display not bright enough

I use Windows 7 Pro and Windows XP Pro. I use a device that allows me bo use one monitor, one Keyboard and one mouse. I have an HP 2159m flat screen monitor. When I use XP I have absolutiely no problem with any text non bold or bold. When I use Win 7 Pro the only thing on the screen that I can see well is bold or larger font. The monitor is set to 1280x720 that produces round circles, not oblong ones. I have tried lots of times setting the brightness and contrast using the controls on themonitor, no help. If i increase the size of font, this throughs of settings in many of the other views. One place it shows up the worst is when I click the help system, which comes up with hyperlinks to answeres that are not only small but very dim and difficult to read. Another are is in Windows live Mail. Click a message to saveit when the screen comes up to let you choose a location to save it try to read the very small and dim date in the upper right corner, a hand held magnifer works OK but annoying. Trying to use the built in magnifier is a pain in the neck. ANYONE WITH AN IDEA. Windows 7 Pro is great if I could read xa ll the text well. If I change the screen resolution down to a much lower area like 800x600
it is better but every window screen message is too big.

Have you tried changing the brightness settings within the settings page of your on board graphics card?

Have you tried to calibrate colors for your monitor via "Control Panel\Appearance and Personalization\Display\Calibrate Color"

Answer to ZTruker, Makes the problem worse, I use CAD programs as well, causes Circles to be oblong.

Answer to Irishn, I use an ASUS motherboard, not available, works just fine using XP Pro on the same monitor.

Answer to Glhs8-958, No help works very good on XP Pro

Not sure how many are electronics enclined, I ran my own Aviation Electronic Test equipment calibration Lab. for several years, from my view point the case seams to be that the dim text I am complaing about does not appear to on the majority of the time like off about 65% on 35%. Doubling the font size makes the font easy to read. The area of a display that is bold is fine.

All of the suggestions you have made should improve things but they don't, since XP Pro works OK it looks like the Windows 7 Home or Pro is designed for those with better eyes than mine.

Thanks to all who replied.

Thanks for the reply. I was not aware of that hp utility. Downloaded it. In order for it to work I had to set the screen resolution to the default size of 1920x1080 that resulted in text so small i would have had to use a magnifiing glass to read the text. I tried to increase the size of the text this caused all kinds of problems with another Microsoft program Expression Web 4 Pro. The result there is that this caused the text to go outside of layers boundries. So I tried the utility at a lower resolution that I can use, no help. I also have tried a utility only available for Win7Pro which is a virtual Pc and virutal XP, again this did not help. I am convinced there is an underlying problem in the Win 7 design is causing this, Keep in mind I do not have any problem with XP.

One of my problems I like Win7Pro general operation much better, I gues I will just have to use a hand held magnifier when necessary. I have tried the built in windows magnifier which does work but is a pain in the neck to use.