Cannot adjust the brightness in Windows 10 1803

Anonymous

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!

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Anonymous

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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42 additional answers

Anonymous

2018-05-18T00:18:14+00:00

Before you downgrade, can you please disable the sensor service in services, reboot your PC, then check the brightness? Please see my last paragraph of the initial post! If it works please let me know!

I believe MS introduced a bug in this service in v1803!

To answer your question:

You will have to reinstall windows 10...

Backup your data!!! Make sure you save all your files on a different HDD!!! Once your data is safe

follow the instructions:

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows\_10-windows\_install/how-to-downgrade-from-windows-1709-to-1703/b6474c0d-73d8-470e-9416-ebf6019bfa23

Get Windows 10 v1709

http://windowsiso.net/windows-10-iso/windows-10-creators-update-1709-download-build-16299-15/

Create a bootable USB stick, boot your computer from the USB and install windows. THIS MAY WIPE YOUR HDD data!!!

Then, block the 1803 update - first, install the MS tool called Wushowhide to hide 1803 (you will need to hide the update every week); then, install PSWindowsUpdate (block indefinitely)

https://www.maketecheasier.com/hide-updates-in-windows-10/

Restore your data\programs!!!
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Anonymous

2018-05-17T09:35:38+00:00

Dell501x, thanks for bringing that issue. I have the same problem on my Acer TravelMate 8372. I also tried uninstalling my Intel HD drivers and using the ones which came with Windows Update but doesn't work. I am also getting the Brightness bar but it doesn't control the brightness. I am trying to downgrade to ver 1709 but I am not sure how to do that. Can you please help?
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Anonymous

2018-05-13T15:48:07+00:00

Thank you for your answer. I tried all the Google search solutions posted with no luck. I Would like to get in touch with the MS dev team for driver support so they can address/escalate this issue!

I tried both 8.15.10.2235 drivers from Lenovo and Dell but they did not work on my laptop. It might be a chipset driver issue or a simple registry tweak...The machine was designed for Windows 7 that's correct. I am running windows 10 ver. 1709 now because it is difficult to troubleshoot a computer like L501X at its maximum blast. The screen on this OLD laptop is still AMAZING by today standards. Not to mention that I can upgrade RAM, SSD... it just works.

I am not a Beta tester of MS products and I am not planning on becoming one.

Still looking for a solution!

All the best, thank you for your suggestions!
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Anonymous

2018-05-13T14:33:39+00:00

tried to downgrade to Intel HD driver 2253 but it didn't help.

It may help to discuss this point. E.g. were you trying to adapt the solution given here?

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/insider/forum/insider_wintp-insider_devices-insiderplat_pc/display-brightness-adjustment-level-not-working/d1cc9114-ee0c-4892-97f0-58d0a78cd165?messageId=e53d8b19-0fdd-498b-ae73-42b3760cbc89

<quote>

found 2 Intel HD drivers from Windows 7 the first from 2009 and second from 2010 thats full compatible with W10 Redstone 4 and now everything works as normal and have full adgustment of brightness.

</quote>

Note that that solution involved experimentation on the part of the poster. E.g., it was not a suggestion to just find a couple of Windows 7 drivers, try that and then declare the idea a failure if the first guess didn't work. In fact, that one involved build 2235 (not 2253); was there a typo?

What is "Intel HD driver 2253" anyway?...

http://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/04/product-support/product/xps-15/drivers

(BING search for

Intel HD L501X graphics drivers site:dell.com

)

Ah. So your machine was originally designed for W7, same as the other poster? There is also a utility available called QuickSet. Perhaps you would need to install that (in compatibility mode, if necessary) in order to create the environment that the W7 driver would be expecting to be in. Etc.

Good luck

Robert Aldwinckle
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