How do I get Datacolor Spyder 3 Express running on OS X El Capitan (10.11)?

Question

Since 2012, I've had Spyder 3 Express running properly on OS X 10.6 to 10.9. Lately I updated to OS X El Capitan 10.11. Since then I don't get past the activation dialog. I'm connected to the internet and click the "Next" button, but nothing happens then.

In the system log I see the following lines:

On startup of Spyder3Express:

22.10.16 15:48:18,841 Spyder3Express[1388]: WARNING: The Gestalt selector gestaltSystemVersion is returning 10.9.6 instead of 10.11.6. This is not a bug in Gestalt -- it is a documented limitation. Use NSProcessInfo's operatingSystemVersion property to get correct system version number.
Call location:
22.10.16 15:48:18,841 Spyder3Express[1388]: 0   CarbonCore                          0x9b373e3d ___Gestalt_SystemVersion_block_invoke + 135
22.10.16 15:48:18,841 Spyder3Express[1388]: 1   libdispatch.dylib                   0x918d183f _dispatch_client_callout + 50
22.10.16 15:48:18,841 Spyder3Express[1388]: 2   libdispatch.dylib                   0x918d171b dispatch_once_f + 78
22.10.16 15:48:18,841 Spyder3Express[1388]: 3   libdispatch.dylib                   0x918d2fa5 dispatch_once + 31
22.10.16 15:48:18,841 Spyder3Express[1388]: 4   CarbonCore                          0x9b2ef8e1 _Gestalt_SystemVersion + 1047
22.10.16 15:48:18,841 Spyder3Express[1388]: 5   CarbonCore                          0x9b2ef08a Gestalt + 154
22.10.16 15:48:18,841 Spyder3Express[1388]: 6   rbframework.dylib                   0x013f1104 RuntimeDebugMemoryUsed + 20372

On clicking the "Next" button:

22.10.16 15:51:58,000 kernel[0]: 023732.552286 Datacolor Spyder3@04100000: AppleUSBDevice::ResetDevice: < software attempt to RESET >

Reading the first line I suppose it doesn't run under El Capitan anymore, but I found no information at all confirming this. Instead another user reported it went fine for him. Do you have any suggestions? Thank you.

Answer 1

I just installed my old Spyder 3 Express on MacOS Sierra with Spyder3Express_4.0.10-1_Installer. Installation works fine, the problem comes during internet product registration. This is what I did:

1 - Disconnect from internet
2 - Run Spyder3Express installer
3 - choose a manual product registration
4 - enter the Spyder 3 serial number when asked
5 - the registration software returns a **first** activation code
6 - connect to internet
7 - go to https://activation.datacolor.com and paste the activation code
8 - Datacolor web page returns a **second** code, a confirmation activation code
9 - enter this second code in Spyder3Express registration software
10 - registration done, use your Spyder 3, and thanks to Datacolor!

Answer 2

Datacolor's knowledge base article for Spyder3Express seems like it hasn't been updated for 10.11. It lists

Minimum System Requirements

Mac OS X 10.6, 10.7, 10.8, 10.9, 10.10

Based on the list of OS versions, it looks like the list is updated for each version of the OS when they update the software. The lack of 10.11 (and the error message you're seeing) seem to indicate that the software hasn't been updated for El Capitan.

By comparison, the knowledge base article for Spyder4Express lists:

Minimum System Requirements

• Mac OS X 10.7, 10.8, 10.9, 10.10, 10.11, 10.12

Answer 3

Thank you for your answer. I investigated and searched a bit and came across the fact that colorimeter's filters can age, especially those with gelatin filters in the lower price segment (see http://www.color-management-guide.com/how-to-calibrate-monitor.html) So it becomes logical to me that Datacolor doesn't support older devices. Sad, but unavoidable :-( Finally I dropped the old Spyder and continue with another device. Good bye Datacolor.