The title kind of says it all. Sometimes the machine switches on just fine. Other times there's a delay and when I touch the screen to type my pin it goes off again. From time to time I get nothing and have to hold down the volume key with the power button for ages to get it to come to life. I'm guessing this isn't normal? I'm on a 4200 that never got the dodgy firmware so it "should" be ok in that respect... any clues peeps?
Tricky getting my SP2 to turn on sometimes
- Thread starter Sihaz
- Start date
MickeyLittle
Active Member
This doesn't sound good at all. I am a big fan of doing the Refresh option which is kind of a pain but nowhere near as bad as a total system reset. If you do a Refresh it will ask for you to put in your account info again and you'll have to re-install all apps that are not from the Store but it does give you a folder of those apps on your desktop so you'll know exactly what is missing.
I would sure try this unless you can do an easy exchange at say a Best Buy or your local Microsoft Store. Especially if you're interested in getting the 4300 unit...
I forgot to mention that if you do a refresh you should go ahead and delete the extra files that it will create by doing the following: When you refresh your Surface via PC settings, a folder called Windows.old is created in your C: Drive. This can be a huge folder in size as it contains previous files. You can delete this folder and reclaim some storage space as follows: Search for "Tools" and click on "Administrative Tools" in the Setting results. Next click on Disk Clean-up and after loading click on Clean Up System Files. Make sure Windows.old is checked and click ok.
I would sure try this unless you can do an easy exchange at say a Best Buy or your local Microsoft Store. Especially if you're interested in getting the 4300 unit...
I forgot to mention that if you do a refresh you should go ahead and delete the extra files that it will create by doing the following: When you refresh your Surface via PC settings, a folder called Windows.old is created in your C: Drive. This can be a huge folder in size as it contains previous files. You can delete this folder and reclaim some storage space as follows: Search for "Tools" and click on "Administrative Tools" in the Setting results. Next click on Disk Clean-up and after loading click on Clean Up System Files. Make sure Windows.old is checked and click ok.
Last edited:
macmee
Active Member
This is a fairly common problem that has been around since the Surface Pro 1 came out, and also occurs on the Surface Pro 2, discussion here. Discussion on the Microsoft Forum about this issue here. Your device is BSODing, we victims of this problem call it the "black screen of death".
The best intermediate solution is to configure your device to hibernate instead of sleep. You can do this by clicking on the power icon in the start bar > configure power options > on the left select "choose what happens when pushing power button / closing the lid" > choose hibernate for both power button and lid.
You can also configure your device to automatically hibernate instead of sleep when idle by hitting "advanced power settings" and expanding "sleep" then changing the sleep time to be longer than the hibernate time.
Reply back if you need more help fixing the power options, I'll post a video.
The best intermediate solution is to configure your device to hibernate instead of sleep. You can do this by clicking on the power icon in the start bar > configure power options > on the left select "choose what happens when pushing power button / closing the lid" > choose hibernate for both power button and lid.
You can also configure your device to automatically hibernate instead of sleep when idle by hitting "advanced power settings" and expanding "sleep" then changing the sleep time to be longer than the hibernate time.
Reply back if you need more help fixing the power options, I'll post a video.
macmee
Active Member
IIRC doing this procedure simply reflashes drivers and perhaps restores several settings. I have done this in the past too and it has not made this issue go away for me. The only true solution I have found is configuring the device to hibernate.
skellington
Member
I have a SP1 and have documented the issues I've run it. There might be something in my link that helps you. Good luck.
http://www.surfaceforums.net/forum/microsoft-surface-pro/7905-surface-pro-common-bugs-solutions.html
http://www.surfaceforums.net/forum/microsoft-surface-pro/7905-surface-pro-common-bugs-solutions.html
benjitek
Active Member
Lots has been typed about this already: http://www.surfaceforums.net/forum/search.php?searchid=512295
macmee
Active Member
Microsoft has little care for its consumers.
CreativeLemming
Active Member
...referring to your signature:
1. Microsoft issues many many updates. You probably haven't noticed many of the very important issues that they have fixed.
2. I'm sure they will eventually, they are aware of issues and have customers from enterprise down to the likes of you and me. Sure they probably make the wrong call sometimes, but let's not over generalise.
