surface book battery drain while shut down

Anonymous
2015-12-09T16:09:58+00:00

Split from this thread.

I have been noticing that when I shutdown my surface book, when I power it on the next day the battery has drained some. If I leave it off for a couple of days it will drain down from 100% to around 85% or lower.

I disabled fast startup... and then just decided to disable hibernation altogether. That didn't help.

I have windows hello disabled, but that shouldn't matter anyway since I'm shutting it down, not sleeping.

Some searching and I found a general windows 10 issue with the "Intel Management Engine Interface" driver. Some say that v11 can cause this issue. One solution that I have seen suggested is to go into device manager and in the power management tab for this device uncheck the option that allows windows to power it down to save power. I tried that and it didn't help.

Others have suggested downgrading the driver from v11 to v9 or v10, but I don't know where to get v9 or v10 of this driver that is compatible with the surface book. Anyone know if one of the downloads on Intel's site would be compatible?

So, has anyone else noticed this issue and know of a fix?

Surface | Surface Book | Power and battery

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  1. Anonymous
    2016-01-08T18:41:26+00:00

    This magnet thing might have legs. My SB always drains when powered off. The last wo nights the lid has been left open and I had no power loss in my batteries. I am going to experiment a little more and will post again.

    So I was on another site reading about another user experience and discovered something that seemed impossible.

    Apparently, this user said you can actually detach the screen when the SB is in full power down mode.  Completed shut down and attempted and guess what?  User is CORRECT.

    Now, maybe I am late to the party with discovering that, but given that knowledge, it would seem this might be one of the bigger reasons we are seeing significant battery drain when fully powered off. 

    As previous user said, "significant design flaw" seems to be appropriate wording.  How else can you detach the screen when it has no power?

    It would certainly make sense that a computer could be powered up from a powered down situation by pressing a button, as this is how we turn a computer on.  It would then make sense to me that pressing the button to release the screen would turn battery power on, release the screen, and then turn battery power off again.  It would seem that there SHOULD be an insignificant battery depletion with the process to make the screen release and/or a screen reattachment.  Otherwise the battery should not be in use.  

    I've tested my SB i7/16GB/512GB a number of times and before completely powering down at night I'm at 100% battery.  In the morning I'm at either 100% or 99%.  I've never had any more battery depletion overnight than that.

    At 75% brightness I can get an average of 8 hours on battery.  At 50% brightness I can get an average of 12 hours on battery.

    Until the "sleep" problem is resolved I'm totally powering down at night and I'm totally powering down before putting my SB in my commuter bag.  However during my work day I thoroughly enjoy using "sleep" and Windows Hello Face Recognition.

    I get what you're saying in theory. However, from a powered down state, pressing the release button to detach the screen happens immediately. If it was fully powered off, you'd think in the least it would take 10 seconds or more to turn back on, in theory. . I suppose that to wouldn't need to fire fully back up to do so, but I suspect given what's been mentioned, this could be related.  

    If you power down fully and don't lose power overnight, consider yourself fortunate. Many people are not as fortunate. What stinks more so that should never happen.  All these posts over the last month's prove what a total embarrassment this has become for MS. 

    With the SB powered off I would think there would be no need for the computer to boot up.  All it should need to do is release the screen.  I would think that should happen instantly. Just my thinking.

    It is my suspicion that many that are reporting power loss aren't really shutting down but are actually in "sleep".  If I put my SB in "sleep" I will, indeed, show a significant loss of battery overnight.  Microsoft has admitted here in the forum that "sleep" does not work as it should and will be fixed.

    I fully powered my SB down last night and then removed the charging cable.  This morning I powered up and immediately went to the charging icon in the tray before attaching the power cable.  It showed 100% battery in both batteries and 100% total.

    I do not power down by pushing the power button or by closing the lid as my default power setting would put my SB in to "sleep" mode.  I power down by:

    Windows/Start -> Power -> Shut Down

    I power down the same way you do.  Power->Shut Down.  Doesn't matter.  I lost 12% overnight doing it that way last night.  It's consistently losing 8-12% overnight following that method of powering off. 

    There is something very different between our two machines.  

    Mine is  i7/16GB/512GB, Lot # 1546, from Atlanta Microsoft Store, Nov 30, 2015.

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-01-08T16:27:06+00:00

    This magnet thing might have legs. My SB always drains when powered off. The last wo nights the lid has been left open and I had no power loss in my batteries. I am going to experiment a little more and will post again.

    So I was on another site reading about another user experience and discovered something that seemed impossible.

    Apparently, this user said you can actually detach the screen when the SB is in full power down mode.  Completed shut down and attempted and guess what?  User is CORRECT.

    Now, maybe I am late to the party with discovering that, but given that knowledge, it would seem this might be one of the bigger reasons we are seeing significant battery drain when fully powered off. 

    As previous user said, "significant design flaw" seems to be appropriate wording.  How else can you detach the screen when it has no power?

