Solved Not Booting

[katieflakes]

Last Sunday I got up from the couch and left my Surface Pro 3 - open, on the couch. As I was in the kitchen I saw the screen turn black and thought nothing of it. Once I came back to the tablet I hit a key on the keyboard to turn it back on. The screen remained black. I then hit the power button, and nothing happened. Here's a list of all the things I've tried:

1. Charger
   1. Cleaned the power connector
   2. Bought a new charger and left it plugged in over night.
2. Booting
   1. 'clicked' the power button
   2. pressed and held the power button for 3-5 seconds
   3. pressed and held the power button with the volume up, down, and all three keys at the same time
   4. pressed and held the power button for 20 seconds
   5. plugged in the power adapter without keyboard and pressed power
   6. Attempted both SharpUser and GreyFox's suggestions.
3. Cleaning
   1. cleaned the keyboard connector
   2. power connector
   3. anything metallic that touches power
   4. Blew into all of those places, it was dust and debris clear beforehand

Today, while trying to get it to boot again I pressed the power button and the "Surface" logo appeared, Windows booted, it then immediately shut down back to a black screen. I'm now back to square one.

I've looked into getting support from Microsoft directly but the warranty expired last November (figures) so they're demanding $30 per call to offer me any support at all. I thought I would try the community here before I had to resort to that. Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[ScottyS]

Have you tried holding the power button down for at least 20 seconds, releasing and then press again.

 

[katieflakes]

Have you tried holding the power button down for at least 20 seconds, releasing and then press again.

I have, yes. Same result.

 

[sharpuser]

@katieflakes ,

Connect power without the keyboard attached. Try a cold boot again. If that does not work ...

Try blowing into the keyboard connection port to try and clean it. I have helped two or three people which had metal shavings or debris collect in that area. Material attracted by the magnets can cause a short between connections, causing the PC to reject something in the boot up process.

One person I helped had their Surface on the sofa before it failed, perhaps similar to your case. Lots of stuff gets collected there.

Let us know.

- - -
If you still have problems, can you go to a Microsoft Store?

 

[katieflakes]

Tried plugging the Surface Pro 3 into the power without the keyboard and pressing the power button. No joy. The magnet area and metal pins that the keyboard connects to also looks fine, cleaned it anyway without any change.

I do have access to a Microsoft Store, I'm getting the feeling that this won't be solved unless I have some advanced Microsoft tool to plug into the machine. =\

 

[sharpuser]

... I'm getting the feeling that this won't be solved unless I have some advanced Microsoft tool to plug into the machine. =\

Many on this forum are advanced Microsoft tools.

 

[GreyFox7]

30 seconds... hold the power button for thirty seconds. ignore anything the screen does.

If that doesn't work try the Two Button Shutdown (4 steps)
Step 1:Press and hold the power button on your Surface for 30 seconds.
Step 2:Press and hold the volume-up button and the power button on your Surface at the same time for at least 15 seconds, and then release both.
The screen may flash the Surface logo, but continue holding the buttons down for at least 15 seconds.
Step 3:After you release the buttons, wait 10 seconds.
Step 4:Press and release the power button on your Surface to turn it back on.

 

[sharpuser]

One more thing:

While holding in the power button, connect power. Jump-starts a circuit. Worth a try.

 

[GreyFox7]

Many on this forum are advanced Microsoft tools.

You rang

 

[sharpuser]

As @GreyFox7 says, a 30-second Power press is necessary to properly cold-boot.

 

[katieflakes]

30 seconds... hold the power button for thirty seconds. ignore anything the screen does.

If that doesn't work try the Two Button Shutdown (4 steps)
Step 1:Press and hold the power button on your Surface for 30 seconds.
Step 2:Press and hold the volume-up button and the power button on your Surface at the same time for at least 15 seconds, and then release both.
The screen may flash the Surface logo, but continue holding the buttons down for at least 15 seconds.
Step 3:After you release the buttons, wait 10 seconds.
Step 4:Press and release the power button on your Surface to turn it back on.

Just tried this. Nothing happened. I guess it should be noted that nothing at all changes on the screen at any point during any attempt. Only once did the screen ever turn on since any of this occurred and it was, I think, a fluke.

One more thing:

While holding in the power button, connect power. Jump-starts a circuit. Worth a try.

Tried this as well, same results.

 

[sharpuser]

Rapidly press and release the power button. Delay various intervals. Press for various intervals.