3. I received my exchange in less than 48 hours from filling in the online for, so I must disagree.
4. I agree. If you don't want a PC then get an ipad.
We all know you're not a happy chappy but to broadcast your distaste in every post you make by way of a signature is biased and not too helpful.
I do appreciate that we're entitled to express our own opinion, and I respect yours but thought I'd put my positive view on things
1. Microsoft issues many many updates. You probably haven't noticed many of the very important issues that they have fixed.
2. I'm sure they will eventually, they are aware of issues and have customers from enterprise down to the likes of you and me. Sure they probably make the wrong call sometimes, but let's not over generalise.
3. I received my exchange in less than 48 hours from filling in the online for, so I must disagree.
4. I agree. If you don't want a PC then get an ipad.
We all know you're not a happy chappy but to broadcast your distaste in every post you make by way of a signature is biased and not too helpful.
I do appreciate that we're entitled to express our own opinion, and I respect yours but thought I'd put my positive view on things
macmee
Active Member
...referring to your signature:
1. Microsoft issues many many updates. You probably haven't noticed many of the very important issues that they have fixed.
2. I'm sure they will eventually, they are aware of issues and have customers from enterprise down to the likes of you and me. Sure they probably make the wrong call sometimes, but let's not over generalise.
3. I received my exchange in less than 48 hours from filling in the online for, so I must disagree.
4. I agree. If you don't want a PC then get an ipad.
We all know you're not a happy chappy but to broadcast your distaste in every post you make by way of a signature is biased and not too helpful.
I do appreciate that we're entitled to express our own opinion, and I respect yours but thought I'd put my positive view on things
1. If your Surface works fine, you should not update it, especially when you don't know what you'll end up with after the update. If more people disabled automatic updates prior to December, less people would have had a $1500 rock.
2. Considering they have yet to fix the DPI problem with many win32 applications where high resolution screens have been around since XP and Vista, no I don't think they will fix the minor problems. They are not putting forward enough resources to have time to fix these problems.
3. I received mine after 2 weeks. This is yet another organizational problem within Microsoft. If your profit is in the billions and you sell a device for $1500, waiting 2 weeks for an exchange is completely unacceptable.
4. For those who do not need the advanced capabilities that an x86 Windows 8 machine brings to the table, then the iPad is a viable alternative. Apple's success with the iPad justifies this stance better than anyone can justify it themselves.
It isn't a secret that there are mainstream bugs in this product, and my signature draws light to these problems. Potential buyers may find these my experiences useful. If you want to partake in a forum that over-glorifies a product to the point of stupidity try your luck over at Mac Rumors. I will make comments about how awesome the good things are (kickstand, stylus is fantastic, etc), but I'm not going to sugar coat the negative aspects of this product. It is ridiculous how many issues exist regarding this product, and new buyers deserve to know that.
skellington
Member
My SP1 has more problems/bugs than any mac/pc I've owned. Macbooks aren't perfect (nor is Mavericks) but the number of long standing issues on the SP is sad. SP fans should be shouting for MS to fix these problems instead of trying to downplay them. The hardware is great it's just software bugs hurting the platform.
I like macs and pcs, but when apple has bugs we let them know it. Mac people get PISSED when macs don't work right, windows people just laugh uncomfortably and bare it. When people debate the merits of mac it's usually about price or design choices they make, not things like the computer can't sleep without crashing!
People here get pissed if you mention a bug because they are "tired of hearing about it." That is a sad comment that the bugs are so often talked about that people actually don't want to hear it anymore. I might take more abuse for this, but I want to help fix/diagnose the problems rather than ignoring them. Some of these problems seem to have been around for more than a year! When is MS going to fix them, in 2015?!
I like macs and pcs, but when apple has bugs we let them know it. Mac people get PISSED when macs don't work right, windows people just laugh uncomfortably and bare it. When people debate the merits of mac it's usually about price or design choices they make, not things like the computer can't sleep without crashing!
People here get pissed if you mention a bug because they are "tired of hearing about it." That is a sad comment that the bugs are so often talked about that people actually don't want to hear it anymore. I might take more abuse for this, but I want to help fix/diagnose the problems rather than ignoring them. Some of these problems seem to have been around for more than a year! When is MS going to fix them, in 2015?!
Last edited:
benjitek
Active Member
...?
Similar threads
