Can't adjust brightness on windows 10 on my old notebook hardware upgrade

Hello everyone,

I have a 2010 Acer Aspire 5742ZG (p614g32mnkk) with original BIOS v1.01 running on Windows10 for 2 years now (original was Windows7 Home) and I have recently done the following hardware upgrades:

from (original specs)...

• HDD 320GB
• 4GB DDR3 1066Mhz
• Intel P6100 (2.00GHz - no turbo)

to (all specs are brand new)...

• 2.5" SSD 240GB
• 8GB DDR3 1066Mhz
• i5 540M (2.53GHz - 3.07Mhz)

The problem is that after doing all of these upgrades and reinstalling windows, I can no longer change the brightness on my screen like I always did... The workarround I found for this was to install and activate the BASIC WINDOWS GPU and then change the brightness to the level I want... How to fix this?

 

So did the original have drivers in Win7 or older that also makes a difference as well. Anything with drivers older then Vista isn't going to work as it did before. Did you install the drivers after doing Windows update to make sure all correct update and drivers where installed?

 

No...

I have had Windows 10 for 2 years, but recently I did that hardware upgrade I got mentioned above.

After doing that hardware upgrade, the windows brightness no longer works.

What can I do to fix this? The only workarround was to install and activate the BASIC WINDOWS GPU and then change the brightness to the level I want.

 

You don't mention how you used to change the brightness. Did you use the keyboard or the Action center before?

Using the keyboard for this have never worked for me when running W10, even though my model was sold with it later.

Also, have you tried other drivers than the one that gets automatically installed? (besides the basic one)

 

So what site did you use to load the OEM driver? Sometimes custome system comes with custom software and if you don't install those it will not work to control that hardware feature.

 

You need to install the display drivers for your Intel IGPU.

You can either get it from Intel.com or from your laptop's manufacturers site.

 

Before the hardware upgrade which was also running Windows 10, I used the internal keyboard of the notebook to the change brightness only (because I always use an external keyboard since I got used it both at home and work).

Sadly after the hardware upgrade, the notebook keyboard stopped working for unknown reasons...

Sorry but... what is an OEM driver?

I have owned this notebook for almost 10 years, and I have formatted arround 20 times using the following method (which always worked 100% including brightness... only after the hardware upgrade that I successfuly did, it decided to stop working...):

1. Get Win10 Media Creation Tool into my 8GB USB;
2. Do a fresh Windows 10 install after wiping out all the data within the drive (through delete partition action included within the Win10 Creation Tool);
3. Once the PC is fully clean and a fully fresh Win10 is installed, I then proceed to allow Windows updates to update everything.

The brightness always worked after this through my keyboard keys, but this time after the Hardware upgrade (new SSD + new CPU + new RAM) my keyboard stopped working and as consequence, so did the brightness through any forms...

Althought, I noticed that the Windows updater now shows a new "Intel Processor" update that I previously never had. Maybe this is the reason of conflict?

I used the intel feature to automaticly detect whatever updates I needed and it turns out I don't have any available updates...



I'm really desperate at this point... the only workarround is to activate my Basic Microsoft GPU, decrease the brightness, and then activate the dedicated ATI GPU again... which is ridiculous and awful since I always have the need to constantly adjust my brightness... any ideas? =(

 

Have you tried google?

https://www.amd.com/en/support/grap...on-hd-5000-series/ati-mobility-radeon-hd-5470

 

Yes... sadly I have exhausted that possibility aswell.

I installed the Catalyst Software Suite and it was still a dead end...

I was always able to change the brightness just after a 100% fresh windows 10 install... so it cannot be drivers... the CPU hardware must have messed that... but even if it did, how can I fix that???

Someone help =/

 

Are you sure that wasn't before Windows Update installed drivers from internet? I think it sounds just like what happened.

 

Do you really need the ATI GPU, or are you only using the laptop for regular 2D stuff like internet, movies and office?

I can come up with two separate things to try.

