Type Touch Covers Bricked from updates, firmware

[reptilian]

BIG PROBLEM across all Surfaces. In my recent months of troubleshooting, I've found many others recently having this same issue. It seems to apply to Surface Pro 1/2/3/4 and possibly the latest models.
This link is just one example of the complaints:
Surface Pro 4 Jul 2017 Update - Type Cover not working

My efforts copy/pasted below.

Add Surface Pro 2 Type/Touch Covers to the list:

Same issue here. Worked fine for 2 years, then noticed on my Surface Pro 2 around April 2018 off and on, then by May 2018 my Touch Cover 2 was completely bricked. After trying all kinds of remedies, I bought a "new" Type Cover 2, same issue. Cleaned the connector pins on Surface, did all the steps and realized that it's a Firmware issue. Somewhere along the way, these updates made either the Surface Pro (2/3/4) firmware and/or the Type/Touch Cover firmware incompatible. It's almost as if something in the Surface BIOS is telling the pins not to send power to the Covers (no LEDs, no Caps lock, nothing). My type and touch covers are not recognized in the UEFI. I'm finding HUNDREDS maybe thousands of others having this issue, especially recently.

I've wasted around 1 week of my life trying to fix this, even looking at new computers to buy. And I'm an experienced MS tech! Why can't MS release a new firmware update or downgrade to fix all of the Surfaces and covers?

I called MS support today, and their solution was to bring it to an MS store (3 hours drive), where they MIGHT give me a discount on a newer system. My system was perfectly fine before these updates this year, I shouldn't be forced to buy a new computer because of MS's firmware mistake. 20+ years MS user and tech supporter, this is ridiculous. If this is their quiet way of pushing users to buy new hardware, that would be a new low for any company. MS needs to realize that no keyboard/mouse on any Surface basically BRICKS it, and defeats the purpose of the once amazing device. I spent about 10 hours today researching all of the ways to try to fix this. This is my post before I try resetting/refreshing/clean install tomorrow - which I'm afraid may not fix it due to all the other stories I've read. I'm glad I don't have to explain this to a client if it were an enterprise computer! Good luck to all with this issue. MS, you can do so much better, easily. It's got to be something with the USB internals and of course the firmware all need to play nice together (and have a way to restore older firmware for issues like this).

 

[Plantje]

That's a pretty nasty issue! Please let us know if resetting the device worked.
In the Netherlands two years would mean : just out of warranty

 

[Plantje]

That seems like spam to me

 

[Spider]

That seems like spam to me

And that's why it's GONE.

Thanks for reporting it.

 

[Plantje]

Pity though, I was hoping for an actual reply

 

[reptilian]

What about that looks like spam? I'm still in the middle of wiping the device about 3 different ways, and can't type on the freaking thing.
No, resetting the device did not work (yet). It did give me some hope as it downloaded a firmware update it did not have before. But it's still not working with the type cover. I had to get on from my phone just to reply here.
I'd appreciate it if you un-report that.

 

[jnjroach]

What about that looks like spam? I'm still in the middle of wiping the device about 3 different ways, and can't type on the freaking thing.
No, resetting the device did not work (yet). It did give me some hope as it downloaded a firmware update it did not have before. But it's still not working with the type cover. I had to get on from my phone just to reply here.
I'd appreciate it if you un-report that.

There was a deleted post pointing to a 3rd Party Click and Hold Hostage Support site...they are not talking about your post.

Have your tried another cover? I have had 2 or 3 type covers stop working over the course of the last 6 years.

 

[reptilian]

Oh ok, that makes more sense.
Yeah, the first thing I did was buy a second Type cover 2. I did find it used on Amazon, but I highly doubt both covers are bad. It's in great condition and exhibits the same behavior as my Touch Cover 2 (Surface Pro 2 detects it, device manager shows HID device instead of Surface Type Cover Filter driver, and no LEDs, caps lock, etc). If you search "surface type cover filter device missing", you will see all the people with the same isssue. Unresolved by MS for 4 years in some cases.

 

[jnjroach]

Oh ok, that makes more sense.
Yeah, the first thing I did was buy a second Type cover 2. I did find it used on Amazon, but I highly doubt both covers are bad. It's in great condition and exhibits the same behavior as my Touch Cover 2 (Surface Pro 2 detects it, device manager shows HID device instead of Surface Type Cover Filter driver, and no LEDs, caps lock, etc). If you search "surface type cover filter device missing", you will see all the people with the same isssue. Unresolved by MS for 4 years in some cases.

In Device Manager, what happens if you say show hidden devices? Also back when I had a SP2 years ago when this would happen we would do the 30-15-30-15 Trick (Volume Rocker Up and Power Button for 30 Seconds - Power Button for 15 - Volume Rocker Up and Power Button 30 - Power Button 15). But that was Windows 8.1, I never ran Windows 10 on the SP2.

 

[reptilian]

I've done the 30-15-30-15 so many times, it doesn't fix it. I can tell it resets the UEFI or something, but since this is a firmware issue, nothing changes.
Before I wiped it clean, the Surface Type Cover Filter would show in hidden devices, as in, it USED to be there. Now, since restoring 8.1 and also 10 several times, there is no Filter driver anywhere, which makes sense that it hasn't detected it properly since whatever firmware killed the port. It only detects as HID device and some of the various Surface Accessory and Telemetry devices are there.
I just read the End Of Life on Surface Pro 2 was April, 2018. Just when the problems started. I guess that answers the question about waiting for a new firmware update.

 

[jnjroach]

I've done the 30-15-30-15 so many times, it doesn't fix it. I can tell it resets the UEFI or something, but since this is a firmware issue, nothing changes.
Before I wiped it clean, the Surface Type Cover Filter would show in hidden devices, as in, it USED to be there. Now, since restoring 8.1 and also 10 several times, there is no Filter driver anywhere, which makes sense that it hasn't detected it properly since whatever firmware killed the port. It only detects as HID device and some of the various Surface Accessory and Telemetry devices are there.
I just read the End Of Life on Surface Pro 2 was April, 2018. Just when the problems started. I guess that answers the question about waiting for a new firmware update.

I would use the Surface Twitter handle and call them out...

 

[reptilian]

I'm one step away from doing that. But wouldn't they just shrug their shoulders and say, well, it's past end of life?
I've never dealt with this kind of thing on hardware, but that's because I always built my computers before. Now, they control the hardware and the software. :/ And they don't list the EOL dates of any Surface products anymore, which is kinda sketchy.