Screen Discoloration Since 2-17-16 Firmware Update

[savagelizards]

About a day after my Surface Book took the 2-17-16 firmware update, I was working late and noticed that I started to pick up a yellowish discoloration at the bottom center of my screen. I wasn't sure at first, but I did a snip, saw nothing and realized that it wasn't the graphics but the screen itself. I tried restarting but that didn't resolve it, so I took a picture of my screen with my phone. It looked like this:


The next day I came back to my book and it worked as normal again. It's only been in the last few days that the problem has returned.
I have noticed that my fan has run excessively since the update, and the book tends to be very hot all day. It seems that after several hours of use, the heat is causing a discoloration that subsides again after a period of disuse. It's most noticeable on the bottom center of my screen but also happens along the right edge of the screen running vertically about midway down.

Has anyone else been experiencing this? Do you think there will be another firmware update to correct this or will I have to exchange my book again?

 

[Dratwister]

This is surely a hardware defect and it's under warranty cover.
So I think your best option is asking for exchange.

 

[rdockrey]

Mine did the same thing except I never got the discoloration. I have the i7 with the dgpu. After making the changes in the nvidia app so it used the dgpu as default my fan rarely came on. After the update even though the app was still set correctly the fan ran constantly and it ran very hot. I rolled back the nvidia driver, reset the app like I used to have it, and its now back to the way it was. The fan rarely runs and its stays cool.

 

[mertz3hack]

what did you end up doing with this issue?

I am having the same exact problem!

 

[zerospace-net]

what did you end up doing with this issue?

I am having the same exact problem!

This is a hardware overheating issue. It's been posted about on Microsoft's own forums repeatedly. The best thing to do is to contact MS support before you have something like the screen crack from the excess heat (it has happened to people who have then been told that they will not receive warranty support because of the cracked screen). Get your device exchanged -- the best place to do it is at an MS store, but if you don't have one close by, do the exchange via their online support.

 

[wardo5757]

Zerospace is 100% correct. It happened to me after a "hot bag" issue where my SB got very hot, just kept getting worse from there. I brought it to a MS store and they replaced it on the spot, and I have to tell you it was the best thing I ever could have done. I had constant issues with my SB and the exchange fix all of them, including the discoloration on the screen.

 

[Stocklone]

Thanks for the feedback. I am having the same issues with screen discoloration. I got mine at launch and have had so many issues with it. I've reinstalled Windows 10 so many times. It's good to know exchanging it was not a hassle. I might do it this weekend. It should be worth the 90 minute drive.

 

[wardo5757]

Thanks for the feedback. I am having the same issues with screen discoloration. I got mine at launch and have had so many issues with it. I've reinstalled Windows 10 so many times. It's good to know exchanging it was not a hassle. I might do it this weekend. It should be worth the 90 minute drive.

Did you get your SB replaced?

 

[Stocklone]

Did you get your SB replaced?

Yes! I went to the Microsoft Store and explained the overheating and discoloration issue. They said they don't normally replace MS Store online purchases in-store but since I was wearing my T-Rex Ninja Cat t-shirt, they would take good care of me. I don't know how true that actually is but I felt the love. They also gave me a black dot box replacement which they said the black dot sticker meant it was guaranteed to be from the latest batch. Finally, they transferred my existing extended warranty to the replacement. I walked out of the Microsoft Store very happy with my new SB. I have had zero issues with the replacement so far. Absolutely flawless. I've gone from a love hate relationship to another honeymoon period.

 

[wardo5757]

Yes! I went to the Microsoft Store and explained the overheating and discoloration issue. They said they don't normally replace MS Store online purchases in-store but since I was wearing my T-Rex Ninja Cat t-shirt, they would take good care of me. I don't know how true that actually is but I felt the love. They also gave me a black dot box replacement which they said the black dot sticker meant it was guaranteed to be from the latest batch. Finally, they transferred my existing extended warranty to the replacement. I walked out of the Microsoft Store very happy with my new SB. I have had zero issues with the replacement so far. Absolutely flawless. I've gone from a love hate relationship to another honeymoon period.

Great news! I feel the exact same way. I was so disappointed in my first SB, I was ready to completely give up on MS. But this replacement SB is flawless, it's exactly what it should have been out the gate.

 

[Christopher Lindsay]

got the same issue. exchanging mine today.

 

[savagelizards]

got the same issue. exchanging mine today.

In store?

 

[Christopher Lindsay]

In store?

Yes. Didn't get to it yesterday. Going later today.

 

[Christopher Lindsay]

Welp, thought I was going to the Microsoft store but apparently it closed down. Now I guess I have to either ship it or drive all the way to Burbank or LA to get mine replaced.

 

[Christopher Lindsay]

Ended up never going to the Microsoft Store. Called and told them what happened. Two days later I had a replacement surface book at my door. Still getting all of the Data of the old one right now. I'll be shipping the old one back in a couple days.

 

[abcbill]

Ended up never going to the Microsoft Store. Called and told them what happened. Two days later I had a replacement surface book at my door. Still getting all of the Data of the old one right now. I'll be shipping the old one back in a couple days.

This is interesting...I hadn't tied the screen discoloration to the 2/17/17 software upgrade...

HOWEVER...My SurfaceBook is long out of warranty and I've been told by both the on-line and store tech folks I am sorta just out of options...I can always just by a new one. No offers of a refurb, no offers of a trade-in, no nothing...

So...what seems to be the magic words I whisper to the folks here in NYC to have them smile and get some answers...

Bill in the LES of Manhattan...