    It would certainly make sense that a computer could be powered up from a powered down situation by pressing a button, as this is how we turn a computer on.  It would then make sense to me that pressing the button to release the screen would turn battery power on, release the screen, and then turn battery power off again.  It would seem that there SHOULD be an insignificant battery depletion with the process to make the screen release and/or a screen reattachment.  Otherwise the battery should not be in use.  

    I've tested my SB i7/16GB/512GB a number of times and before completely powering down at night I'm at 100% battery.  In the morning I'm at either 100% or 99%.  I've never had any more battery depletion overnight than that.

    At 75% brightness I can get an average of 8 hours on battery.  At 50% brightness I can get an average of 12 hours on battery.

    Until the "sleep" problem is resolved I'm totally powering down at night and I'm totally powering down before putting my SB in my commuter bag.  However during my work day I thoroughly enjoy using "sleep" and Windows Hello Face Recognition.

    I get what you're saying in theory. However, from a powered down state, pressing the release button to detach the screen happens immediately. If it was fully powered off, you'd think in the least it would take 10 seconds or more to turn back on, in theory. . I suppose that to wouldn't need to fire fully back up to do so, but I suspect given what's been mentioned, this could be related.  

    If you power down fully and don't lose power overnight, consider yourself fortunate. Many people are not as fortunate. What stinks more so that should never happen.  All these posts over the last month's prove what a total embarrassment this has become for MS. 

    With the SB powered off I would think there would be no need for the computer to boot up.  All it should need to do is release the screen.  I would think that should happen instantly. Just my thinking.

    It is my suspicion that many that are reporting power loss aren't really shutting down but are actually in "sleep".  If I put my SB in "sleep" I will, indeed, show a significant loss of battery overnight.  Microsoft has admitted here in the forum that "sleep" does not work as it should and will be fixed.

    I fully powered my SB down last night and then removed the charging cable.  This morning I powered up and immediately went to the charging icon in the tray before attaching the power cable.  It showed 100% battery in both batteries and 100% total.

    I do not power down by pushing the power button or by closing the lid as my default power setting would put my SB in to "sleep" mode.  I power down by:

    Windows/Start -> Power -> Shut Down

    I power down the same way you do.  Power->Shut Down.  Doesn't matter.  I lost 12% overnight doing it that way last night.  It's consistently losing 8-12% overnight following that method of powering off.

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-01-08T13:51:07+00:00

    This magnet thing might have legs. My SB always drains when powered off. The last wo nights the lid has been left open and I had no power loss in my batteries. I am going to experiment a little more and will post again.

    So I was on another site reading about another user experience and discovered something that seemed impossible.

    Apparently, this user said you can actually detach the screen when the SB is in full power down mode.  Completed shut down and attempted and guess what?  User is CORRECT.

    Now, maybe I am late to the party with discovering that, but given that knowledge, it would seem this might be one of the bigger reasons we are seeing significant battery drain when fully powered off. 

    As previous user said, "significant design flaw" seems to be appropriate wording.  How else can you detach the screen when it has no power?

    It would certainly make sense that a computer could be powered up from a powered down situation by pressing a button, as this is how we turn a computer on.  It would then make sense to me that pressing the button to release the screen would turn battery power on, release the screen, and then turn battery power off again.  It would seem that there SHOULD be an insignificant battery depletion with the process to make the screen release and/or a screen reattachment.  Otherwise the battery should not be in use.  

    I've tested my SB i7/16GB/512GB a number of times and before completely powering down at night I'm at 100% battery.  In the morning I'm at either 100% or 99%.  I've never had any more battery depletion overnight than that.

    At 75% brightness I can get an average of 8 hours on battery.  At 50% brightness I can get an average of 12 hours on battery.

    Until the "sleep" problem is resolved I'm totally powering down at night and I'm totally powering down before putting my SB in my commuter bag.  However during my work day I thoroughly enjoy using "sleep" and Windows Hello Face Recognition.

    I get what you're saying in theory. However, from a powered down state, pressing the release button to detach the screen happens immediately. If it was fully powered off, you'd think in the least it would take 10 seconds or more to turn back on, in theory. . I suppose that to wouldn't need to fire fully back up to do so, but I suspect given what's been mentioned, this could be related.  

    If you power down fully and don't lose power overnight, consider yourself fortunate. Many people are not as fortunate. What stinks more so that should never happen.  All these posts over the last month's prove what a total embarrassment this has become for MS. 

    With the SB powered off I would think there would be no need for the computer to boot up.  All it should need to do is release the screen.  I would think that should happen instantly. Just my thinking.

    It is my suspicion that many that are reporting power loss aren't really shutting down but are actually in "sleep".  If I put my SB in "sleep" I will, indeed, show a significant loss of battery overnight.  Microsoft has admitted here in the forum that "sleep" does not work as it should and will be fixed.

    I fully powered my SB down last night and then removed the charging cable.  This morning I powered up and immediately went to the charging icon in the tray before attaching the power cable.  It showed 100% battery in both batteries and 100% total.

