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New SP4 firmware out

Philtastic

Active Member
Yesterday, I had it burn through 34% of my battery over 5 hours during sleep... and then it failed to wake from sleep so I needed to hard shut down. Sleep is definitely not fixed which sucks.
 

Cerif27

New Member
I still have mine set to Hibernate ONLY. Are we recommending that those people, like myself, come out of the cold and turn sleep back on? If so, any recommended settings for sleep/hibernate behavior? Button press only? Close cover only? In other words, tell us what you have your business set to! :D
 

M$user

New Member
I still have mine set to Hibernate ONLY. Are we recommending that those people, like myself, come out of the cold and turn sleep back on? If so, any recommended settings for sleep/hibernate behavior? Button press only? Close cover only? In other words, tell us what you have your business set to! :D

I tried that and had to do force restarts. Switched back to hibernate.
 
There must still be Video Driver issues as well.

Two different docks, each on LG 34UM95-P and the monitors are not reliable.

On Saturday connected to dock@home and DP to monitor worked most of the day with type cover closed over screen.
On Sunday no change in wiring, just reboots, and the display starts to blank out 3-5 a minute
- Trouble shot this and seemed if I switched from a DP to a DP->HDMI to the monitor the screen stopped.
On Monday dock@ work, powered up, type cover closed, connected via DP, and worked fine, until I disconnected and went to a meeting.
Returning, lost the taskbar....
- Could not afford to reboot as I had too many things in flight... worked through the issue for an hour
- Rebooted, Type cover open, (hoping to use the SP4 to transcribe hand notes, while using monitor), screen (DP attached) starts to blank out 2-5 am minute
- switch to DP->HDMI to monitor, stabilizes.
On Tuesday return to office, open type cover, power on SP4 connected to Dock@office, and the monitor would not project an image. Settings, System, display shows the monitor, but it is blank.
- Reboot hub, nothing
- switch to DP direct (no HDMI) on Dock@work, nothing
- Move DP Direct to SP4 (off of dock), nothing
- Move DP-HDMI to SP4, image on screen
-- try to use outlook, but can not close windows, move windows, etc. It is like the mouse and monitor are not in sync.
- Move DP-HDMI back to DOCK@work, and image is on screen but issue with the ability to control the screen
- REBOOT SP4 in this state, all came back and working fine...


REALLY!!!!!!

IS this EXPECTED, on Feb 27th is the latest SP4 not RELIABLE? should I RETURN/EXCHANGE it or is this just Microsoft lack of quality?
 

jnjroach

Administrator
Staff member
There must still be Video Driver issues as well.

Two different docks, each on LG 34UM95-P and the monitors are not reliable.

On Saturday connected to dock@home and DP to monitor worked most of the day with type cover closed over screen.
On Sunday no change in wiring, just reboots, and the display starts to blank out 3-5 a minute
- Trouble shot this and seemed if I switched from a DP to a DP->HDMI to the monitor the screen stopped.
On Monday dock@ work, powered up, type cover closed, connected via DP, and worked fine, until I disconnected and went to a meeting.
Returning, lost the taskbar....
- Could not afford to reboot as I had too many things in flight... worked through the issue for an hour
- Rebooted, Type cover open, (hoping to use the SP4 to transcribe hand notes, while using monitor), screen (DP attached) starts to blank out 2-5 am minute
- switch to DP->HDMI to monitor, stabilizes.
On Tuesday return to office, open type cover, power on SP4 connected to Dock@office, and the monitor would not project an image. Settings, System, display shows the monitor, but it is blank.
- Reboot hub, nothing
- switch to DP direct (no HDMI) on Dock@work, nothing
- Move DP Direct to SP4 (off of dock), nothing
- Move DP-HDMI to SP4, image on screen
-- try to use outlook, but can not close windows, move windows, etc. It is like the mouse and monitor are not in sync.
- Move DP-HDMI back to DOCK@work, and image is on screen but issue with the ability to control the screen
- REBOOT SP4 in this state, all came back and working fine...


REALLY!!!!!!

IS this EXPECTED, on Feb 27th is the latest SP4 not RELIABLE? should I RETURN/EXCHANGE it or is this just Microsoft lack of quality?
Microsoft is working a Firmware Update for the Dock as well....it is going to update the MST Firmware.
 
Microsoft is working a Firmware Update for the Dock as well....it is going to update the MST Firmware.

You are a ray of hope..... would you think this would come through updates like windows, or would I need to check some where?