A
Use this software to block the ATI driver from being downloaded again,
then roll back the ATI driver in Device manager.
You might end up with a basic driver though, as we don't know which was installed when the brightness controls worked directly after install.

or,

B
Switch to the Intel GPU (the one with the MS Basic driver)
Search for windows updates, hopefully the proper Intel GPU driver will get installed.
If not, I'll help you find one.

Yeah, this is all trial and error, no guarantees..

 

I'm 100% positive of what I say... please read this text below:

My brightness always worked flawlessy on both Windows 7 (long years ago) and Windows 10 (since 2017 to current day), never had a problem.

After my hardware modification last week (CPU + SSD + RAM) where I upgraded my CPU from a P6100 to a i5 540M (which btw triggered a new intel CPU update at Windows 10), the brightness adjustment stopped working just after I completely formatted and installed a fresh copy of Windows 10 followed by downloading/installing all updates.

What I believe it happened was that after my hardware upgrade, my notebook keyboard in which I only used it to change brightness through its handy shorcuts, no longer worked (even though I use an external USB keyboard both at work and home).

Additionally with this new CPU, a new upgrade appeared at Windows 10 upgraded.

What I personally believe that it's the cause of this error, is either the failure in detecting the notebook keyboard (and its handy shortcuts such as the brightness one), or the new CPU Windows 10 upgrade in which might be conflituous with monitor brightness (since my previous CPU didn't have turbo tech, and this one does).

That's my explanation. Lastly, I can always activate the Windows Basic GPU (which sucks and lags a lot), to change brightness, and then go back to my dedicated GPU. Still... I cannot work like this and I'm running out of patience.

And yes I really need my dedicated GPU because I use it for work, internet, office, and for fullscreen 2d/3d strategy games which are CPU demanding...

 

(I did misread your reply about that before, that's why I got my question wrong.)

Have you tried swapping back to the old HDD, preferrably with the internet off (avoid updates), just to see if it works?

I think you should try alternative B, it's possible that you need drivers for both GPU's in order to get this to work.

 

It's not possible for me to swap back to the old HDD because not only did I sold it already, but also because it was so slow.

And yes, to answer your question, after the hardware upgrade and clean fresh Windows 10 install on the new SSD, the brightness worked 100% because it was using the Microsoft Basic GPU (before updates).

After the updates, in order to make the brightness work again (because after updates it stopped working), I had to enable the Microsoft Basic GPU in order to adjust the brightness... which is something I dislike because it's a ridiculous and supposedly unnecessary operation...

 

I meant temporarily, just to see if it still worked, and to figure out which driver version it was using. If you don't have it then there's nothing to do about that.


Will you try to update the Basic driver to Intel driver?

 

It has to be driver related with your upgraded CPU.

Also driver updates from Windows update normally install generic drivers that may not work correctly with certain systems especially chipset + WIFI drivers. Try installing the chipset drivers direct from your manufacturer. Also its a possibility that you're not using the right drivers for the keyboard + touchpad for example.

 

Sorry but, what do you mean with chipset? I'm confused... my chipset never changed, the motherboard is the same...

 

Yeah, but your Windows install is new, and your brightness control doesn't work. In order to get it to work you need all the correct drivers, if they exist for todays Windows 10.

The fact that you seem to refuse to install something better than the MS basic graphics driver, even though it might affect the brightness control when using the ATI GPU, surprises me. Like I said:

The MS basic driver isn't made for working with another GPU, it is possible that it's unable to hand over the brightness control to the ATI driver when you switch to the ATI GPU.

I agree with KING19, update the chipset, and like I said, update to the Intel GPU driver so you get rid of the generic MS driver. I'm NOT saying that you should use the Intel GPU, you just need to install the driver for it.

If you're not willing to try out what is suggested here we won't be able to help you.

 

Nah man forget it... if nobody on this forum know the issue is then I'm not going to google arround, installing and unnistalling drivers because that's all I have been doing now... which as a consequence is exhausting my brand new SSD.

Just forget it.

