Gathering Info About 'Black Screen' Issue

[MurphAid]

Hi,

I'll explain my issue: my computer will randomly not show a screen. The screen is not backlit, and it's as black as if the computer is turned off. But! I know the computer is still responding because my keyboard will light on and off when I press the power button--implying that the computer thinks it's going in and out of sleep mode.

I've looked around the internet and this seems to be a common problem with a lot of superstitious fixes like "bending camera" and "put in freezer" and "disable sleep/hibernate mode". While these fixes might work for some, it doesn't work for all.

On the Microsoft website, the official help says to hard-restart or reinstall windows. The hard restart doesn't fix it and I have a lot of files and work related things that I need on this computer, so I'm not resetting the computer.

I wouldn't care too much when this issue happens, because usually I just wait a few minutes or a couple hours and it will start working, but recently my computer wouldn't work for seven days, and I thought I'd have to spend money to fix it. The computer is a couple years old so I'm past warranty.

EDIT: I last installed updates on 11/20/2015. I'm running Windows 8.1 Pro.

What I'm looking for is info about:
-What causes the problem?
-Has Microsoft said anything about it?
-Has this issue always existed or does it appear after an update?

 

[sharpuser]

Welcome, @MurphAid

It sounds like you are suffering from a sleep issue which was common around the end of 2015 under Windows 8.1 on Surface devices. The problem has been remedied with Windows updates.

I suggest you upgrade to Windows 10, since your OS is more than a year old.

 

[MurphAid]

Thanks for the welcome.

Honestly, I'm just looking for a stable version. I'd hate to upgrade and trade one problem for another, but I don't know enough about the version updates.

Can you help me?

 

[sharpuser]

Windows 10 Anniversary Edition (August, 2016) is for you. If you install Windows 10, you will get the latest update.

 

[MurphAid]

Eh.... it happened again when I turned off the computer. I guess once it decides to start working, I will update it.

What are the pros and cons of windows 8.1 vs 10?

 

[sharpuser]

I suggest you make the move.

To see your screen again, do a cold boot:
1) Hold in power button for 25 seconds.
2) Hold Power and Volume Up together until you see the "Surface" logo. Release both.
3) Exit and confirm boot options. Surface will retart.

 

[MurphAid]

I asked about the differences between versions. Also, in my original post, I included that the reboots don't fix the issue (that's the first thing I try)! Another also! The Microsoft support page says NOT to do the two-button restart with a Surface Pro 3 on windows 8.1. But I do it anyway! Still doesn't work..

I know I'm directing my anger towards you, but I'm frustrated because I've been scribbling page after page of partial derivatives, for hours, and can't find my algebra mistakes--when I could've turned in my homework hours ago... ugh... I'm not handling this situation well

 

[sharpuser]

Sorry you are having problems with your homework, and your Surface.

For the Surface: The cold reboot is merely to get you back up, not to permanently fix the Windows issue. You know what to do, when you can fit it in.

For the homework: Hope you got that sorted. I am an earth scientist (with a Surface Pro 3) and find that it works very well as my production machine, with math number crunching. Here is a link from some time ago. of my SP3 in the wild.

 

[MurphAid]

Those are neat pictures. Yeah I decided to fork over the money for it years ago, because I needed something light and powerful. I got all the works and it really holds up with computational stuff.

Anyways, thanks for being patient with me. I know it's off-topic, but would you mind telling me a bit about Windows 10?

 

[sharpuser]

Windows 8.1 was really just a step towards the Windows 10 experience.

Windows 10 still allows you to use tiles, like Windows 8.1 . But it also has tablet functions built-in, including use of pen devices, runs legacy desktop software better, has an excellent Sync model using OneDrive, and has become faster and more stable than Windows 8.1 . Also, Microsoft is not diligently improving Windows 8.1 , but instead strongly urging users to move to 10.