Surface Book with new Surface Dock issues still persist. Where is the firmware update?

[Telex]

I am trying to use the i7/dGPU Surface Book using the Surface Dock with two U32D970 Samsung monitors via mini-DP to DP. Only one works at a time. Why? Using DP 1.2 cables to mini-display on the dock. I can get each one to work, but not at the same time.

They said it specifically supports two 4K monitors in the presentation from Microsoft. I have recently seen other posts with the same exact issue, so I sincerely hope MS has a firmware fix for this as soon as possible?

It seems that ALL ports on the new Surface Dock working with the Surface Book are not working correctly. The Surface Book device itself is great, but the dock has been a nightmare to use. I also have an issue trying to use a simple Vantec external 5.1 sound card with the new dock. I REALLY hope they have a way to fix these types of issues soon. The Surface Dock is going to tarnish the great reputation of their flagship laptop otherwise.

 

[protip]

I suspect you are referring to my posts in the thread titled "4K monitor not working thru new dock." Indeed, I have not been able to get two 4K monitors to work simultaneously on the Surface Dock. I've tried everything I can imagine:

• Setting the monitors to 60 Hz on DisplayPort 1.2 (ideal)
  
• Setting the monitors to 30 Hz on DisplayPort 1.2 (not ideal)
• Setting the monitors to 30 Hz on DisplayPort 1.1 (not ideal)
• I ordered a bunch of DisplayPort cables to see if any would be slimline enough to fit into the mini-DP port on the Surface Book's base when the dock connector is also connected. The answer is no. I may go into a workshop and attempt to shave ~4mm off of the side of one of the cable's connectors, but that is taking this experiment to the extreme; and I'm not convinced it will actually solve the problem.

Here's the bottom line: I don't think the Surface Book currently supports two 4K monitors at the same time, despite what Microsoft said. I am cautiously a fan of Microsoft, so this is a bit disappointing. I do hope it's a software problem, but I worry that it's not.

I have to wonder if anyone at Microsoft has ever got two 4Ks hooked up to a Surface Book. Was this a priority during its engineering or not? It seems it must have been, because they mentioned it in the keynote; and it's in the specs. But was it ever tested?

An unanswered question is why position the base's mini-DP so close to the dock connector such that it is rendered unusable when docked? I think they expressly do not want you attempting to use that port when you have the dock attached. But if the dock doesn't support two 4K monitors, then what?

 

[Nuspieds]

I do not think that the issues are limited to 4K monitors.

Since the SP2, I implemented the daisy-chaining of DP 1.2 monitors (two 2560 x 1600 30" Dells). I eventually added a third via USB, but even with Windows 10, I do not know why I had to use USB instead of DP daisy-chaining (Windows just would not recognize the 3rd monitor).

Now that I have my SB, of course I was hoping such issues would disappear, but they did not. Instead, I have abandoned DP daisy-chaining and used both DP ports on the Surface Dock for both of my external monitors and still use a USB port for the 3rd monitor.

Truth be told that I have experienced all sorts of issues in all sorts of configurations but I think things seem to be more stable without DP daisy-chaining. Whatever the root cause is, it is just extremely disappointing to be experiencing such issues in this day and age.

 

[Telex]

Still waiting and waiting - USB issues galore on the new Surface Dock as well. When will it all end?

 

[leeshor]

Still waiting and waiting - USB issues galore on the new Surface Dock as well. When will it all end?

Sometime next week.

 

[Telex]

Sometime next week.

I sincerely hope you are correct. I love the 2-1 book. It's very impressive. I just want it to work and be successful. Last thing anyone wants to do is take back everything and try to find an alternative.

 

[Drewjo]

I do not think that the issues are limited to 4K monitors.

Since the SP2, I implemented the daisy-chaining of DP 1.2 monitors (two 2560 x 1600 30" Dells). I eventually added a third via USB, but even with Windows 10, I do not know why I had to use USB instead of DP daisy-chaining (Windows just would not recognize the 3rd monitor).

Now that I have my SB, of course I was hoping such issues would disappear, but they did not. Instead, I have abandoned DP daisy-chaining and used both DP ports on the Surface Dock for both of my external monitors and still use a USB port for the 3rd monitor.