 

Like we've been telling you its a driver issue. A clean install of Windows is not going install all of the drivers for your system thats why we told you that need to go to your manufacturer's site and install the right chipset (Motherboard) drivers and other drivers like (Display, Keyboard, Touchpad, etc) that you're missing. Since your laptop is over 8 years old its a good chance that newer generic drivers from Intel wont work right on it thats why you need to get them from your manufacturer's site.

If you're not going to do what we've suggested then we're just wasting our time trying to help you.

 

Don't worry about that, SSD's aren't that sensitive. My old Samsung 840 was known for having the worst endurance in theory, but when I compared my usage (TB written) with a real world endurance test I realized that it would last much longer than 50 years or so..

When I finally got around to fix the exact same issue on my HP (which I've never could change the brightness on with the keyboard in W10) just the other day I saw the same suggestions over and over: install drivers. Specifically chipset, graphics and keyboard. Turns out that I had missed the last one just because all the other Fn key combinations like play/pause/volume worked already, which made me rule out the keyboard driver before, forgetting that I actually might need it.
Yeah I know that not every laptop has a keyboard driver.

I bet you still haven't upgraded the MS Basic driver.

 

If you have given up though, don't forget the alternatives to switching GPU's.

You have the brightness control i Windows 10, see my first post.

There are other software brightness controls available too.

 

Can anyone provide me a direct link to what I need?

I don't wanna continue googling arround and installing whatever it seems fine to me...

Help please.

 

Again you need to go to your manufacturer's site and go to the support page and then lookup your model

https://www.acer.com/ac/en/US/content/support-product/3279;-;Aspire+5742Z

Here I did it for you.

Download and install the Intel VGA driver.

 

I installed the Intel VGA Driver (64x) and when I pressed conclude, I decided to restart the PC.

Although, the brightness is still at the same situation... What is the next step? Did I miss something?

Note: I don't know if this helps but... the night mode always worked in which I use sometimes to ease the brightness light

 

I decided to install a software which detects what drivers I need and this is what I got:



Apparently I have 1 missing driver for my GPU but when I looked it up it just seems like something for modern Radeon Vega AMD GPU's... so I doubt it has any effect...

I'm really running out of ideas and the situation is looking grim. What else can I do?

 

That explains it. You never had the drivers for your AMD GPU installed which is also your display driver after doing some research about your laptop. You was told install them back on page 1 and most likely you tried to install the wrong one that wont work for your GPU. Also dont use paid programs like DriverFix to find your drivers because you can easily find and update your drivers from your manufacturer (Acer) and from Intel/AMD.

https://www.amd.com/en/support/grap...on-hd-5000-series/ati-mobility-radeon-hd-5870

I dont know the exact model of your GPU though but it should still work for your GPU

 

Windows Updates does update my GPU after the fresh install, which is the reason why the dedicated GPU is enabled (so I can play games / watch HD videos), and the Microsoft Basic GPU is disabled...

My GPU is a Radeon 5470 HD 512mb (in which the brightness always worked before the changing the hardware upgrade of CPU, SSD and RAM).

Could you provide me the direct link to his? Sorry for the disturbance...

I will install it and deliver feedback to you soon =)

 

Here you go

https://www.amd.com/en/support/grap...on-hd-5000-series/ati-mobility-radeon-hd-5470

 

It's the exact same link as I gave, and there's not much confusion about which one to pick, the only non-beta is from 2015.

 

Which GPU did you have activated when you did this? ATI or Intel?

 

Thank you, I will give it a shot once I return home.

 

I didn't activate anything, which means I just kept using my Dedicated GPU (Radeon 5470 HD 512mb) as always.

 

My reasoning is that if I want to install a driver for a device, I should have the device connected and activated.
In this case, if you want to install the Intel GPU driver you should have it activated first (deactivate ATI GPU).

There is no MS basic GPU, only MS basic driver. The MS basic driver servers the purpose of acting as a temporary driver for ANY GPU until a better one is installed, preferably from the manufacturer (Intel) or laptop brand (Acer).

