Cannot adjust the brightness in Windows 10 1803

Anonymous
2018-05-12T01:25:19+00:00

I have a Dell L501X laptop with an i5-460m processor with Intel HD graphics first gen (driver 8.15.10.2900). After upgrading to Windows 10 vers. 1803 I've noticed that the brightness control is not working.  Because of this, I had to waste MY TIME and downgrade to ver 1709. Now I have to disable the windows update service in order to prevent the "feature upgrade". 

I contacted your support technicians and they told me that the brightness feature was removed in ver 1803. They always seem to be unprepared and they try simple tests that waste customer's time; in the end, I had to give up and downgrade to 1709... What's the point of having this mess MS???

Note: I tied to downgrade to Intel HD driver 2253 but it didn't help. 

Also, I tried to adjust the brightness from the Windows settings!!! I had been doing that for the last 2.5 years in Windows 10. Please share this message with the MS dev team so they can fix this bug in the upcoming KBs... of 1803!

DO NOT mark this post as SOLVED until a clear solution is posted!

Update: I discovered that if you disable the sensor service in services.msc the issue can be reproduced in v1709... It seems that MS has a bug with the sensor service in v 1803... hope this will help the MS dev team to fix in the next updates! We are MAKING PROGRESS!!!

UPDATE 2: changing the testfeaturecontrol to f810 from f800 in v1803 does not solve the issue. No progress, unfortunately!

UPDATE 3: Microsoft just released a KB4284835 for v1803 that addresses the brightness issues on certain laptops ... can someone confirm if the issue is resolved? The latest KB fixed the brightness issue!!! Thank you, Microsoft!

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Devices and drivers

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Anonymous
2018-06-09T13:58:12+00:00

Finally I have found a very clear situation, that explains all symptoms and why anyone has a solution that may work and may not!

First: Dell LX501X has two video adapters, primary Intel, secondary Nvidia GT 420M.

For Nvidia, DO NOT use WindowsUpdate Driver, because it corrupts Registry; use last driver available at Nvidia Site.

BUT this has no relevance for brightness problem, that is related to the Intel Video Adapter only!

Do not search for other versions of video Driver! Someone referred to version 2239 or other previous to 2900.

The problem is not driver version: it is OK the WindowsUpdate 8.15.10.2900; the problem is not the "FeatureTestControl" value: F800 found in 1709, remains unchanged in 1803 and is ok, no need to change it!

The problem is Windows kernel, and I explain why.

We all agree that in 1709 all works fine.

In 1803 brightness does not work, BUT, if I REINSTALL the SAME video driver ALREADY INSTALLED (forcing installation, even if the same version: it is possible, selecting "have a disk"), after this action, brightness WORKS FINE.

BUT, it works ONLY until NEXT BOOT: after next boot, the problem is present again.

So, in conclusion, to have brigthness working, I have to REINSTALL video driver AFTER EACH Pc power on!

Everyone, I think, must agree that this behaviour is a Windows Kernel Problem (in the area of variuos modules hierarchy linkage)!

It is a BUG that MUST be corrected BY Microsoft!

BE AWARE that brigthness, when works, works ONLY by means of keyboard Keys: the various Windows sliders have no effect; the situation is VERY CRAZY: moving the sliders, brigthness does not change; using keyboard Keys, sliders move according to...!

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  1. Anonymous
    2018-06-02T14:54:51+00:00

    Intel is a little bit messy when it comes to numbering/labelling their products.

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  2. Anonymous
    2018-06-02T14:07:03+00:00

    Thanks, I will try your solution in v1803 when I update my windows. In v1709 fb20 breaks the brightness control; because in binary code is: ‭1111101100100000‬ and the 8th digit cannot be 1 in Intel HD 8.15.10.2900 (you count from the right and start from 0). I have to try the other driver too.

    Thank you so much MarcinKielar!!! I will test your solution soon!

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  3. Anonymous
    2018-06-02T11:26:43+00:00

    I own Dell XPS L501X with first-gen Intel i5.

    I experienced brightness issues with 1803, so what I did is:

    After doing this, the brightness keys (Fn+F4/F5) are working again, although the brightness toggle in the tray (the one that steps by 25%) is not. Also everytime I put the laptop to sleep, or just close/open the lid, it starts with full brightness, but I can lower it with Fn + F4/F5 keys by first making it brighter and then going back down.

    I'm not sure which of the above finally made it working. I found the fb20 somewhere on the internet and tried it after trying f200, 0000, 0001 8xxx and few others. I guess I was just lucky, as there seems to be no documentation on what which beat of this setting does

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  4. Anonymous
    2018-06-02T10:02:50+00:00

    No, they are different. R500 has an Intel GMA X4500 video chip (one generation older than mine!?) Just curious what's the Featurecontroltest value in that laptop...

    Thanks,

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