There's no doubt a less hamfisted approach that would also work

For example, this patch to lib/ActivePerl/Config.pm:

--- Config.pm_orig      Sun Sep 13 17:44:03 2009
+++ Config.pm   Sun Sep 13 17:49:34 2009
@@ -304,6 +304,7 @@
     unless ($console) {
        $console = Win32::Console->new(Win32::Console::STD_OUTPUT_HAND
+LE());
     }
+    my $current = $console->Attr();
     my($col,undef) = $console->Size;
     print "\n";
     $console->Attr($Win32::Console::FG_RED | $Win32::Console::BG_WHIT
+E);
@@ -311,7 +312,7 @@
        $_ .= " " while length() < $col-1;
        print "$_\n";
     }
-    $console->Attr($Win32::Console::ATTR_NORMAL);
+    $console->Attr($current);
     print "\n";
 }
[download]

Cheers,
Rob