    I do not power down by pushing the power button or by closing the lid as my default power setting would put my SB in to "sleep" mode.  I power down by:

    Windows/Start -> Power -> Shut Down

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  4. Anonymous
    2016-01-08T11:06:35+00:00

    This magnet thing might have legs. My SB always drains when powered off. The last wo nights the lid has been left open and I had no power loss in my batteries. I am going to experiment a little more and will post again.

    So I was on another site reading about another user experience and discovered something that seemed impossible.

    Apparently, this user said you can actually detach the screen when the SB is in full power down mode.  Completed shut down and attempted and guess what?  User is CORRECT.

    Now, maybe I am late to the party with discovering that, but given that knowledge, it would seem this might be one of the bigger reasons we are seeing significant battery drain when fully powered off. 

    As previous user said, "significant design flaw" seems to be appropriate wording.  How else can you detach the screen when it has no power?

    It would certainly make sense that a computer could be powered up from a powered down situation by pressing a button, as this is how we turn a computer on.  It would then make sense to me that pressing the button to release the screen would turn battery power on, release the screen, and then turn battery power off again.  It would seem that there SHOULD be an insignificant battery depletion with the process to make the screen release and/or a screen reattachment.  Otherwise the battery should not be in use.  

    I've tested my SB i7/16GB/512GB a number of times and before completely powering down at night I'm at 100% battery.  In the morning I'm at either 100% or 99%.  I've never had any more battery depletion overnight than that.

    At 75% brightness I can get an average of 8 hours on battery.  At 50% brightness I can get an average of 12 hours on battery.

    Until the "sleep" problem is resolved I'm totally powering down at night and I'm totally powering down before putting my SB in my commuter bag.  However during my work day I thoroughly enjoy using "sleep" and Windows Hello Face Recognition.

    I get what you're saying in theory. However, from a powered down state, pressing the release button to detach the screen happens immediately. If it was fully powered off, you'd think in the least it would take 10 seconds or more to turn back on, in theory. . I suppose that to wouldn't need to fire fully back up to do so, but I suspect given what's been mentioned, this could be related.  

    If you power down fully and don't lose power overnight, consider yourself fortunate. Many people are not as fortunate. What stinks more so that should never happen.  All these posts over the last month's prove what a total embarrassment this has become for MS.

    Was this answer helpful?

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  5. Anonymous
    2016-01-08T04:15:28+00:00

    Wow I'm surprised you're really getting that much battery life. I was thinking that my more powerful SB (i6/16GB/512), like yours, might just get lower battery life than the claims that were tested on lower-end models. 

    I'm on my second SB, and on both of them I've got about 6-7 hours at 50% battery, with battery saver on, a few Office programs open and keeping Chrome closed whenever possible because it shoots through battery. 

    Can I ask what you're usually doing getting this battery life? And does this include short periods of sleep or is this what you would get using it straight through. r

    Well, heck, who works with his SB turned on for 8 or 12 hours and doesn't stop to eat, stop for a restroom break, stop for a phone call, stop to talk with someone who stops by, etc.   Yes, my SB will be turned on for that period of time.  I use "sleep" during the day and absolutely love it when my gorgeous face wakes it up.  So, yes, I get that kind of battery life, but I think that I also use my SB much like a normal person might.

    I'm a self employed stock market trader and have been for the last 15 years.  I only trade my own account.  My office is in my home.  So during the market day I'm running Interactive Brokers Trader Workstation and I'm looking at a lot of trading sites and doing a lot of chart comparisons and analysis.  I'm a very active short term swing trader with some day trading mixed in.  I use Microsoft Excel with my Microsoft Office 365 Subscription to do market analysis and keep track of my activities.  I used to trade with multiple large screens on a heavy duty tower but find I now prefer to use just the single high res screen on my Surface Book.  I feel no need to get the Surface Dock and add any more monitors for the way I like to work today.

    I'm also an avid amateur photographer and I do a good bit of work with Adobe Lightroom/Photoshop CC Subscription.  LR/PS makes very good use of the GPU and runs Lightroom/Photoshop CC quite noticeably faster than my Surface Pro 3 which is also sitting beside my Surface Book.  The Surface Pro 3 is an i5/8GB/256GB.  As an aside I did pick up the Surface Pro 4 keyboard with the fingerprint reader.  Highly recommended if you have a SP3.

    15 years ago I retired from my old day job as a Microsoft Windows programmer to trade full time.  So I still do a bit of Windows programming running Microsoft Visual Studio 2015.  Visual Studio 2015 makes good use of the GPU and is also quite noticeably faster than my Surface Pro 3.

    My Surface Pro 3 sits here running in case I need to go to a backup machine during the trading day, but my Surface Book has proven to be reliable and I've never needed to go to the the SP3 so far.

    So there's a picture of what I do during the day with my Surface Book i7/16GB/512GB.  I really do love this computer!

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