Surface Pro 4 type cover suddenly not working.

Anonymous
2018-07-12T03:26:44+00:00

I don't know what happened. I turned my Surface Pro 4 on the other day and the type cover is dead. No lights. No response. No indication that it's working at all.  I rarely take my surface anywhere. 

This started on July 9th 2018. My system information is below. I've gone through all of the steps in the "Troubleshoot your Surface Type Cover or keyboard" page. I've tried to manually download and install the latest firmware and drivers from the "Download firmware and drivers for surface" page. I picked SurfacePro4_Win10_16299_1801701_1.msi. My device manager does not show the "Surface Touch Cover Filter Device" under keyboards or anywhere. It only shows the HID keyboard and cannot detect my type cover. The type cover is completely unresponsive. Also, my windows updates are completely up to date. I've provided the links to the troubleshooting pages I used below.

AGAIN, WTH

Troubleshoot your Surface Type Cover or keyboard

Download drivers and firmware for Surface 

Edition

Windows 10 Professional

Version

1803

OS Build

10.0.17134.165

Serial #

035060755053

Processor

Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-6300U CPU @ 2.40GHz

Graphics card

Intel(R) HD Graphics 520

System

OSType64BitX64

RAM

8 GB

Surface | Surface Pro | Install and update

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  1. Anonymous
    2019-07-24T10:27:01+00:00

    Thanks for sharing. I agree on creating the awareness that consumers require with regards the limitations of support and the possible failure due to battery. 

    Again, this is just my assumption. I guess i will only know it if i take the risk and decide to replace the battery...

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  2. Anonymous
    2019-07-24T08:47:43+00:00

    I've been using SurfacePro since V1, and was just about to upgrade my V4 (I had just received a Surface Book 2, which I immediately returned) when this hit me after a failed update to 1803. I've done everything - reinstall, reimage, drivers. I'm now on 1803. 

    As an ex-Microsoft Band 2 user, I recognise a pattern. A problem arises (in the case of the Band, it was a similar story - malfunctions related to battery which ultimately bricked the watch). It becomes clear from the volume of similar posts that there is a real problem, but users are offered only a list of options, none of which work, but presumably this keeps them busy and is at least some sort of response. In the meantime, MS keeps a very tight silence. Understandable, from an engineering point of view, if there is no answer. Eventually people give up. In the end, the Band (and MS's whole health adventure) were quietly dropped. 

    All of this means that you can trust your product for the length of the warranty. In the  case of the Band, I had 2 replacements in the warranty period, then afterwards I was given the list, and told by support to consult 'a local repairer'. 12 months for a $2k+ product? Maybe.

    I'm pretty sure that a class action would fail because of the T&Cs, but I wonder if there's any way the attention of the press could be attracted? The SP is an amazing and lovely thing, but people need to be apprised of the facts of ownership.

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  3. Anonymous
    2019-07-22T02:42:32+00:00

    Geordie_PaulK Battery wear 9.8% of 38,152mWh Build 17763 i7 16gB RAM

    EduardHeidt1  Battery wear0.6% of 42.157 mWh. surface pro 3 i7

    ShreedharHegde110.5% battery wear. Its true that the problem started when the wear was approx 10%

    PaulDocka my battery wear at 10.9%

    Mine - 14.9%, Surface Pro 3, i5, 256gb, 8gb ram.

    The reason I am suggesting that its battery related is because the battery is the only thing that has a varying response/feedback within the device/system. Everything else in the system is seemingly 'digital', meaning, if its designed, engineered and programmed in a certain-way, it'll behave in that manner unless specified otherwise.

    I have watched surface pro development since its inception with SP-1 and I have clients using SP-2 all the way to SP-6. I have been in the computing industry setting up all kinds of system for more than 15 years too. While I would expect the inconsistencies of systems way back when we're doing Win95-Win98, those days are long gone now.

    I agree that the firmware, UEFI BIOS have something to do with the overall breakdown. I don't think Microsoft intentionally wants to 'break' the Surface Pro 3 and 4 through the keyboard, they could do it other ways if they'd like to do that...

    The main thing I see now is to get more info and input on the battery wear details to determine if changing battery would fix it. There are more and more 3rd party shops that are equipped to changing battery out of surface pro by the use of hot-heat-gun, and the cost to replace battery ranges from USD 150-250.

    I am still keen to find out more about class action suits if its an approach to be considered. :)

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  4. Anonymous
    2019-07-21T08:54:53+00:00

    So its the end of all hope for us then? Microsoft has fooled us!!!

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  5. Anonymous
    2019-07-20T18:50:05+00:00

    Battery wear 9.8% of 38,152mWh

    i7 16MB RAM

    Build 17763

    Following system update about 4 weeks ago keyboard has been ok (fingerts crossed) with minimal glitches. Removing keyboard, re-booting etc seems to eventually get it working.

    Overall, howevr, a really flakey experience - not impresssed with MS.

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