Truth be told that I have experienced all sorts of issues in all sorts of configurations but I think things seem to be more stable without DP daisy-chaining. Whatever the root cause is, it is just extremely disappointing to be experiencing such issues in this day and age.

I have a Surface Book and the new Surface dock. The dock works fine for the one monitor connected via the HDMI connector, but I can never get the one connected via a DVI connector - even when it is the only one connected. The montor reports that it "Cannot Display This Video Mode". However, if I take the exact same cable and plug it into the Surface Book external video port it works just fine - just not when connected to the Surface Dock.

Any suggestions?

 

[Nuspieds]

I have a Surface Book and the new Surface dock. The dock works fine for the one monitor connected via the HDMI connector, but I can never get the one connected via a DVI connector - even when it is the only one connected. The montor reports that it "Cannot Display This Video Mode". However, if I take the exact same cable and plug it into the Surface Book external video port it works just fine - just not when connected to the Surface Dock.

Any suggestions?

I do not have faith in the Dock's monitor capabilities when using DP, so imagine my opinion when using DVI/HDMI/other adapters!

I, too, have experienced the totally-not-recognized monitor issue and, again, I'm using strictly DP! At other times, you can hear the audible sound that Windows recognizes a new device has been attached but still nothing on the external monitor. I've also encountered screen flickering where you can see Windows is "trying" to output to the monitor (i.e., screen flashes, partial-output, etc.) but ends up failing.

Even more frustrating is when I'd reboot and a monitor that was working fine is now blank and all the rebooting, unplugging and re-plugging in the world still does not bring it back to life! And, yes, plug that exact same monitor and cable elsewhere and they work, so the cable and monitor are working fine.

Here's another frustration I experience: I'll get back output on the monitor--remember, all my externals are 2560 x 1600--but the max resolution that Windows recognizes is anything but that and it has been as low as 1024 x 768!

I've had to go through far too many troubleshooting techniques to provide you any solid suggestions. However, the one thing I consistently end up doing as part of my troubleshooting is to do a hard reset. Mind you, I was on a chat session with an Answer Tech and he told me:

1. Press Power button for 30 seconds;
2. Press and hold Power button and Volume Down button for 15 seconds;
3. Press the Power Button one more time to turn on the SB.

So, in the angst of all my troubleshooting, I'll try all sorts of the above combinations because I'm so desperate to get output to the monitor again. Sometimes it has taken me hours upon hours upon hours to finally get the monitor working properly with my SB again. Thus, I clearly do not have any sure-shot recommendations on how to fix this annoyance.

Things have gotten so crazy for me lately that after yesterday's almost day-long troubleshooting, now I am back to using DP daisy-chaining. I just hope that with the recent firmware and hardware updates that at least one configuration can be reliable. Right now, I'm on pins and needles with my external monitor setup via the Dock.

 

[Telstar1948]

I have the i5/8/256/dGPU Surface Book and a 32" external monitor and the new dock. Using DP only. Haven't had any monitor problems with the dock - works equally well through the mDP port in the SB. Just goes to show that many have different experiences with the (mostly) same equipment. Haven't tried running HDMI monitor or dual monitors with the SB.

My SB problems seem to go with most; DD issues and the occasional BSOD, but those are infrequent. My SB does tend to weird-up some after it's been asleep for a while. Like it's aggravated the DD issue or something. Things sort of lock up trying to open a browser or anything having to do with opening another window or something. I've noticed similar behavior after removing and reinstalling the clipboard, not always but sometimes. When these things happen, I reboot and everything is hunky dory (for you non-southerners that means everything is wonderful).

 

[Kevin Cossaboon]

Not sure if my issues are Dock or Suface Book, but, these are a sample of what I see now, and then;

1. random if the closed SB screen will be on or not
2. I have the start button at the top, but I click it and the menu is at the bottom
3. Keyboard and Mouse on the USB work, but no monitor
4. Screen resolution/scaling changes, font will be what I set but icons are 3x in size, or font changes.
5. Ethernet may or may not appear
6. Last my favorite - white light is on, USB keyboard and mouse, monitor, and Ethernet are all known to the Surface Book, but it is running on battery and not charging!

I usually reboot the dock by unplugging it when it gets real wonkie.

With all that noted, I got a second one for the office as being able to dock the Surface Book in clipboard mode, use the main monitor for main applications, and the Surface screen to take handwritten note on OneNote, just Rocks!