"Autorotate On" message

[motocoder]

I have the SB i7/16/512. I notice periodically, seemingly at random, I get this message that says "Autorotate On" that pops up in the upper left hand corner of the display. This is occurring when docked to the keyboard. After this, I can confirm that Autorotate is indeed on, as when I rotate the device (even with the keyboard attached) the screen will change orientation. If I undock and redock, autorotate goes back off for some time, but will eventually come back.

So it seems there is either a software or a hardware bug, and whatever software controls autorotation is erroneously thinking that the keyboard is detached.

Is anyone else seeing this problem? I searched for, but didn't see any posts on it. If it's a hardware issue specific to my SB, I want to go ahead and return it while I still can.

 

[bamaster]

happens to me too. same config. no solution.

 

[motocoder]

happens to me too. same config. no solution.

Ok, thanks for confirming it's not unique to my machine. I saw one post from MS support recommending cleaning the keyboard/base contacts with isopropyl alcohol. However, I cleaned them with isopropyl, and also with some DeOxit products, but it made absolutely no difference at all.

 

[bamaster]

Under System > Display. there's an option to lock rotation. Try that.

 

[sharpuser]

Yep. Happens to me, too.
Seems Microsoft forgot to not show that message when the keyboard unit is attached. Yes, autorotate is indeed on, but I don't care, and it has no effect, until I detach.

 

[Seneleron]

I don't recall shaving it happen on THIS unit, but the last one I had, when the system was under load [handbrake] I'd start getting this randomly on and off.

 

[sharpuser]

It seems to pop up if at a particular window of time during booting the Surface Book, it is tilted. The rotation sensor must be alerting.

 

[motocoder]

Yep. Happens to me, too.
Seems Microsoft forgot to not show that message when the keyboard unit is attached. Yes, autorotate is indeed on, but I don't care, and it has no effect, until I detach.

No, I think you missed a point I made in my post. There *is* an effect, albeit a relatively benign one. Before it displays this message, you can rotate the SB 90 degrees and the screen orientation does not change. After the message if you do this, the screen will shift to portrait mode. So it's not just a message - it actually thinks the keyboard is detached and is enabling autorotation.

 

[sharpuser]

Not the same as the message I get, then.

 

[ABswl13]

I also have this problem and I've had three Surface Books. The newest hardware update fixed most of my unwarranted switching, but I still do have it. I think it's a software issue.

 

[Wayne Orwig]

Same for me.
The display will not rotate when attached to the keyboard, normally. But if the random 'autorotate on' message appears, it will rotate even when still attached to the keyboard.
Minor annoyance, but odd.

 

[motocoder]

I also have this problem and I've had three Surface Books. The newest hardware update fixed most of my unwarranted switching, but I still do have it. I think it's a software issue.

Thanks, this does seem to point to a software issue.