Surface Pro 4 battery drain while OFF

Anonymous
2017-07-05T14:02:24+00:00

I have a HUGE battery drain while power off (not hibernating)  at least 5-10 percent per day.   I windows updates done.   I used to think it was because of the keyboard being attached. but I have switched to a Brydge Keyboard.  Does anyone else have this issue or know how to fix?

Thanks!

Surface | Surface Pro | Power and battery

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Anonymous
2017-08-04T04:59:28+00:00

Thanks Victor_S

Another solution I've found is to shut down the computer the old way - regular shutdown instead of hybrid shutdown.

You can use this shortcut:

C:\Windows\System32\shutdown.exe /s /t 3 /c "Full Shutdown"

  • shutdown.exe can execute the various sleed/hibernate commands, including the regular shutdown.
  • /s means "shutdown". If we shutdown the normal way, it is a hybrid shutdown (/hybrid)
  • /t 3 means after 3 seconds. If you skip this it's 30 seconds by default.
  • /c "Full shutdown" is a simple comment that will appear in various places as the reason for your shutdown.

Keep in mind it takes a little longer to shutdown this way, and it takes a little longer to start afterwards, but I think the computer doesn't keep some systems active, thus you should see almost no battery drain, even for prolonged times.

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Anonymous
2017-07-05T14:59:17+00:00

That is a good question because the screen will be off.  Before shutting down and all programs are closed, you can do a CTRL+ALT+DEL and select the task manager and look at the processes that are still running at that moment and you may find 'something' but doubtful.

The power sub-system could also have a defect causing that as well and not actually shutting off the machine when it is supposed to be off.

The task manager may give you a clue when all programs are shut down.  If you can't find anything listed, it is possible you may need to contact customer support to get the machine swapped out.

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  1. Anonymous
    2018-09-19T14:20:58+00:00

    With all current Microsoft updates on the SP4 including current firmware, I may have just found something.  I don't know if this is THE fix or not as of yet, but this might help.

    Last night while searching various online sites regarding other reported battery drainage issues relating to Windows 10 (not specific to the Surface Pro 4), I found one suggested change that I gave a try.  After the change, I then put the SP4 into hibernation (with the SP4 battery charge at 100%), then disconnected the charger from the SP4.  This morning, almost 7 1/2 hours later, when I powered on the SP4, the battery charge was still at 100%.  I need to continue to keep an eye on this to find out if this may indeed be THE needed fix, but if anyone else wants to give this a try, I'll mention what I did.

    First, make sure beforehand that you have all current Windows updates installed, including the current firmware which is the following...

    Surface – Firmware – 234.2317.257.0

    Next, bring up the Device Manager.  You can do this by right-clicking the Start icon and selecting "Device Manager."

    In the Device Manager, expand "System devices."  Afterward, double-click "Intel(R) Management Engine Interface."

    Next, click the folder tab labeled "Power Management."  You'll see a selected check box labeled "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power."  Click the check box to remove the selection, then click "OK" and reboot the SP4.

    I think I recall trying this step earlier in the year, and I didn't see any improvement regarding the battery drainage issue.  But with newer firmware, I tried this again last night, and almost 7 1/2 hours after putting the SP4 into hibernation and then disconnecting the charger, I didn't see a charge drop.

    Again, I don't know if this is THE fix or a fluke that just happened in this instance.  I need to continue to keep an eye on this.  But I wanted to report this in case anyone else wants to give this a try.  I'll provide updates as I continue to see what further happens with this change.

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  2. Anonymous
    2018-09-19T11:43:00+00:00

    Since Modern Standby only uses 1-3% of the battery during low power states, letting it go into that condition, so we can get more info, should not hurt your situation and may even help.

    The sleep setting is not related to modern standby except I discovered that time may effect the operation of some apps.  For instance, if I leave music playing after the screen turns off, iTunes will stop playing at the expiration of the sleep limit but Groove music will continue to play.  I use music because I can hear when something changes.  I have no way to track other utilities and what they might be doing during low power modes, unless they show up in the sleep study.

    If your system is actually shut down and it continues to drain the battery, it is a fault and should be corrected.  If a system does have areas on the bottom where it feels warm and the charger is not plugged in, it could indicate activity of which the user is not aware.

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  3. Anonymous
    2018-09-19T08:14:55+00:00

    For my device, I always feel like the SSD area is warm even after shut down for a long period.

    Could be the device not really shut down and some process is still running due to "Modern Standby" feature that Microsoft proud of?

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