 

So I did what you said, and not to my surprised, it didn't worked... this is starting to get on my nerves.

1. Activated the MS Basic GPU (which you call it driver, but it clearly says GPU in the device manager);
2. When installing (again) that Intel VGA Driver you told me to download, it popped up a warning saying that I don't have the latest Microsoft .NET Framework, so I went to the Microsoft Updates, but nothing was required to download. Still, I went online and searched for the latest version of the Microsoft .NET Framework which is the 4.7.2 and apparently I couldn't install it because I already have that version, or a better version! WTF MICROSOFT...???
   
3. Anyways, I felt extremely angry, but still decided to collect myself, and proceed with the installation of the Intel VGA Driver none the less (with the MS Basic GPU still activated);
4. At the end of the installation, the brightness worked (because it always work with the MS Basic GPU on);
5. I switched to my Dedicated Radeon GPU, and it still didn't work...

Conclusion, I'm back to the initial situation with or without that driver.

 

Tbh im at a loss. Its clear that thats you still dont have your display driver installed and it sounds like your system has switchable graphics. Can you check device manager to see what other drivers you're missing. Normally when you do a clean install you would need install all of the drivers/software from your manufacturer before doing anything else.

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/do...indows-7-and-Windows-Vista-exe-?product=80939

Try installing those drivers. I know they're Win7 drivers but they should still work for Win10 systems and your CPU is supported. Its very difficult to find Win10 drivers for older systems.

 

So what you want me to do is to switch back on again to the Microsoft GPU and install/run the Win7Vista_152258.exe?

 

Yes, Just install those drivers. I dont know what else we can suggest at this point.

Windows normally installs the MS basic driver when you dont have your display driver from Intel/AMD/Nvidia installed.

 

Hello again.

It didn't work, as I was expecting.

I'm extremely disapointed at how Microsoft, considering it is a multi-billionaire company, fails to comply with a basic functionality such as something like the freaking brightness on a modern 2010 laptop which fully supports windows 10.

Not even their automatic troubleshooting detects this flaw?.... lol

And they ask over 100 bucks for their OS... what a joke.

Very disapointed... considering changing to Linux once and for good.

 

Again a clean install of Windows is not going install all of the drivers for your system and worse for older systems. Can you check device manager to see if you're missing other any drivers, If so get them from Acer. Other than that maybe try putting your old CPU and then try installing your display driver.

 

I don't remember, are the right chipset drivers installed?

The upcoming Windows 10 has a different brightness control, looks better to me.

 

Sorry but I'm not putting my old CPU because I already sold it and it wasn't my interest to have a older and weaker hardware...

Anyways, could we do a voice chat so we can discuss further about this issue? Using the forum to chat is very ineffective and slow...

That seems interesting, do you know the release date of that Windows 10 version? Maybe that can fix

Also, could we do a voice chat so we can discuss further about this issue? Using the forum to chat is very ineffective and slow...

 

No, I don't, but I think it will be available within 4 - 6 weeks. I don't expect it to affect your keyboard brightness control. For now you can use the brightness button shown in my first post (have you tried it?).

I'm sorry, I think we have exhausted every option here. I don't have any ideas left.

 

Hey again.

Yes, tried that and much more including shortcuts. Nothing works unless I switch back to the MS GPU stuff.

Can't we really have a voice chat through WhatsApp or Steam in order to view possible situations and expose the situation? I would be better than Forum... please?

 

What's the situation with the chipset driver, have you ever updated that one?

 

Can you check your device manager to see if you have any missing drivers

Example:


The only thing i can think of is that your new CPU is the causing issue because normally installing your display driver from Intel/AMD/Nvidia will fix that issue. Im starting to think that your system dont have switchable graphics and normally with systems with non-switchable graphics the dedicated GPU is used as the display driver and Intel/AMD IGPU is disabled. But still you should be installing the right drivers for your system.

 

Two things to try out.

https://community.amd.com/thread/184510