It reappeared yesterday so I installed it since I have nothing to lose. Best as I can tell it is the exact same one they pulled because it sucked. My theory is they re-released this crappy version anyway since without out it there is no power cover support (now shipping). Its only been 12 hours but for me it crashes a little less frequently but I now have the highly annoying WiFi limited connection bug that others are reporting. Only way to fix it is to reboot. I don't know which I despise more - this firmware release or the last one. If you don't have a power cover you have the freedom of picking your poison.
March Firmware Update is......back!
- Thread starter clemgrad85
- Start date
OP
clemgrad85
Member
Yup, the March FW update reappeared on my update page this AM. Since I didn't install the Feb FW update, and I have no plans on getting the Power Cover, I will not be installing the March FW update, why risk it? I do hope MS will get their act together on these FW updates though. I know some are not having any issues after the install, but certainly appears that some people are and I'm just not interested in rolling the dice when all is going well....so far (fingers crossed).
netplumbers
New Member
Didn't show up (had the Feb update installed and checked for updates this afternoon) for me but I noticed that the driver pack has been updated and I was able to update using it and the powershell script to insert the updates.
javispedro
Member
I installed the march FW back the day it was released and I didn't experience more problems than usual. Note however that I keep my Windows partition mostly clean -- I've only installed a few games.
What a mixed bag this FW update business has been for SP2 owners. Just checked my own SP2 history. Apparently I received the March FW and installed it Mar 12.
Can't say I've experienced further damage, nor has anything improved substantially. Well the Intel config thing is OK, but hasn't added or subtracted as far as it goes.
Same old problems persist at least intermittently. WiFi is still unstable, comes and goes, I frequently have to reconnect. BT still menaces 2.4GHz channels. The CPU continues to spin out of control, but only sometimes, when cold booting with mSD card in slot, and occasionally just because it feels like it (I suppose that's why).
Lately I've noticed the Type Cover 2 goes crazy, sending upper case characters and won't get out of that mode, or I get a thousand 's' characters for no reason. Sometimes it doesn't do anything, no keyboard at all, but will work if I restart the computer. Could be the keyboard, or maybe an effect of the March FW. Can't say, I really just don't know.
Can't say I've experienced further damage, nor has anything improved substantially. Well the Intel config thing is OK, but hasn't added or subtracted as far as it goes.
Same old problems persist at least intermittently. WiFi is still unstable, comes and goes, I frequently have to reconnect. BT still menaces 2.4GHz channels. The CPU continues to spin out of control, but only sometimes, when cold booting with mSD card in slot, and occasionally just because it feels like it (I suppose that's why).
Lately I've noticed the Type Cover 2 goes crazy, sending upper case characters and won't get out of that mode, or I get a thousand 's' characters for no reason. Sometimes it doesn't do anything, no keyboard at all, but will work if I restart the computer. Could be the keyboard, or maybe an effect of the March FW. Can't say, I really just don't know.
I've had relatively good luck with updates and my surface overall. Yeah, it does the flaky CPU rev with the SD card in, which is lame, but really my only beef with the surface, and the slow 2.4ghz WiFi. However, now my surface says it has the firmware update to install, I say OK install, it goes to the blue installing updates screen, restarts and never installs the firmware. Yet it keeps telling me that I have an update to install, which is the firmware update. I've tried at least 6 times, just tried again today. Done trying, stupid thing, I don't want to break it and have to trade it in for a refurb. Overall still a pretty remarkable device, I mean if it were so easy to make one of these, wouldn't the competition be rolling them out left and right? What is there, that Dell with the super low voltage Y processor and a max of 4GB of ram?
In my case this is what Windows Update says:
System Firmware Update - 3/11/2014
Installation date: 2014-03-12 11:19
Installation status: Succeeded
Update type: Important
These updates are released by PC manufacturers to help improve the stability and performance of PC hardware.
And Windows seems pretty sure here, especially the part about helping "improve the stability" of the PC. There are still a few issues in that department.
