back to article Microsoft Surface Pro 4 owners: So, about that other broken update…

Unhappy Surface Pro 4 owners continue to fill Microsoft's support forums with complaints over an update that is leaving the touchscreen untouchable. We first noted problems back in August after readers got in touch to complain about their beloved devices becoming little more than slightly broken laptops after the update. The …

  1. Sil

    Lucky me, I'm not affected (basic SP4 m3)

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Mine is fine

      Pro 4 i5 not affected.

      1. Hans 1
        Joke

        Re: Mine is fine

        @Sil @AC

        Don't worry, you were left out due to a bug in the last update, next update will "upgrade" your models as well to the new experience!

        You guyz are techies, I assume, do you seriously run Windows Update on those ? Better be sure your box is immune b4 you install ... you check model numbers or something ? Hat's off to your bravery!

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Mine is fine

          Hat firmly back on to your smuggery.

  2. djstardust

    Funny how

    Tech sites give the surface such glowing 'reviews'

    TBH they count for nothing and it's only medium to long term use that show all the flaws.

    MS not even getting their own software and hardware to work together tells you all you need to know about this company.

    1. ajafraimundo

      Re: Funny how

      Exactly, its a frightening and a loss if time work and psychological. They or machines answer you like if you're a kid or dumb.

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Facepalm

    Come on...

    How hard is it to test an update before deploying it ?

    It's not like there are a zillion different hardware configurations...

    1. dajames

      Re: Come on...

      It's not like there are a zillion different hardware configurations...

      Indeed -- and Microsoft control the hardware, so they (should) know exactly what's out there. It's the easiest upgrade scenario you can imagine!

      1. Dan 55 Silver badge

        Re: Come on...

        Who knows, hardware manufacturers have been known to swap out expensive components at the start for cheaper ones in later batches, and we all know how good MS' software QA is lately.

    2. Hans 1
      Paris Hilton

      Re: Come on...

      It's not like there are a zillion different hardware configurations...

      Go, tell the penguinistas!

  4. SVV

    Surface with Windows 10

    The device that combines a bricked laptop with a bricked tablet.

    They should use the old ice cream van slogan : "Stop me, buy another one!".

  5. Semtex451
    Coat

    Applying firmware updates always looks like a good idea, on the surface.

    1. JJKing
      Coat

      Explosively good pun Semtex.

      What time do you exit the Comedy Hall, 1809 (military time).

      Yes I know this is 4 months old but looking for info coz my daughter's Surface Pro 4 is having an Update issue. What a surprise.

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Shame on MS agreeing for the replacement

    I was looking forward to an episode of 'Can't pay? We'll take it away' starring MS UK...

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Shame on MS agreeing for the replacement

      I was looking forward to an episode of 'Can't pay? We'll take it away' starring MS UK...

      If you get judgement against a company and they still won't pay, the most effective thing I've seen done is to threaten (and if necessary) issue a winding up petition. If you do that adds costs or around £1,500 that they'll have to pay, and they'll have to settle otherwise the company will be put into liquidation, and in that case they have to stop trading immediately.

      I was working for a company with cash flow problems, and at one point we were getting three of these a week. Those who did this got paid promptly, those who didn't lost out when we did go bust.

  7. adam payne

    Dodgy firmware on a surface?!? Haven't we been here before?

    1. DJV Silver badge

      Far too many times...

      1. Stevie

        And yet people still spend silly money on the things.

        1. hplasm
          Devil

          And yet people still spend silly money on the things.

          They look good, on the surface.

          And people are shallow.

  8. RGE_Master

    So let me get this right (apparently Microsoft can't)

    SP4 firmware trashes hardware

    Windows 10 Deletes files

    You struggle to prevent windows 10 from updating anyway. And people are still complaining that I run windows 7 at home....Apparently I'm at risk of spreading malware because of it. Probably true, at least I can use my computer though.

    1. hplasm
      Devil

      .Apparently I'm at risk of spreading malware because of it.

      ---and doing Microsoft developers out of a job!!!

      1. Pascal Monett Silver badge
        Mushroom

        Re: and doing Microsoft developers out of a job!!!

        They're already not doing their job.

  9. ajafraimundo

    I got rid of two of these pros, 1 and 4

    Microsoft just keeps spitting in the wind, they substitute the machines, but after keeping on claiming the user is responsible for the malfunctioning. They keep on throwing users in forums, it's all surreal. So I got rid of mine, what's the use of relying in digital writing and so on if you get stranded a blocked from working. Grocery shops when I was a kid would give more support than a company that basically is working for dividends all the rest is a landscape. Win 10 in its own is a frightening product, it actually isn't for people to work, but to test their resilience and being unable to hand stuff in time.

  10. Barry Rueger

    Ah, Microsoft

    Having spent much of a weekend figuring out why my wife's Win10 laptop refused to connect to one specific, yet critical, hotspot, I'll ask:

    Does the MS Surface run Linux?

    1. derbatman

      Re: Ah, Microsoft

      Since the firmware is wrecked, on the mentioned devices even another OS would not work...

      They literally f*** up the hardware with the firmware update, since also complete clean install without having the drivers installed does not work!

  11. Howard Hanek
    Happy

    I Suggest a Rebrand

    To Google+

  12. Tigra 07

    "One user, "curchep", reported being instructed by the Surface maker to go to the nearest Microsoft Store in order to buy a new Surface Pro"

    This strategy has worked well for Apple over the years

  13. derbatman
    WTF?

    Triggered obsolescence

    I'm affected and it is even worse, since the defective Surface Pro 4s neither go to hibernate nor can be shut down completely using the shutdown menu, you have to put them on AC the whole time, otherwise it drains the battery to 0%. So a wonderful and expansive mobile device only can be used as a static desktop system. Microsoft (Germany in my case) does not care, since I am out of warranty. In my eyes this is no only planned, but triggered obsolescence.

    1. Pascal Monett Silver badge

      Re: Triggered obsolescence

      Just one question : are you ever going to buy Microsoft again ?

  14. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    On Linux (ubuntu-mate) the touchscreen doesn't work either, most of the other stuff does work.

  15. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Unless you were born 2 weeks ago you know M$ track record with hardware and the tales of Win 10. Yet you still buy a Surface? You all deserve what M$ dishes out.

    1. Adrian 4

      It's bizarre, isn't it ?

      There can't be anyone who hasn't been burnt by Microsoft, but still they keep buying.

      'A triumph of hope over experience' as Dr Johnson put it.

  16. YetAnotherJoeBlow

    Um

    Revert the last firmware? You imaged it before you flashed,right?

    Take them to small claims court. It worked for me 6 times in years past when I had to buy their shite. It is the only thing that they understand.

    I was once told to wait for an update that never came. When my unit went out of waranty, they then told me to buy a new one. The funny part was that they were also pulling the same stunt on the judges wife... It still makes me laugh to this date.

  17. Adam TheMan

    I have the exact same issue since july. I will never ever buy any hardware from Microsoft again. They showed me that they do NOT care at all.

POST COMMENT House rules

Not a member of The Register? Create a new account here.

  • Enter your comment

  • Add an icon

Anonymous cowards cannot choose their icon

Other stories you might like