Pen top button won't open OneNote

Anonymous

I just got a Surface Pro 3 yesterday. I now have Windows 8.1 Enterprise and after a long ordeal without networking drivers (even for the Ethernet dongle), all the drivers are installed and almost everything seems to be working correctly. The firmware update is complete. Everything seems up-to-date in Windows Update.

The one problem is that when I press the OneNote button on the pen, OneNote doesn't open up.

I have followed the troubleshooting steps for the Pen not opening OneNote by following the steps for Solution 1 here: http://www.microsoft.com/surface/en-us/support/touch-mouse-and-search/troubleshoot-surface-pen#penonenote

I have not replaced the batteries (Solution 2) for a couple of reasons, including that I just got it yesterday with new batteries and I seem to be able to get the device to pair via Bluetooth manually in the above step and I don't think it would do that if it needed new batteries. The light on the device also seems to indicate that it's able to pair and successfully paired, when I pair it manually.

When I use the pen for inking, erasing, selecting, etc. everything works fine. It's only the OneNote part that isn't working. Even that top button works for pairing, so it doesn't seem to be the button or coin batteries up there.

Furthermore, when I look at the Bluetooth settings screen it looks to me like everything is working fine. Usually the Pen is "Not Connected" but it's showing up on the list since I paired it. When I click the big purple OneNote button on the pen, the "Not Connected" message goes away. It doesn't explicitly say it's connected, but the Surface Pro 3 is clearly recognizing the activity at least and it seems like it's connected (no error messages or indications of problems). Sometimes when I press the button, instead of the "Not Connected" just changing to blank, it'll show a brief loading bar first and then look just the same (blank, without the "Not Connected" message). Either way, the "Not Connected" message comes back after about 5 seconds, which seems reasonable if it's connecting and then disconnecting to save power. So I interpret that (perhaps incorrectly) as it's able to connect via Bluetooth.

Nonetheless, nothing happens. OneNote doesn't open. Pressing the button when the device is locked, in sleep mode, with the screen off or lock screen on does not cause OneNote to come up. Even if logged in with OneNote closed or open in the background on the desktop, it doesn't come up.

OneNote on the desktop prompted me to be the default notetaking app and I agreed to that. I also have the metro OneNote app installed.

I don't see any settings in Pen or the Tablet PC control panel applet to allow me to change what action is triggered by the OneNote button or verify it's set correctly. I don't know how the trigger works or if there's any way to verify it's setup correctly. Any help would be appreciated.

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments

Answer accepted by question author

Anonymous

My pen was not working on Windows Enterprise (did not open OneNote when I clicked pen button).

Here are the steps I followed to get my pen to work:

First, I made sure that OneNote desktop was the default, according to these instructions:

http://winsupersite.com/mobile-devices/surface-pro-3-tip-configure-which-onenote-use-pen

Then I applied this update:

Update Info

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2968599/en-us

Actual Update File

http://download.windowsupdate.com/d/msdownload/update/software/crup/2014/06/windows8.1-kb2968599-x64\_de4ca043bf6ba84330fd96cb374e801071c4b8aa.msu

I rebooted and tried the button but it still did not work.

So, then I unpaired and re-paired the pen according to these instructions:

http://www.microsoft.com/surface/en-us/support/touch-mouse-and-search/troubleshoot-surface-pen

After I did that, everything works well. Not sure if it was the result of the update or the combo of the update and re-pairing though. The double-click-to-take-a-snapshot feature works also now and is pretty cool too.

Observation: from the Windows lock screen the button click only goes to OneNote once you have logged into the machine. That is, if you do a fresh restart and click the button all it does it goes to the login screen. I guess that makes sense because if you have multiple accounts on the machine then how would it know which account it was supposed to open OneNote in.

Anyways, that's what worked for me. Good luck.

~Joe

0 comments

Answer accepted by question author

Anonymous

OK, after looking at all the variables in what could have changed a rather obvious one was found. The app version of One Note had been removed from our baseload, leaving only the desktop version.

The pen top functionality doesn't appear to work when only the desktop version is installed (or at least not on Enterprise) when I downloaded the app version from the windows store, the pen top functionality began working with that version. It is interesting that on my personal SP3 running Windows Pro 8.1 which has both installed, when I choose to make the desktop version my default version (never got this option on Enterprise) that all of the pen top functionality works. On the Enterprise unit, even if I go into the default file associations it doesn't even see the app version of OneNote?

