Ok now I'm complaining

[ynohtna]

I've been biting my tongue the past year a bit with Windows 8 and Lenovo Helix cause I could never fully understand if the stability problems I was having was software or hardware or both.

I'm on the 5th work day with my SP3, with all windows updates including the latest firmware one and I ended up doing a system refresh today. I was having a ton of trouble today with BT keyboard dropping, my mouse cursor disappearing (it's there, just invisible, unless you hover over something that changes the mouse icon to something like the expand window size icon)

So I'm fed up, refreshed it, back up and running, ok now it has 42 updates to install. INCLUDING the 20140819 Firmware again? wtf? Anyways whatever, check them all, says I have to reboot to process all that, sure no problem. It's going through all the updates, fan is blaring and then near the end, the machine shuts down!! Saw a thermometer logo splash on for a bit.

Did it get overheated?? haha come on, just with installing updates? I am docked to the sp3 dock, better hope that's not causing me extra heat! Anyways, still the thought of overheating while installing windows updates? For real?

I press the power button a few mins later and it seems to pick up where it left off. I see in the history, the firmware is still pending to be installed on a reboot. Gonna do it once i finish this post. Hope I come back online

 

[ynohtna]

I'm back, everything says up to date now... Rebooted a couple times. Invisible mouse icon again!!

I did a bunch of stuff like put on the keyboard, open the dock, close the dock and it came back luckily this time but what's the deal? I'm using a logitech mouse with unifying receiver. Never had this issue with my lenovo helix with windows 8/8.1

 

[FlySwatter]

Actually, I'm pretty sure I recall that indeed the docking station was causing overheating problems during the last massive security patch updates, and removing the SP3 from the docking station resolved it. I know; it's crazy. Sorry dude. Undock, and try again.

 

[jnjroach]

Can you give us more information on what the make and type of Bluetooth Devices you are using. One thing I've seen is older Bluetooth Technology (v. 2.5 or earlier) struggle with Windows 8.x's Bluetooth Stack, v. 3 can be hit or miss.

 

[scfoster]

How about a brand new Logitech K800?

I too am getting tired of the quirky issues with the SP3 and the dock. "Upgraded" to the i7 from the i5 to see if it got better. Still have the external monitor screen flicker issue (worse with the SP3 dock). Now I have to contend with the mouse and keyboard dropping, along with buggy USB3 external drive access problems.
Seriously considering returning everything to MS store tomorrow and being done with it.

 

[ynohtna]

Can you give us more information on what the make and type of Bluetooth Devices you are using. One thing I've seen is older Bluetooth Technology (v. 2.5 or earlier) struggle with Windows 8.x's Bluetooth Stack, v. 3 can be hit or miss.

Yea, the keyboard is a Logitech diNovo... beautiful hardware. I love it. Keys are worn off but it's ok, I still have another one lying around

 

[ynohtna]

How about a brand new Logitech K800?

I too am getting tired of the quirky issues with the SP3 and the dock. "Upgraded" to the i7 from the i5 to see if it got better. Still have the external monitor screen flicker issue (worse with the SP3 dock). Now I have to contend with the mouse and keyboard dropping, along with buggy USB3 external drive access problems.
Seriously considering returning everything to MS store tomorrow and being done with it.

This SP3 purchase was really for proving whether or not it was ME, or the Lenovo Helix, or Windows 8/8.1 ;D

As of 5 days, it's mostly a mix of the Lenovo Helix and Windows 8.1 I think.
I don't have ext display flicker (DP 1.2 daisy chain to 2x Dell U2413) So I'm loving this set up compared to what I had before, mixed DP1.1 and Displaylink.
Buggy USB3 external drive access is the same as with my Helix (I haven't done the uid/pid hack thing yet)

Part of it is me I guess cause maybe I'm using it too much? I find this hard to believe. Over the past years, if I was using it "too much" I get the next best computer and it'll run everything great until I need more again Today, I'm in the mindset that the computers now should be so powerful, that my day to day office needs should be easily met.

Like today, we all do video conf calls. One of the tools is Bluejeans over the browser. This DESTROYS the SP3 cpu. Topping at 100% pretty much all the time if you have video on. Minimize the browser window and use just voice, it's reasonable again. The SP3 handled it better than my Helix though as that one would hang if I had video conf going and was trying to follow a google document as well.

