Any Surface Pro experts out there

Forums › Laptops and mobile computers › Any Surface Pro experts out there - keyboard issue...

Antzzz

190 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 12

#226227 26-Dec-2017 18:33

So a couple of weeks ago the keyboard (and trackpad) on my Surface Pro 3 suddenly stopped working. Tried all the usual fixes for this - the power button + volume up button trick that usually would coax it back into life didn't work (and noticeably the keyboard wasn't working in the UEFI BIOS screen). Doesn't seem to be the keyboard itself - tried it on another Surface Pro and it worked fine (and the keyboard from that device didn't want to work with mine). Finally got around to trying the big stick fix today, completely reinstalling Windows, but that didn't help either.

Note that the device works just fine with a USB keyboard.

Does anyone have any clever suggestions? Does anyone know of a way to give the keyboard a virtual kick in the nuts at the firmware level? Unfortunately it looks like the device is out of warranty, and judging by the reports online opening the case seems to almost always result in a cracked screen (stupid non-user serviceable devices...).

gzt

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#1925455 26-Dec-2017 18:44

A wipe all files and data reinstall might be worthwhile. It can be started from control panel recovery. Reinstall without wipe does not tell you much.

JeremyNzl

361 posts

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#1925456 26-Dec-2017 18:45

Have you cleaned the contacts,

Antzzz

190 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 12

#1925461 26-Dec-2017 18:54

Hey @gzt, yep, did a complete wipe when I reinstalled Windows - removed the 5 (!) partitions that seemed to have been created on the device and reinstalled from a USB recovery disk. @JeremyNZL - yep, cleaned the contacts a few times (and the keyboard seems to work fine on another device so I don't think it is a contact problem?).

askelon

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#1925474 26-Dec-2017 19:24

I've had a few customers ones so the same. All have been replaced under warranty. Keyboards all worked fine on other computers.

scuwp

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#1925477 26-Dec-2017 19:27

This was an issue that came up on a couple of our work machines. They were replaced under warranty, sorry no idea what the actual issue was.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

Antzzz

190 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 12

#1925490 26-Dec-2017 19:35

Thanks @askelon and @scuwp. Any idea how old the devices were that got replaced - were they in or outside the published warranty? Wondering if this might fit into the Consumers Guarantees Act 'durability' test since my device is only a little over 3 years old...

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askelon

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#1925496 26-Dec-2017 20:03

I think it happened to 2 or 3. But they were all inside their warranty period. Was never given an explanation as to what caused the fault, just they had to be replaced. The last one it did it on was about 6 months old at the time, that was around the middle of this year

Peppery

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#1925500 26-Dec-2017 20:08

I've seen this happen to quite a few SP3s at work. We replaced the internal dock connector - no dice. Appears to be a motherboard fault.

Rickles

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#1925583 27-Dec-2017 08:45

Antzzz ... even if outside manufacturers' warranty and 3 years old, you should at least approach, very politely and 'ignorant of technology' <s>, the retailer from whence it came.

Write out your problem, how you tested the components, and also include copies of the comments here as well as any you find online where the fault has happened on same model etc (never mind the country).

Under our CGA you should be able to at least get them to consider a replacement or reporting the problem to their supplier and thence up the chain ... nothing to lose by doing so

Antzzz

190 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 12

#1929537 4-Jan-2018 23:56

Thanks for the feedback all! I'll be talking to MS about a fix after the holidays... In the meantime a short term fix was to get a Bluetooth keyboard designed for the Surface Pro - https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/TAABRG3553234/BRYDGE-123-Keyboard-for-Microsoft-Surface-Pro-2017

It's a little pricey (tho I got it cheap in their Boxing Day sale), but the fact you don't need the kickstand makes the Surface Pro significantly more usable for me - 90% of the time I use the device in laptop mode on the couch so the kickstand was a literal pain in the leg...