Microsoft Allegedly Replacing Defective Surface Pro 4 Devices

Microsoft's Surface Pro line of devices have been increasing in popularity, as witnessed by the company's fifth-place showing in U.S. PC sales. However, problems for some Surface Pro 4 owners started creeping up after an update that was issued on July 26 which negatively impacted the touchscreen on the device. Many users flocked to Microsoft Answers to complain about problems with their devices after applying the update.

On a Microsoft Answers thread dedicated to the problem, over 600 people are posting similar issues, and there are some responses from Microsoft in the mix. One of the posters in the thread,BryanH_[MSFT], wrote that Microsoft was officially investigating the touchscreen issue as of August 13, 2018. Some of the issues that Surface Pro 4 users are complaining of include:

• All of the keyboard/pad functions are working including zoom, scroll etc. but no screen-touch or pen response (pen button clicks still open pre-chosen programmes as they should)"
• After being shut down will only start up with long hold on power switch.
• It now takes ages to restart (used to start in a few dreamy seconds). Begins with completely black screen for about 20 seconds and no visible signs of turning on (lights on Fn key for instance) then the SURFACE screen, then the ring and eventually lock screen.
• Seems to use the fan more often (it even continued after shut a few times).
• "n device manager the Firmware has an exclamation mark on Surface ME saying: This device cannot start. (Code 10) – An attempt was made to change the attributes on memory that has not been committed."
• Trouble shooter detects this but can not solve it.
• The pen/ink section of the Surface App says: the Surface app needs an updated component from Windows Update in order to enable this feature

Some affected users are reporting that they have been able to get both warranty and out of warranty repairs by escalating their support call to a manager and quoting the support thread. As of last weekend, users of these devices are still chiming in with the same issue. Some appear to get help from Microsoft, while others are reporting no help at all; it seems to depend on who each user that calls in for support talks to.

Microsoft has had serious issues with updates that cause major problems for Windows users. Most recently it had to deal with a Windows 10 activation issue. This isn't the first hardware issue that the Surface Pro 4 has suffered from; Microsoft announced a free replacement program for Surface Pro 4 devices that had a screen flickering issue in May 2018.