Firmware keeps reinstalling

[Guzzler3]

I just got my SP3 the other day because my Asus Ultrabook was doing random shutdowns (I just couldn't take it any more, and working with Asus support didn't help).

One thing, the system firmware update (8/19/2014) keeps reinstalling. It just won't stick. Anyone else having this issue, and if so, have you fixed it?

 

[Guzzler3]

Ok, I got it fixed.

I had to download the 8/19/2014 from Microsoft (Download Surface Pro 3, Surface Pro 2, and Surface Pro firmware and driver packs from Official Microsoft Download Center), and go through and install them manually (go through each directory and right click each .inf file and select "install"). I tried the PowerShell script they gave in the documentation, but that didn't work properly.

At least now when I do a "check for updates" it no longer tries to reinstall the firmware.

Weird.

 

[MBytes]

Yup you got it. It a strange issue that happens every now and then to some people. It happened with the Surface Pro 1, 2 and now 3. I think the problem is with Windows 8 updater. What most people do, is that once they install it, they hide the update in Windows Update. Usually when there is a new firmware, it's in the news (well.. if you watch Surface or Microsoft in general news sites), and after the new one, it just fixes itself.

I am not sure if it's in relation to anything but Microsoft suggest to have the system plugged in, and fully charged at 100%, with the keyboard attached, before starting the update. I don't know if it reduces the chance of this happening or what.. but that is what they recommend.

 

[Guzzler3]

I am not sure if it's in relation to anything but Microsoft suggest to have the system plugged in, and fully charged at 100%, with the keyboard attached, before starting the update. I don't know if it reduces the chance of this happening or what.. but that is what they recommend.

I did that, which was exactly what the guy at the MS store said to do. I kind of sucked waiting for the battery to completely charge, and telling WU to wait.

 

[MBytes]

I did that, which was exactly what the guy at the MS store said to do. I kind of sucked waiting for the battery to completely charge, and telling WU to wait.

Well when it comes to firmware upgrade, if you lose power or don't have it, or the low in battery, and you do the upgrade, and the system turns off, as the battery is dead. You have bricked the system with 0 way to recover, beside pulling the firmware chip out of the system board, and put one already programmed. As we can't open the Surface Pro, I think you get what it leads to.

So, by having the battery fully charged and plugged in, you solve this problem. As to way you have to wait for 100% charge.. well my guess is that it's not 100% exactly, maybe it will be fine at 95%, but the problem comes for old batteries. or faulty batteries. I am sure you encounter them. They say like 95% charge, then jump to 30% or something, and then dead within an hours or so, or even minutes for very bad cases. So by ensuring full charge state, you estimate that if you lose power during the upgrade process, and you have a faulty battery, it won't fail.

I think that was the thought process when designing it all.