Will a factory reset fix the firmware issue?

[Nick Kane]

I was wondering if a factory reset of my Surface Pro 2 would remove the faulty firmware that came out last month? Even if the new firmware update is coming out next week, it would only take me an hour or so to get all of my files and programs back so if it fixes the problem then I'd definitely say it's worth it myself.

EDIT: Also is there anyway to check to be 100% sure that I actually have the defective firmware?

 

[Guzzler3]

Oddly, on my Surface RT, every time I reset, it always has to reapply the last firmware. Even though it always says it was successful. Go figure.

 

[Nick Kane]

Oddly, on my Surface RT, every time I reset, it always has to reapply the last firmware. Even though it always says it was successful. Go figure.

MSFT pulled the firmware update from their servers though so my Surface shouldn't be able to download it again.

 

[Morpheus Phreak]

No. Firmware is not like normal software. It is flashed onto the chips on the system hardware.

It should survive formats/resets.

 

[Nick Kane]

No. Firmware is not like normal software. It is flashed onto the chips on the system hardware.

It should survive formats/resets.

Is the update that's affecting the Surface Pro 2 not just a normal update though which should be removed upon reset? I thought a factory reset would put the Surface back to stock W8.1?

 

[VineRider]

Firmware is flashed and cannot be overwritten until a subsequent update comes out. Resetting your Surface will not roll back the firmware. Device settings may say that the older firmware is in place, but (as I can personally attest to), the problems introduced with the December update will still be present.

Bottom line, we have to wait for an update from Microsoft.

 

[Nick Kane]

Firmware is flashed and cannot be overwritten until a subsequent update comes out. Resetting your Surface will not roll back the firmware. Device settings may say that the older firmware is in place, but (as I can personally attest to), the problems introduced with the December update will still be present.

Bottom line, we have to wait for an update from Microsoft.

Okay thanks for the clarification! I don't suppose you know how I could tell if I definitely have the December update? Also, what do you think the chances are of Microsoft releasing a fix for this before Monday when I return to school? It'd be nice for my Surface to wake up properly when I need it in class.

 

[VineRider]

If you ever loaded it on your system, you have it. If you reset the device after they pulled the update, it will not show up in your update history in control panel, as a factory reset clears out that information, but your firmware has been patched per my earlier post. I have no real idea on when they'll release the update, but I'd be surprised if we get it before the normal patch Tuesday....so, I suspect that it will be around the 14th of January. Microsoft was probably low on staffing during Christmas / New Years, and even if they had coded the fix during the holidays, it still has to go through regression testing and a release process before they will push to Windows Update.

 

[stephen_az]

Microsoft has been using the term firmware very loosely since first releasing Surface Pro and Surface RT. Some are clearly not firmware in the literal sense. The fact is that almost all updates, including most of the firmware updates, will reinstall upon doing a clean reset. They would not reinstall if they were genuinely written as firmware. In contrast, Dell's firmware update to improve touch response in the XPS 12 fails if you do a clean reset and then try to reinstall the update. It also gives the appropriate message that it has already been updated. Personally, I would not do a reset simply because of the risk of having missing drivers and unidentified devices after the fact - been there and done that and had the Microsoft Store swap out a Surface Pro 2 to resolve.

 

[Nick Kane]

Does anybody think that this broken firmware could shorten the lifespan of their tablet? I don't think the fast battery drain and numerous recharges, and some reported cases of overheating is going to do the hardware any good.

 

[Nick Kane]

If you ever loaded it on your system, you have it. If you reset the device after they pulled the update, it will not show up in your update history in control panel, as a factory reset clears out that information, but your firmware has been patched per my earlier post. I have no real idea on when they'll release the update, but I'd be surprised if we get it before the normal patch Tuesday....so, I suspect that it will be around the 14th of January. Microsoft was probably low on staffing during Christmas / New Years, and even if they had coded the fix during the holidays, it still has to go through regression testing and a release process before they will push to Windows Update.

See here's where I'm not sure if I have it or not. I am experiencing the symptoms of this botched firmware with crashing during sleep/wake and fast battery drain, but I purchased this Surface after they pulled the update from their servers. That said, today I checked Windows Update and I have a whole host of 63 updates to install which just appeared out of the blue so I shall install them soon and see if that sorts these problems.

 

[VineRider]

The October firmware update (which released right after the Surface 2 came out) did make some vast improvements on battery life. However, the December 10th update sort of negated all that with the sleep and waking issues. It may be that your surface shipped with pre October firmware, so that is why you are seeing more battery drain. However, if you load all the updates, I'd deselect any firmware updates until after the new firmware comes out to fix the Dec 10 update problem.

On my Pro 2,which has the Dec 10 firmware, I have just set the power button and lid to hibernate, and in doing this am not having any issues. MS will get this worked out, I'm sure.... the Surface line is a big bet for them and finally starting to see some positive press about the Surface 2 and Pro 2 in the tech blogs.