A Jabber client we also use is not as intensive as the browser way though. SP3 handles it better than the Helix by a lot.

Annoying things happen with this SP3 and dock. I walk away for some minutes. Displays turn off. Sure that's power saving. Move/click mouse/tap screen, it wakes up, but NOT the external displays! The dock is fine because my mouse wireless receiver is plugged into that. Happens 75% of the time.

It seems when I hibernate, or walk away long enough, the screens wake fine.

The fix is just to open the dock wait a bit and then close the dock again. It's simple fix but it's really stupid that I have to do this.

I run Hyper-V too, I love my little sub windows xp box. But again, I don't feel this should be too taxing for computers today and generally it hasn't been for the SP3.

While it's tempting to throw everything back at them within my 30day return period, it's still been more enjoyable than my Lenovo Helix. It pisses me off less (better size screen, fan noise is much better (hush sound rather than a whine) So far doesn't get as hot, but my Helix never shut me down for heat before either

Sorry for the vent. I was hoping for better. Please tell me if I'm just doing it wrong

 

[GreyFox7]

I don't know if this will help you or not, it worked for me but that's not a conclusive test. When I did the last refresh instead of pushing things through I just took my time and let it download updates in the background, didn't start immediately installing them or apps but waited until all, the updates were done. I did this because Id herd other people having the temp issue installing updates and it happened to me the first time I did a refresh. After the first refresh I had the issue your talking about and then some. After the last refresh, no issues at all everything is working good. FWIW. Good luck.

I am almost convinced that if you get the temp issue and shutdown installing updates, they didn't go in cleanly and you may as well refresh and start over.

 

[GreyFox7]

You can set ProcThrottleMax to 74 or below which will keep the CPU temp in the safe zone but if the 8/19 firmware went in cleanly that shouldn't be necessary and in fact ProcThrotttleMax with the 8/19 FW doesn't appear to do anything. but in case its not it will protect you from over heat.

To set ProcThrottleMax run the following commands in an Admin Command Prompt. this only changes it for being plugged in so don't do your updates on battery.

Powercfg /setacvalueindex SCHEME_CURRENT SUB_PROCESSOR PROCTHROTTLEMAX 74

powercfg /setactive SCHEME_CURRENT

Check Values :
powercfg /query SCHEME_CURRENT

Scroll up and look for:
Power Setting GUID: bc5038f7-23e0-4960-96da-33abaf5935ec (Maximum processor state)
GUID Alias: PROCTHROTTLEMAX
Minimum Possible Setting: 0x00000000
Maximum Possible Setting: 0x00000064
Possible Settings increment: 0x00000001
Possible Settings units: %
Current AC Power Setting Index: 0x0000004a <<<<<<<<<<
Current DC Power Setting Index: 0x00000064

 

[jnjroach]

How about a brand new Logitech K800?

I too am getting tired of the quirky issues with the SP3 and the dock. "Upgraded" to the i7 from the i5 to see if it got better. Still have the external monitor screen flicker issue (worse with the SP3 dock). Now I have to contend with the mouse and keyboard dropping, along with buggy USB3 external drive access problems.
Seriously considering returning everything to MS store tomorrow and being done with it.

Odd....that particular keyboard uses a dongle and not Bluetooth, all of my Logitech Unifying Hardware works well on Windows 8.x and SP3....

For Bluetooth, I;m using the Wedge Keyboard and Mouse without issue while connected to 5GHz Wireless and 2.4GHz Miracast....

 

[ynohtna]

I am almost convinced that if you get the temp issue and shutdown installing updates, they didn't go in cleanly and you may as well refresh and start over.

Ok, I better do another refresh now than forcing myself to do again next week! I'm assuming you set automatic updates and let it do it's thing?

 

[ynohtna]

lol system shut down during system restore. Had to re-do the system restore cause not confident it did it properly. Now finally after 3rd try, this is my first real system restore without it shutting down early, lucky I had an extra fridge that was empty I could put it into!

Automatic Updating seems to be taking it's sweet time kicking in!