after windows 10 update, I now have to connect wifi manually, and toggle display settings to get 2nd monitor working

Thanks for your reply. I am not familiar some of your terms, so there are a couple of things I need help on.

>> offending profiles
At this location, I am connected to only one WIFI. By "offending", I take it to mean the one that I am currently connected to. Is that right?

>> Delete offending profiles
How to Delete?

>> remake them.
How to remake?

If this doesn't work, then I'll look at the DISM instructions.

Looking ahead at your steps..
>> run Windows 10 Repair Install
In the past, whenever my son's NT or XP computer needed DELL assistance, and they said to run Repair, after 2 days of work with DELL support, I still had to reinstall the OS. Does Windows 10 Repair actually/usually work?

@Ramin,
I should have mentioned that I have 3 accounts, one admin and two limited. I created one limited two weeks ago for a guest. I only log into my limited account if possible. If I can't do admin operations there, only then do I use the admin account. This approach gives me a nice (false?) sense of security. Not sure how your guidance would change with this new information.

Could the problem be somehow be related to adding a second limited account? I wouldn't think so.

No. I combine Admin and Limited accounts on the same machine ( no issues)

After going into Admin and trying John's NETSH approach, internet came on after a restart. But so did the monitor. Maybe this is a timing issue when auto-connection to WIFI times out?

I'll need to do more tests, like a longer shut-down time, since without doing any changes, in Admin, I manually connected to WIFI, shut down, and then powered up. This time, in Admin, WIFI was connected. But, later it did not.

I'll do that now. If it works, thanks again John.

@Ramin,
I know about System Restore, and I have one on Oct-17.
Given that I use a limited account, do you still think changing the Admin account will improve the Automatic WIFI connection issue?

@John,
I shut down, and powered up, logged into my limited account. The 2nd monitor didn't turn on, but maybe because the WIFI did not connect. I'll try step 2 DISM suggestion. Do you think creating a new Admin account and deleting the old one could improve my automatic WIFI connection that I currently have to connect manually?

This time, in Admin, WIFI was connected. But, later it did not.

Something is wrong either with Wireless (and is this how your second monitor is connected) or with the operating system. It is possible it is a damaged Windows Profile and so in that case you must replace the damaged profile.

I would try the other suggestions first as replacing a Windows Profile is almost as much work as doing a fresh install for most people.

Running DISM Restorehealth step now.
I think I recall that in some older Windows versino, there was not only an Admin privileged account, but also an Administration account (which I think had more privileges).
Is there a difference between an Admin account vs an Administration account?

No. The accounts are members of the same group.

I just found this link:
https://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/enable-the-hidden-administrator-account-on-windows-vista/

Warning: The built-in Administrator account has a lot more privileges than a regular administrator account

Was wondering whether this hidden Administrator account is the one that has to be fixed.

They explain how to enable it using:

net user administrator /active:yes

Select allOpen in new window

I was not aware that the built in Admin account had MORE privileges. It used to be wide open in older systems and had a known name, so Microsoft disabled it.

But for a user (non-Domain) computer, the first user is a member of the Admin group.

DISM didn't work. Maybe I'll try to create another admin account to see if that helps. First I'll create a restore point.
If admin account doesn't work, then maybe I'll try going back to my Oct-17 restore point. I only have one old restore point but I just increased the capacity to allow more multiple restore points.

In my last post, I said that DISM did not work since I still had no auto WIFI connection.

Funny things were happening... Does the following steps shed any light on the problem? (Note: I only waited about 20 seconds between shutdown and power up. I wonder if I wait longer, maybe I will get different effects...)

Here are my observations:

I was in my Limited Account - 2nd monitor did not turn on, as usual. After creating a restore point, I signed out of my Limited Account, and logged into my (only) Admin Account. Then, my 2nd monitor turned on with no other intervention from me.

I shut down, powered up, and logged into my Admin Account, but 2nd monitor remained off. I signed out of Admin, logged into Limited, and 2nd monitor turned on with no other intervention from me!

Then I brought up browser to type this in and realized that WIFI was on.

I shut down, and powered up, and signed into Admin Account. WIFI was on; monitor was off.

I shut down, and powered up, and signed into Limited Account. WIFI was on; monitor was off.

Maybe the DISM steps helped a little?

>> Wireless (and is this how your second monitor is connected?)
No, using HDMI 1.2

In last post, I said I had auto-WIFI, but still 2nd monitor issue. So I tried more steps.

I created a 2nd Admin and 2nd Limited Account. (did not help).

I reverted back to an Oct-10 restore point. (did not help).

I undid that restore point bringing me back to Oct-21. This resulted in neither auto-WIFI or auto-2nd-monitor; and now the volume icon in tray did not respond to left/right clicks. But I followed instructions in link and it fixed the sound problem.
   DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Scanhealth
   DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
   sfc /scannow
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-performance/the-volume-icon-in-my-task-bar-does-not-work/09507242-6a4e-4a7c-b2b7-1e5c7b7a040e?auth=1

I deleted the old Admin Account (keeping files in case I needed to get it back).

I followed John's instructions again in new Admin Account, and it didn't seem to help. I then did them again in my limited account, and on restart (not shutdown, power up), both WIFI and 2nd monitor came up automatically.

Shut down. Waited a couple of minutes. Logged into original Limited account. Result was auto-WIFI (good); still have to turn by undoing/redoing extended display.

I will resume trying to fix this in November (since I lost a day from an October deadline); or I may try to get a Black Friday Special tower and monitor, and let this laptop RIP.

Thanks for your help.

Thanks for the update.