Windows 10 - ugh! so UNIMPRESSED!

[LisaC7]

hi there,

I "upgraded" my HP ENVY TouchSmart 17-j117cl Notebook PC (ENERGY STAR) to Windows 10 several months ago.  I didn't know I should have checked the HP website to make sure it was okay to do this.  after checking out the list of equipment that HP tested to ensure compatibility with Windows 10, I didn't find the model number to my notebook / laptop.  so, I have some questions / issues, because I've encountered several with Windows 10 and no success in fixing them.  I've gone to the Windows 10 help site, but it seems that most people who pose questions & receive replies already know a great deal about computers.  I know enough to use them and to fix some very basic things, but I am certainly not an expert.  I am not comfortable using the C prompt.

1 - Does HP consider the words “notebook” & “laptop” interchangeable?

2 - was my laptop one of the ones tested for Windows 10 compatibility?

3 - aft Windows 10 upgrade:

     a - this is the most important:  cannot check for updates in settings --> update & security.  Keep getting error message “We couldn't connect to the update service. We'll try again later, or you can check now. If it still doesn't work, make sure you're connected to the Internet.”  and, yes, I was connected to the internet.  I've tried going to the windows 10 update site, & that has taken me right back to my settings tab.  I have somehow downloaded an update, but if I don't check on a regular basis, sometimes I forget where I went to get it.  now, I'm bookmarking webpages.

    b - my fingerprint scanner no longer works, nor can I add/remove fingerprints.  I don’t know if any fingerprints are even still in there.

    c - every time I do any update it screws up my audio.  I have to go into HP & download the audio driver, so that when I have it on 50 the audio is actually … audible!

thank you for any help!

[Huffer]

It's a Notebook some people call it a laptop six of one half a dozen of the other: why? 

It predates Windows 10. It was a native Windows 8.1 machine so no never tested with Windows 10. It would have taken a time machine. 

We can help you with individual issues one by one if you wish but when you upgrade older hardware to a new OS, issues are probable. 

[LisaC7]

thank you for your reply!

notebook vs. laptop - I wasn't sure if I needed to specifically look for notebook in regards to my particular computer in the list of computers HP tested or if laptop was what I needed to search.

as far as Windows 8.1, I don't recall it having that; seems it had Windows 7 when I bought it.  I don't know if that makes a difference.  I never upgraded to Windows 8.1, because I heard it wasn't as good as Windows 7.

in regards to the hardware, if you mean my computer overall, it was manufactured in 2014, so it's 6 years old.  the only reason I upgraded to Windows 10 was because MS was discontinuing support of Windows 7 and I didn't want my computer to go unprotected without updates.

that said, I can live without the fingerprint scanner, and I know how to download the audio driver from HP to resolve that issue, it's just annoying to have to do it every time.   my main concern is being able to update my computer, so it doesn't lack any security fixes or updates.  any help with that is much appreciated!

Thank you, again, for your response!

[Huffer]

Have you installed HP Support Assistant? If not I would do that. You can then scan for drivers.

https://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp72501-73000/sp72974.exe

Maybe a screen shot of the device manager? I suspect you are missing some drivers. No reason in principle you cannot run Windows 10 on that machine. 

[LisaC7]

yes, I kept reading stuff on the HP website after your previous reply and found the HP Support Assistant.   it was on my computer at one time.  anyway, I reinstalled it and ran the full diagnostic it allowed - I checked everything to run to include emptying the recycle bin.  when it was done, I checked the recycle bin, and it didn't delete one item in there - 1,177 items before starting the diagnostic, and 1,177 items after the diagnostic.  made me wonder what else it didn't do.

as far as missing drivers, I honestly wdn't know what drivers are missing - I don't know which ones are necessary versus nice to have.

here's a screen shot of my Device Manager - not sure if I needed to expand anything, but I did include the Hidden Devices.

I appreciate your continued help!!!

[Huffer]

This shows drivers are up to date

[LisaC7]

how are you able to tell that please?

[Huffer]

No errors shown. All devices have a compatible driver

[LisaC7]

okay, so how do I fix being able to update Windows 10?

I keep getting the following:

[Huffer]

Where did you get the copy of Windows 10 you are using?