I sometimes feel like I am Mulder in the X-Files, 'I want to believe' .....
 

Aldec

Member
Two Surface Pro 4..1st lasted a week, only thing appearing on locked screen a thick rectangle, finally managed to turn off, 2hrs later with heat building up within, and being time for bed decided to leave it on the stainless steel sink unit in case it caught fire overnight...RTM,d for exchange.
The second had numerous faults noted in Event Viewer among them being unable to start, losing contact with router, picture breakdown, etc
Scannow and Dism scans stated unable to repair corrupted files including missing source files.
Reinstalled using M$ Media install.ESD....then Tech bench install.WIM, still same problems remained, lockups commonplace, when I managed to start it.
Just too stressful, RTM,d the 2nd today.
 

jnjroach

Administrator
Staff member
You are a ray of hope..... would you think this would come through updates like windows, or would I need to check some where?

I sometimes feel like I am Mulder in the X-Files, 'I want to believe' .....
It would show up as a System Hardware Update if you are using the Dock...
 

Intellibeam

New Member
There must still be Video Driver issues as well.

Two different docks, each on LG 34UM95-P and the monitors are not reliable.

On Saturday connected to dock@home and DP to monitor worked most of the day with type cover closed over screen.
On Sunday no change in wiring, just reboots, and the display starts to blank out 3-5 a minute
- Trouble shot this and seemed if I switched from a DP to a DP->HDMI to the monitor the screen stopped.
On Monday dock@ work, powered up, type cover closed, connected via DP, and worked fine, until I disconnected and went to a meeting.
Returning, lost the taskbar....
- Could not afford to reboot as I had too many things in flight... worked through the issue for an hour
- Rebooted, Type cover open, (hoping to use the SP4 to transcribe hand notes, while using monitor), screen (DP attached) starts to blank out 2-5 am minute
- switch to DP->HDMI to monitor, stabilizes.
On Tuesday return to office, open type cover, power on SP4 connected to Dock@office, and the monitor would not project an image. Settings, System, display shows the monitor, but it is blank.
- Reboot hub, nothing
- switch to DP direct (no HDMI) on Dock@work, nothing
- Move DP Direct to SP4 (off of dock), nothing
- Move DP-HDMI to SP4, image on screen
-- try to use outlook, but can not close windows, move windows, etc. It is like the mouse and monitor are not in sync.
- Move DP-HDMI back to DOCK@work, and image is on screen but issue with the ability to control the screen
- REBOOT SP4 in this state, all came back and working fine...


REALLY!!!!!!

IS this EXPECTED, on Feb 27th is the latest SP4 not RELIABLE? should I RETURN/EXCHANGE it or is this just Microsoft lack of quality?

I've been having the same issues since the SP3 and the dock for that. I got the SP4 and the new dock and said no way will it happen still, and it has since day one.

I wouldn't count on a fix to the dock since it's been broken since the SP3............
 

MaxBuck

Member
The more commentary I read about the SP docking station, the happier I am to be using my old Toshiba Dynadock. It still works great with the SP4 even though it's about 8 years old.

If I ever need to transition to HDMI, they have models that will handle that as well.
 

mva5580

Member
I can't really say I notice a big difference between the new firmware and what it was before, at this point I guess it is what it is. If you're someone who feels the need to have a "full PC" in a tablet form factor, you're probably going to tinker/deal with the SP4 enough to make it work. If you're not, there are multiple tablet alternatives out there that will suit you just fine. I will say though I don't think it's a device for a people who want a "tablet," it's a device for people who want laptop functionality in something that's the size of a tablet.

For me it's like I want something like an iPad that has great battery life and is reliable, but at the same time I want an iPad-sized device that allows me to do all of those things but is also capable of doing stuff like playing non-intensive PC games (Civilization, things like that,) and the other stuff a full PC is capable of. So I either sacrifice the extra functionality for better battery life/reliability, or I sacrifice the better battery life/reliability for more overall function.

Today I'm going for function, I guess we'll see how long it lasts. I'm not someone who is all that far away from a power outlet very often so the battery life honestly isn't THAT big of a deal to me, although I still have to say I think it should be THE priority for the SP5. Hell they could keep everything else the exact same and somehow manage to squeeze another ~2 hours of battery life out of it, and I'd be there day 1 to buy it. I think this device remains a tough sell to the "consumer" market though.....I still think it's overpriced and it requires more management than it probably should.
 
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