Random colour changes to 8bit

PLEASE EXCUSE THE NAME

Basically, I play Minecraft and every time I launch the game my screen resolution changes to 8bit colours. I think it might be something to do with java as everytime I download an update for java my screen resolution changes to 8bit colours as it is installing. Sometimes it just randomly happens when I'm on YouTube or on Skype. I've been to Microsoft and I shared my screen with someone but they didn't know what to do. I really don't know what else to say or do! Any help would be much appreciated

The error from minecraft;
--- BEGIN ERROR REPORT 5424363c --------
Generated 25/10/11 17:05

Minecraft: Minecraft Beta 1.8.1
OS: Windows Vista (x86) version 6.0
Java: 1.6.0_29, Sun Microsystems Inc.
VM: Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (mixed mode), Sun Microsystems Inc.
LWJGL: 2.4.2
[failed to get system properties (java.lang.NullPointerException)]

org.lwjgl.LWJGLException: Insufficient color precision
at org.lwjgl.opengl.WindowsPeerInfo.nChoosePixelFormat(Native Method)
at org.lwjgl.opengl.WindowsPeerInfo.choosePixelFormat(WindowsPeerInfo.java:52)
at org.lwjgl.opengl.WindowsDisplay.createWindow(WindowsDisplay.java:185)
at org.lwjgl.opengl.Display.createWindow(Display.java:311)
at org.lwjgl.opengl.Display.create(Display.java:856)
at org.lwjgl.opengl.Display.create(Display.java:784)
at org.lwjgl.opengl.Display.create(Display.java:765)
at net.minecraft.client.Minecraft.a(SourceFile:233)
at l.a(l.java:28)
at net.minecraft.client.Minecraft.run(SourceFile:629)
at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)
--- END ERROR REPORT 6f4f9de5 ----------

The colours correct themselves when I close the game.

Java has also crashed a few times but the thread is huuuge. Let me know if you would like me to post it?

What's your computer?

You might want to completely uninstall java, and re-0install completely.

I have a Samsung R710 laptop.
I just tried uninstall, reinstall but no luck.
The guy from microsoft said something about asking the game developers to "reset the options"? I'm not sure what this means and if it is of any value to you. Just throwing it out there!

Actually it does, try this:
How do i reset everything on minecraft? - Yahoo! Answers

Nope, the problem remains.
I was thinking maybe there might be an option somewhere that says something like "Optimize colours for gaming" that I might have accidentally clicked?
Or it could be the fact my laptop simply doesn't like Java...