So if you are using Enterprise 8.1 and you don't have the OneNote app version installed and your pen top functionality isn't working, try installing the app version. Once you have both versions of OneNote on your device, if you want to change which version of OneNote opens the easiest way is to install the Surface Hub app, which allows you to make some pen customizations.

So when we first tried our baseload using Enterprise 8.1 vs Pro 8.1 this fix worked just fine to restore the pen top functionality. However we appears the file was added to one of the Updates but the actual functionality of this patch is no longer working. The pen top does nothing on our SP3s with Enterprise installed on them, and when we try to add the msu file it says it is already installed.

I have 7 devices to deploy tomorrow and the last thing we need is basic core functionality like this to not be working. Does anyone have any suggestions or ideas?

I was having this EXACT problem. I hunted around for a couple of days and finally found the update that fixes it. Here is the info that fixed me up:

Update Info

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2968599/en-us

Actual Update File

http://download.windowsupdate.com/d/msdownload/update/software/crup/2014/06/windows8.1-kb2968599-x64_de4ca043bf6ba84330fd96cb374e801071c4b8aa.msu

0 comments

Answer accepted by question author

Anonymous

Hi jm2247,

Welcome to the community and thank you for bringing this question to us. I understand that your Pro 3 pen button is not functioning on Windows 8.1 Enterprise.

I understand this is may be not the most convenient way for you but I recommend contacting our Enterprise Support here. They will guide you toward the right direction.

Let us know if you have other question or concerns in the future.

Best Regards,

Clare

0 comments

51 additional answers

Anonymous

2014-06-23T14:57:35+00:00

Supposedly this Hotfix will return functionality to Quick Notes Top Button click

Its not in my History list, nor available for me in Windows Updates....but I've been told...

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2968599/EN-US
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Anonymous

2014-06-22T22:50:06+00:00

Guessing, I'm assuming this is a Bluetooth event since it triggers Bluetooth with no issues.. I found Bluetooth services, but they were blank. I didn't think to look after my Factory reset...not worth another reset to find this out....

How did you reset back to the factory image? I finally got to the point of doing that due to some other issues, but under Update and Recovery, "Remove everything and reinstall Windows" asks for me to insert media (Windows DVD?) due to some files being missing.

Also, not to make this the "everything wrong with putting Win8.1 Enterprise on SP3" thread, but can you confirm that your device with Enterprise on it doesn't go to sleep (only restart/shutdown are available) and even if you close the keyboard cover and open it back up the way to wake it involves pressing the power button and waiting for even the Surface logo (bios/uefi?) before resuming? It doesn't kill my state and I keep my windows open where they were, so it's more like a hybernate, but it takes forever. I'm guessing the non-Enterprise one doesn't do that.

Between this, the day long driver fiasco and the pen now being lost due to the keyboard cover pen holder falling off somewhere unknown, I'm getting really close to finding some way to return this (after buying a replacement pen it looks like).

Sorry...I didn't read your entire post when I replied before.

Yes, my device goes into sleep with no issues, and wakes the way its supposed to. The driver fiasco, I simply have learned, as many of us here have, to be prepared in this. Especially when changing versions. MS posted the location of the driver pack the night before. I downloaded it onto an SD card... a 128 BTW, and was prepared for the potential of this.

I use the Surface pro as a laptop replacement. I did with the Surface pro 2 for sure, and will with the Surface Pro3. Granted, that's not for everyone, to each his own. Having a laptop should meet your expectations, period. If this does not... then sure, return it. I personally would not let a setup issue be a problem for me... but that's me. I'm more interested in the usage. The top button click, though cool, is NOT a major or even a minor driver for me. The thing about the enterprise version, whatever is missing can be added back in. Its not like its broke.

With that said, my first day back at work with the new surface is tomorrow. I will be working remotely for a few weeks, so another test starts tomorrow. I use pluggable docking stations, so when I plug into the docking station tomorrow, we'll see how it works. In addition, I sometimes 'MIRACAST' to the big TV. That works now.

On the flip side, I have seen, once, the WIFI limited issue show up. Hopefully this will resolved shortly.

What ever the turn out, I'm sorry you had such a less that joyful experience. Hopefully it won't be the end for you.

PS
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments