Anybody else feel like a SP Beta tester for MS?

[Ruffles]

While I'm happy with mine, whenever I see threads like this, I have to wonder if it's the device or the apps you have installed that are causing the issues. The only way to isolate the problems is to use the device with no 3rd party applications to establish a baseline and then add applications one by one testing between each.

Having worked for MS in the Win2k, XP, and Vista timeframe, they do a TON of testing so I can assure you, it was not simply rushed out the door.

 

[Nuspieds]

All my apps that I was running on my laptop reinstalled and have been running flawlessly on my SP.

Moreover, my laptop had a docking station so I am totally amazed and impressed that I was able to recreate the setup using a USB hub connected to my SP. I was bracing for some devices not to be recognized via the hub but, much to my delightful surprise, everything works.

So, with all that success, I definitely can say that I do not feel like a beta tester.

 

[J515OP]

Beta tester is one way to say but in all actuality you are an early adopter plain and simple. If you need something rock steady and reliable at all costs you probably shouldn't be buying a first generation hardware device running a first generation OS. How many corporations do you see jumping all in on the latest OS each time it is released? There are bound to be flaws and improvements to and such first generation products that will make subsequent generations significantly better and more stable. MS is highly committed to updates though so the majority of the OS issues will be worked out over time even on a first generation device. The hardware issues are going to be what they are.

You have not mentioned trying a refresh or a reset. At this point will all the issues you seem to be experiencing you should try a complete reset. Most of your problems do not seem typical and the best way to improve everything going forward is to go back and start from scratch. Take your time with the updates and makes sure they install correctly and do not cause problems. The same for apps and legacy apps. Your situation does not appear to be typical therefor you need to take more time to see if something unique to your setup is causing the problem.

 

[Rvacha]

I didn't mention reset and refresh for a couple of reasons. For one these have been shown to largely ineffective in fixing these problems. Except for "weird pen issues" and out of the box apps not seeing network folders, every single one of these issues has been seen and discussed here (and other forums too) and refresh/reset has not been a reliable solution. Secondly while reinstalling apps is fairly easy once you know where to look in the Store for your install history the hard, time consuming part is reinstalling programs. I've got tons of these, many more than apps - this is WHY I bought an SP - to run Windows programs. I installed Office 365, which is a "streaming" install and just that took more than an hour simply because the WiFi was so horrendously slow. All told reinstalling my programs, configuring E-mail accounts, etc. is a day job, so there has to be a really good reason to flatten my SP and start over. Frankly I also believe that reset/refresh is a poor solution at best - the better solution is to fix the root problems! Thirdly most of these problems existed from day one on a bare bones machine.

As far as the SP being new hardware, yes, it is. This might explain the WiFi and BIOS issues, but how do you decide to release a product like the SP with one of its two lifelines to the outside world (WiFi) unable to maintain a reliable connection? The bulk of the rest are OS/software. I might also add that Win8 is not a ground-up new OS - more than 80% is directly photocopied from Win7 including the kernel, security framework, driver framework, and desktop environment. Driver rollback for example is not a new thing, nor is it outwardly different from Vista and Win7 - yet now it doesn't work correctly all the time. Go figure. I was an early Win8 beta tester that migrated to RC before I finally uninstalled it. Things like missing Windows key, inoperative network folder problems, and many others have been known issues for more than a year. I had RC installed for less than a week; once I realized they had made little progress I nuked it and went back to Win7. What disheartens me is that these things are STILL not fixed. Yes, I have faith that MS will eventually fix them, but the pace has been really slow so far. Overall I love my SP but I do feel like I never left the official beta period

 

[zze86]

YES! Someone else feels my pain! Here I was I thought I was on an Island with the only Surface PROblem child. I thought I was the only one that didn't have time for four hour install marathons! Sorry Rvacha, didn't mean to revel in your (our) misery.

We need to start a support group or something, call it Windows Is Not gr8t, or WIN-G8 for short. We'll meet and comfort other strangers from the net and we'll have an 8-day annual conference in Iowa or something where we'll serve an all you can eat breakfast on the last day featuring waffles shaped like the Windows logo. Bite into that Apple.

Most likely it'll just be me and you as the WiFi issues may preclude others from joining us. Hope you like Waffles!

 

[bosamar]

The only way to isolate the problems is to use the device with no 3rd party applications to establish a baseline and then add applications one by one testing between each.

Good advice. I think the OP has a bum Surface Pro.

 

[HD_Dude]

The Surface I have is excellent in every way.

Never crashed. Never froze. Never had BSOD.

The OP may have received the one that the UPS guy dropped.

 

[joga]

I love my Surface Pro. No issues at all. Its beautiful, stable, fluid and lightning fast. I'm very impressed of this 1st Gen device.

 

[Uncensored2008]

I've had my Surface Pro for about a month. In that time I've not had a single "crash." Actually, I haven't had a single issue. The machine has worked flawlessly and is an absolute marvel. The biggest flaw is that the stylus falls off - that is literally the biggest complaint I have.

The SP does everything I want, runs real programs, not just apps, and runs them well.

I feel like all the iPads and Android pads were beta tests leading to this.

 

[hoodie]

If you are first to buy or try new software, count on it. I have been in software for a decade, it is impossible to simulate every variable in the lab. The ultimate test becomes the every day user. Not everyone thinks like an engineer

 

[zze86]

If you are first to buy or try new software, count on it. I have been in software for a decade, it is impossible to simulate every variable in the lab. The ultimate test becomes the every day user. Not everyone thinks like an engineer

So you are basically saying that I'm right and you're beta testing as well...?

 

[qi88]

I don't feel like a beta tester per se, but there are some quirks to the tablet that I'm trying to get used to. For the record I'm not a fanboy or an anti-fanboy -- I have several win7 PCs and laptops, Linux machines, and a couple Macbooks along with an iPad and iPhone. My family uses them all and we enjoy using them as well. I think the Surface Pro HW is more than powerful and the type cover works very well so I have no issues withe the design.

What irks me most is trying to figure out Win8. I was hoping that using Win8 in a tablet environment would be an almost natural evolution from the traditional desktop look and feel but it's been a challenge for me. I'm one of those users who enjoys tinkering with the OS as much as actually using the thing for word processing, etc. I find the switch between Metro and the desktop to be really jarring and I'm really not digging the tiled apps. You know, like if you're going to give me a live tile, make it actually do something. Some tiles are designed to update, some don't. The app store is pretty sparse and I read that quite a few developers are holding off making apps until they see whether or not Win8 takes off or not.

So, anyway, I find myself diving into the desktop almost immediately instead of using the metro apps and it's making me feel like I'm missing out on something. To me, the start screen just seems like a glorified Mac dashboard or perhaps a bunch of windows gadgets on steroids. It's a shame really as the HW really responds well to hand gestures and whatnot. I'm really hoping that MS puts out updates (Blue?) that we can download and update our devices such that it irons out some of the weirdness with the UI.

Oh, and I really hope they roll out Firmware updates that continually improve what we have. I'm experiencing the same connectivity issue that many others are and I'll tolerate it for a while but I hope MS coddles us early adapters with frequent fixes and updates. I think we deserve it So, anyway, not really a rant but not a rave either. I'm cautiously optimistic and I really enjoy using the device.