Samsung Series 7 Ultra 740U with Intel Graphics - can't control brightness

Hi everyone,

I bought the Best Buy model of the Series 7 Ultra and promptly swapped out the mSATA SSD for a higher capacity one. I then reinstalled Windows 8, as I had no convenient way of copying the included SSD at the time. Everything works, except I can't adjust the screen brightness! I've tried disabling all known adaptive brightness controls, reinstalled graphics drivers, and all to no avail. Has anyone else experienced this issue? I'm really lost on how to fix this.

Thanks!

 

Did you install the Samsung Settings program?

John

 

Yep! the settings program actually had no options to control the screen brightness, strangely enough. The only option under the Display tab was to adjust the screen color mode for movies and whatnot.

 

The Settings installation package also contains the driver for the Fn key controls. Are they working?

John

 

Yep. All of the Fn keys work, except brightness. When I change the brightness using the Fn keys, the brightness scale pops up on the window and I can move it up and down, but it doesn't actually change the brightness.

 

You probably already checked this, but are you able to control brightness using the Windows controls (in the Power Options control panel)?

Also, do you remember if you were able to control brightness on the original installation (before you swapped the SSD)?

I ask because it appears your software is otherwise working fine (including Fn-keys) and I wonder if there is an actual defect preventing the adjustment.

Here are things I would try:

1) Uninstall Settings (Windows Programs and Features control panel). Reboot. I believe you should be able to adjust brightness using Windows controls even without Settings installed (though I am not 100%). If NOT it would seem you have a hardware defect and need to contact Samsung (or, if possible, replace the unit at the store).

2) If you can verify that brightness CAN physically be adjusted, go ahead and re-install Settings. With some luck that may fix it and get your brightness Fn-keys working. BTW, on mine it is Fn-F2/3, whereas Fn-F9/10 are keyboard backlight brightness.

Many owners of Samsung laptops have problems with the Adaptive Brightness feature. It can prevent brightness from being set to its maximum. There are no less than FOUR places to disable this Adaptive Brightness feature, and it seems all of them must be disabled to ensure it doesn't interfere with your ability to manually control screen brightness:

- Charms - Settings - Change PC Settings - General - Screen
- Power Profile settings Display - Enable adaptive brightness
- Intel HD4000 graphics control panel
- UEFI BIOS settings (see here)

I would think that even before disabling all of these, you should be able to verify that brightness adjustment works at all.

Hope some of this helps. Let us know your progress

 

I'll try uninstalling Settings tonight when I get back from work and I'll see if that does anything. I've disabled all four controls of adaptive brightness and still no luck with the brightness controls though.

I swapped out the SSD as soon as I got the device so I would minimize the amount of work i'd have to duplicate, so I don't remember. I could put it back in and see but I would prefer not to.

Thanks!

 

I fixed it!!

Here's what I did: I uninstalled Settings and rebooted. That didn't do it. I knew that I was using a newer version of the graphics drivers than the ones that the Settings program supplied (in hope that an update fixed the issue), so I uninstalled that graphics driver and rebooted. Still no luck. Reinstalled Settings, rebooted. No luck. Finally, I went to Settings and installed the older graphics drivers. Reboot again. Voila!! Brightness is finally controllable. I have no idea why this didn't work the first time, since I definitely had this configuration before...but oh well.

Thanks for all of your help!

 

Excellent, well done!

There has been ongoing discussion in the 2013 Series 7 Chronos Owners Lounge about how the latest generic Catalyst drivers -- while otherwise working well -- will kill brightness control unless matched with proper installation of Intel HD4000 drivers. It sounds similar to what you found there.

Start reading around here for that discussion if you're interested.

Again, good job. And thank you for the update.

 

Thanks for the link! I'll take a look at that thread.

 

Same exact problem! Where did you get the older drivers from?

 

Check my response to you here in the other thread.