these newer operating systems.

DirectDrawFix will allow you to resolve this specific issue by

applying required compatibility fixes to the registry. Elevation

is required for this application to perform its updates.

System Requirements

• Windows Vista or later operating system
• Elevated user account privileges

Get More Information

• Website: http://www.xomicron.com/software/directdrawfix/
• Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/xOmicron/

DirectDrawFix 20111211-005156

Introduction

Windows Vista and Windows 7 break color compatibility with

certain applications that depend upon palette-based, 256-color

graphics. Due to changes to DirectX and DirectDraw, the colors

of these applications and games may appear distorted under

these newer operating systems.

DirectDrawFix will allow you to resolve this specific issue by

applying required compatibility fixes to the registry. Elevation

is required for this application to perform its updates.

System Requirements

• Windows Vista or later operating system
• Elevated user account privileges

Get More Information

• Website: http://www.xomicron.com/software/directdrawfix/
• Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/xOmicron/