Dock for SB is really a let down. Almost wish i could return it because of USB Disconnects...

[Jon Snyder]

Turned into such a Microsoft ****** with the surface products. Recently sold my desktop and surface pro 3 to get the surface book with dock. I can live with a lot of the issues we all have been experiencing such as my machine crashing every morning, monitors not working - because for the most park after a few minutes of tweaking i am back up for the day.

However, as power user, i can't with any good conscious recommend the Surface Book to a fellow power user. I run multiple external hard drives, Blu Ray burner, external sound card, USB headphones, 2 displays - you get the idea. Whenever i try to do something like burn a Blu Ray from an ISO file both located on the USB hub downstream, all of my USB devices disconnect and reconnect. It just won't work. Microsoft has really let me down with massively inferior hardware. I paid WAY too much money for a device that can't handle multiple USB sessions.

I am seriously thinking about bringing the entire thing back into the store and asking for a refund even though it's been way too long past my purchase. (oh and i'm on my second Dock. I didn't get a defective one, they are all defective) I will tell him that i will bleed the store dry from returning my entire set up every time my USB cuts out and reconnects because it got overloaded from a file transfer. Not sure what i would get. Maybe go back to a desktop plus SP4. Really wanted to believe in this product but have been let down so badly.

 

[Jon Snyder]

Just spent an hour chatting with MS support and they are 100% positive replacing my SB and dock will resolve my issue. Forgive me if i remain apprehensive about this...

 

[michal64]

i used to have issues with usb devices disconnecting also, but this was fixed while back; when i had problems , rebooting the pc would fix the issue (if i docked with the sb off, it was fine, going up from sleep give me problems) it was a pain in the *** when your on the phone with your wifi headset, and the thing goes off for 2-3 seconds. good luck.

 

[wingdom]

I know this thread is a month old, but I think I am leaning the same way you are. As much as I love my SB, there are too many little details going wrong, like the disconnecting problem you have, and they are starting to bug me more and more. I think if I can sell my SB for a decent amount I'm also going back to a SP4 and a desktop.

 

[Jon Snyder]

As an update, Microsoft sent me another Surface Book. Spent time loading everything up. USB disconnects were just as prevalent as before. Told Microsoft and they want me to bring the unit back to the store to have it checked, replaced (again), etc etc... I worked IT help desk long enough to know that when you cant fix a problem you have to put people through an endless loop of help to make them retract their discontent. And then for the 1-2% of people who wont settle you deal separately with them.

 

[rdockrey]

I have all the USB ports full on my dock and experience zero issues. But none of them are high drain devices. When I need to console into a switch at my desk I have to use the USB port on my Surface since I am out of ports on the dock and that works with no issues too.

I know if you put a heavy load on the USB system on a PC you will get a Windows warning message but I am not sure what happens if you put a heavy load on the dock.

 

[Jon Snyder]

Full disclosure, i use an external USB dock. Previously have used it on multiple computers including my desktop and never had a problem with it. Have about 10+ USB devices. (it's made by Anker)

 

[AbsoluteZerow]

It probably isn't compatible for whatever reason, maybe try another USB hub/dock?

 

[zerospace-net]

Full disclosure, i use an external USB dock. Previously have used it on multiple computers including my desktop and never had a problem with it. Have about 10+ USB devices. (it's made by Anker)

Is it just USB or does it also have ethernet?

I had issues with a HooToo branded USB 3 hub that also had a gigabit ethernet jack. The combination of the USB load (normal stuff like mouse, keyboard, other non-power hungry peripherals) and the ethernet jack being used caused some crazy problems with stuff just hanging up (mouse would stick, internet connection would be unstable, etc). I just quit using it.

 

[Jon Snyder]

Ethernet is connected to my dock, not the USB hub. Not everything in my dock disconnects - monitors and Ethernet appear solid. Just everything USB. Its like everything from the dock downstream disconnects and reconnects.

 

[zerospace-net]

Ethernet is connected to my dock, not the USB hub. Not everything in my dock disconnects - monitors and Ethernet appear solid. Just everything USB. Its like everything from the dock downstream disconnects and reconnects.

That's a problem I've heard about before, and over and over (despite claims that it was fixed?) since the dock came out. It's been a buggy experience for enough people from the very beginning that I never bought one. I don't know what to say, other than you're not alone, apparently. Good luck!

 

[becosemsaida]

Seem to be a problem with the SB, it just can't handle all the stuff you need it to do. Try disconnect everything and use just the essencials. I don't like hubs for these cases..... The hub is designed for simple things and not power users with N power/data hungry devices. For sure no one at M$ did tell you that.

Beco

 

[Jon Snyder]

I paid a lot of money for something that was advertised as being for a power user. I am burning Blu Rays and transferring huge amounts of files. I am forced to use USB 3, would be a different story if thunderbolt was available. So basically the SB 2 will come out with thunderbolt, a better dock, and i will be left scratching my head why i believed a Surface Book could replace a SP3 and a desktop computer

 

[zerospace-net]

I paid a lot of money for something that was advertised as being for a power user. I am burning Blu Rays and transferring huge amounts of files. I am forced to use USB 3, would be a different story if thunderbolt was available. So basically the SB 2 will come out with thunderbolt, a better dock, and i will be left scratching my head why i believed a Surface Book could replace a SP3 and a desktop computer

Believe me, I understand completely. I replaced my SP3 with the SB (at the time, the SP3 was my primary machine, as it handled Adobe applications well enough to do what I needed). I ditched a fairly old desktop PC for the SP3 + dock and never looked back. I pre-ordered the i5/dGPU Surface Book expecting an even more powerful machine than my SP3. Needless to say, I'm back to a desktop PC (even used a skylake chip when I built it) and the SB is just my portable device. As a secondary machine, it's great -- I have far fewer issues now than when I was putting it under a heavy load day after day. SB looks and pretends well enough to be a workhorse, but when it comes down to it, it's just not quite there. I didn't think I was THAT much of a heavy user, mostly running Adobe applications as the heaviest load, but I do have a number of peripherals like a scanner, several USB hubs, touchscreen monitor, network printer, and my NAS. Ironically, the only thing it did NOT struggle with was accessing my NAS. Everything on USB was a struggle. The SP3 was a better workhorse for me by comparison.

Like I said, for me... the SB is much better today as my portable machine. From that perspective and with the series of updates its gotten, I love it a lot more now than I did 8 months ago. Like an acquired taste, the Surface Book has grown on me as its gotten more stable. But compared to the Pro 3's stability & performance? Not even close. I was monumentally impressed by the Pro 3 and bought the Book because of that. Saying I felt let down is putting it mildly!