(resolved) SP3 won't turn on - charging LED is lit, and blinks once only

[azibux1]

Hi all,

As above... A really annoying issue where my Surface Pro 3 was working perfect throughout the day. Went home, plugged it all in again and was still working perfectly. - Must have been charging fine at this point as it wouldn't have lasted as long as I was using it on battery alone.

I put it to sleep and then shortly after (about 5 minutes after putting it to sleep and unplugging it from charge) went to start it up and I think I possibly saw the lock screen for a second (can't say for sure) then I have nothing since... It won't start. No Surface logo. Nothing.

I have left it on charge all night (the LED is lit)... Still nothing. Tried putting it into an official dock (albeit only for a few minutes), still won't start... I have left it charging in this dock for now although I don't think it will fix it since it was charging all night according to the LED when using the regular power brick.

Things to note:
- I have tried the various button press combinations for 30 seconds etc on the Microsoft help pages. Still nothing.
- When I try to start it, approximately 5 seconds after pressing the power button, the LED will blink off then back on again just once (it then stays lit again)
- Earlier in the day I was using the USB connection on the charger to charge my phone (don't do this often) and charging my surface at the same time and it was VERY hot, almost too hot to hold the power brick

Any advice anyone please? Tried to contact Microsoft but obviously no answer on the live chat on a Sunday.

Hope someone can help!

Thanks

 

[ScottyS]

...
- I have tried the various button press combinations for 30 seconds etc on the Microsoft help pages. Still nothing.
...

Have you tired just holding the power button alone down for 30 seconds?

 

[azibux1]

Have you tired just holding the power button alone down for 30 seconds?

Yeah just tried it again now to be sure, with power cable plugged in and also without

Still nothing. Very strange.

The single blink of the power LED I mentioned happens 3 times during the 30 sec hold down of the power button

Had left it in the official dock I mentioned for around 15 minutes, still wouldn't start

I'm thinking it isn't charge related (as it was plugged in charging and working fine)... Seems to be 'frozen' in a sleep state... Which is annoying, as the battery will also take ages to run out like that (plus the 30 sec hold down of power button should simulate a battery pull? Or the power + vol up which I've also tried)

 

[ScottyS]

The holding the power button down for > 15 seconds forces a shut down like pulling the plug on a desktop computer. It works to restart when it is stuck "frozen in a sleep state" as you say.

The 2-button reboot procedure is to press and hold the volume up button for at least 15 seconds, then press power button while still holding the volume up, and then release the volume up and it will start.

If that does nothing, then the next thing I would try is to see if it will boot to a USB recovery drive, but that requires that you made or can make one from another computer.

It seems there should be a charge in your battery (unless your charger is bad), but if not I had a new SP3 once that came with the battery dead; not even enough juice to show the red dead battery sign even while plugged into the charger. I had to charger it up about 20 minutes before it would start.

Perhaps one of the moderators will weigh in with some suggestions, but otherwise I think you need to take it back to where you got it.

 

[azibux1]

The holding the power button down for > 15 seconds forces a shut down like pulling the plug on a desktop computer. It works to restart when it is stuck "frozen in a sleep state" as you say.

The 2-button reboot procedure is to press and hold the volume up button for at least 15 seconds, then press power button while still holding the volume up, and then release the volume up and it will start.

If that does nothing, then the next thing I would try is to see if it will boot to a USB recovery drive, but that requires that you made or can make one from another computer.

It seems there should be a charge in your battery (unless your charger is bad), but if not I had a new SP3 once that came with the battery dead; not even enough juice to show the red dead battery sign even while plugged into the charger. I had to charger it up about 20 minutes before it would start.

Perhaps one of the moderators will weigh in with some suggestions, but otherwise I think you need to take it back to where you got it.

Thanks I have just tried those again in case I was going wrong somewhere. The one I found I think was different about the volume up, but I've tried both versions with no luck

Shouldn't be charge related as it has been on charge all night. And fairly sure the charger is fine as I used a complete different set of cables when testing with the official dock and even that didn't work (the charging light on that also comes on when I dock it)

I will try USB recovery drive procedure, but all I have (at the moment) is a Win 7 PC to make a recovery drive from, I guess it will need to be Win 10 if I have that on the Surface?

Was bought direct from Microsoft so will chat to them tomorrow (as it is Sunday in the UK)

 

[BaselTom]

Has the OP resolved the problem? I am currently experiencing this problem with my SP3 i5 256 and looking for a solution.

 

[azibux1]

Sorry forgot to update

Unfortunately had to exchange it which turned into a lengthy process (got a cracked screen in transit or at service centre despite being vastly padded in a huge box)... All only just got sorted the other day

Should obviously be a quicker process for you