Newsletter Archives

• Driver fix for Surface Pro 2017 hibernation seems to work – now, about that backlight bleed

  Posted on July 15, 2017 at 09:55 CDT by woody • Comment in the Forums

  It looks like the July 14 patch for the Surface Pro 2017 unexpected hibernation problem works.

  But there’s a large problem looming with backlight bleed.

  You’ve got to ask yourself one question: “Do I feel lucky?” Well, do ya?

  Computerworld Woody on Windows

  Microsoft News backlight bleed, narcolepsy, Surface Pro 2017

• New (2017) Surface Pro’s narcolepsy, battery, Bluetooth bull

  Posted on June 22, 2017 at 18:37 CDT by woody • Comment in the Forums

  The new Surface Pros are out and, like roses and puddles follow rain, complaints have come pouring in.

  If you’re a Bluetooth connoisseur, you may be distressed to find that your early Surface Pro — advertised to come with Bluetooth 4.1 — may, in fact, only have Bluetooth 4.0. The complaint on the Microsoft Answers forum from PBPB2222288888 says:

  Just brought I surface Pro 16GB, 512GB mem,
  The description on the website states Bluetooth 4.1, however the box for the surface states 4.0 and the HCI number for the Bluetooth module 6.33536 which also indicates to me that it is version 4.0.
  I have looked at stores that also sell the Surface and some say 4.0 and others say 4.1. I have also spoke to a number of Microsoft agents and technical people and I have had conflicting answers.

  Looks like the best advice at this point is that, if you want Bluetooth 4.1 and kinda figure you should’ve gotten 4.1 as advertised, you should return your Surface Pro and get a new one. Apparently all of the latest Surface Pros have 4.1.

  Maybe they should call it Surface Pro 2017.4.1? (I just hate hardware without readily accessible version numbers.)

  Then there are complaints about the Surface Pro 2017 narcolepsy. Posting on Reddit, srkhannnn says:

  Just picked up the Surface Pro I5 Friday.

  At random intervals the screen goes black and the device seems to power off while I am actively using it (typing). Pressing the power button presents the black and white windows logo and a few seconds later a login screen with the desktop in the exact setup before the shutdown.

  Similar symptoms from Pro (mid 2017) owners are described in that Reddit thread, and from this thread on the Microsoft Answers forum. beccas05 says:

  For some reason my new Surface is shutting off randomly. I check the setting and a few other things but it’s still randomly turns off without warning. I’m losing some of my school work because of it. Is anyone else having this problem?

  The one stellar bull flinging that still has me laughing: Microsoft says you may need to replace the Surface Pro 2017’s battery at some point. The box, no less, says:

  Battery has limited recharge cycles and may eventually need to be replaced by an authorized service provider.

  Unless the MS authorized service provider has telekinetic powers, that seems unlikely — although it may well “eventually need to be replaced.” As PKCano said earlier this week:

  It would seem Microsoft has created a $1000.00 (minimum) disposable laptop

  Surface Pros have been plagued from the beginning — going all the way back — with bad hardware or, at the very least, bad firmware and drivers. I have no idea why anybody would pay real money for one. The fact that it’s a billion dollar business reminds me of PT Barnum’s admonition – but I guess there’s more than one born every minute.

  Triumph of hope over experience, I s’pose.

  Microsoft News narcolepsy, Surface Pro 2017