frustrated with several problems

I bought a new laptop (acer aspire) with win10 that I plan to use mostly for internet stuff since my tablet will no longer play you tube videos. I have a big work computer with Win 7 which I like just the way it is. Updates are turned off so it will not automatically update to 10.

First problem - I read instructions on how to bypass typing in the password. I followed exactly but I still have to type in my password. One article said if the instructions do not work then I have to edit the registry. Is this really true?

Second problem is that the screen is much too bright to use comfortably. I go to settings and can adjust the brightness which was not set to full, but the apply button is grayed out. I can only adjust the brightness on the sample page.

In researching that I found that I needed to change the graphics driver from the nvidia to the microsoft one to be able to adjust the screen brightness. The instructions did not include the warning to close the Edge window when doing this but then I don't know how I could read the instructions with the window closed, because I ended up with a solid blue Edge screen which is not closeable. It also did not fix the screen brightness setting. Somehow I accidentally discovered that I could open another instance of Edge - otherwise I no longer had a browser -. In setting the graphics driver back to nvidia then back to microsoft, maybe I should have uninstalled one or the other I don't know because now I am getting frustrated. Somehow or another, I was able to get the blue Edge window to turn transparent. Better than blue I guess.

I followed another set of instructions to try to fix the frozen, now transparent second Edge window, which involved some more cmd text. That did not work. Now I guess there are some instructions for repairing the problem which has another long set of instructions. But, the screen wass so bright it hurts my eyes after a short time so I gave up and closed the thing.

Is windows 10 really this hard to use. I am about 2 hours in to using 10 for the first time and to get even simple things to work I have to edit the registry, use cmd in several instances (the start button does not have a search box so I have to use windows key plus r), I have to repair the drive to get rid of a frozen window (which could also be the result of malware - two hours in and I have malware already?) Is this normal?

You will adjust brightness on the monitor not the PC. Not using a password makes you PC a secure risk

Thanks dalchina,

I will print out your recommendations. I followed option one to bypass the password. That did not work. I have done it twice.

I ignore Cortana but evidently I can't delete her. I did figure out how to make her take up less room on the task bar.

I kind of thought that the adjustment should be monitor related so I will do more searching on how to do that. I am considering resetting the laptop back to factory settings and starting all over maybe to get rid of the frozen Edge screen. I helped an elderly neighbor who was suddenly asked for his password which he never was asked before and he did not know what it was. The reset only took about 5 hours. I set up his to not require a password (as given in the link) which worked for him.

What worries me about the password is that yesterday, the last time I logged on, it rejected my password when I am certain I typed it correctly. It accepted it the second time.

I know that not using a password is a security risk, but I do not plan on using this laptop for more than after hours browsing or entertainment. I am not shopping on it, not banking or anything else critical. I do not like using a tablet - can't type on it worth a darn, and I do not like mobile websites. I am not storing any passwords on the laptop. My tablet - a Kindle Fire - does not have a password. I have not worried about security on it.

My main computer is backed up with a cloned drive kept in a fireproof safe, plus a weekly back up on another external drive which is turned off when not in use. I bypass the password on it but I am the only one with access to the computer.

A key? The computer came with win10. In setting it up it took over six hours on high speed DSL to get the updates then another hour or so to work with the updates. I do not know where there is a key? Should I find it and write it down somewhere?

Are there instructions on this forum on how to do a clean format or would resetting to factory settings work? I have instructions for that.

Okay. The computer fixed itself. I just turned it on but it got stuck on the acer splash screen. So I held down the power button until it turned off. Then I waited a minute and turned it on. I could see it bypass the login screen and went directly to the desktop. The phantom transparent Edge screen is gone. I wonder if I am not really turning it off when all I do is close the lid. In win7 I go to start then shut down. I could not find a shutdown option so I just close the lid. I think maybe I am not turning it off or rebooting when I do that. Maybe that is why the login bypass and the repair for the phantom screen didn't apply.

Now, to see if I can adjust the screen brightness.


...and to get the classic shell. I like that better.

sciencegal said:

I have a big work computer with Win 7 which I like just the way it is. Updates are turned off so it will not automatically update to 10.

As an aside, it's safe to update now. The automatic upgrade to 10 stopped when the free upgrade period ended. In particular, see KB3184143.

This update removes the Get Windows 10 app and other software related to the Windows 10 free upgrade offer that expired on July 29, 2016.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/...-upgrade-offer