Surface Pro 3 won't turn on-- battery driver?

[madthoughts]

On Wednesday, when I put my Surface Pro 3 (i5/256g) down for the evening, I put it into sleep mode instead of shutting it down.

Last night, I try to turn it on-- nothing. No depleted battery message or anything. I tried holding the power button for 30 seconds as instructed on MS Support pages. Then holding the power and volume up buttons for 15. Nothing.

I left it charge overnight (charger light is solid and on) to try again this morning. Nope.

It looks like I'll need to get the unit replaced. Bummer. I have a long plane ride this weekend and was planning on loading up a bunch of movies.

Microsoft phone support mentioned I might have a faulty/malfunctioning battery driver. Before I head off to the mall for a replacement, does anyone have any final tricks I could try to get this thing turned back on?
:unhappysweat:

 

[hopmedic]

No promises, but try these:
hold volume up
press and release power
release volume up.

If that doesn't do it, try the same with volume down instead of volume up. Hopefully one of these will work for you - one has for me - I just can't remember if it was volume up or volume down. One of these gets you into the UFEI (new equivalent to BIOS), and the other does some kind of reset to get it started up.

 

[madthoughts]

No dice. Took it to a MS store to get it replaced. Frowny face emoji.

 

[PepperdotNet]

There have been a few times I thought mine had died and would need to be replaced, however every time I eventually got it to come back on. The most recent, I remember making sure the keyboard and any other devices were disconnected including the power; holding the power button for a full two minutes; release it for 30 seconds; press and hold power button again until I saw a blink from the screen, about 5-10 seconds or so; it booted up shortly after that.

 

[madthoughts]

I'll keep that in mind for the future.

 

[hopmedic]

Yeah, it can be tricky with a device like this where everything is all crammed into such a small package and there are so few input mechanisms. I had to have my SP3 replaced once - don't remember why, now - and the replacement that they sent me in the mail (a refurb) was DOA. I called up, refused another shipped replacement and got a supervisor on the phone, and got them to call the MS Store in Atlanta to allow me to replace it in-store (with brand-new, of course :wink. After that, I bought the extended warranty. If I need it, it'll definitely be worth the price.

I might also add that I used to work in the extended warranty business, and almost NEVER recommend or buy them, but with a device like this one that is so expensive, I decided that it was worth the peace of mind.

 

[Talldog]

FWIW, I found this info in a Microsoft support document and put it into OneNote so I would always have it with me:

Connect the Surface Pro power supply.

To boot from USB:

Hold Volume Down button and press Power button.

Force restart

Step 1:
Press and release the power button on your Surface, and allow up to 30 seconds for the Surface logo to appear.

? If your Surface turns on, the battery on your Surface is likely still very low. Let it continue to charge for a while. When the battery has a 40 percent charge, install the latest updates to help prevent the problem from occurring again. For more info, see Install Surface and Windows updates.
? If your Surface won?t turn on, continue with Step 2.

Step 2:
Press and hold the power button on your Surface for 30 seconds. The screen will flash during this process, but continue to hold down the power button for the full 30 seconds.

Step 3:
Press and release the power button on your Surface to turn it back on.

? If your Surface turns on, the battery on your Surface is likely still very low. Let it continue to charge for a while. When the battery has a 40 percent charge, install the latest updates to help prevent the problem from occurring again. For more info, see Install Surface and Windows updates.
? If your Surface still won?t turn on, try two-button shutdown.

Two-button shutdown

Step 1:
Press and hold the volume-up button and the power button on your Surface at the same time for at least 15 seconds, and then release both. The screen may flash the Surface logo, but continue holding the buttons down for at least 15 seconds.

Step 2:
After you release the buttons, wait 10 seconds.

Step 3:
Press and release the power button on your Surface to turn it back on.

? If your Surface turns on, the battery on your Surface is likely still very low. Let it continue to charge for a while. When the battery has a 40% charge, install the latest updates to help prevent the problem from occurring again. For more info, see Install Surface and Windows updates.

 

[cheesarah]

Sorry, i know this post is old but I was having the same exact problem a week ago and wanted to share how i revived my Surface Pro 3 in case anyone out there is having this problem.

I wrote this on the microsoft answer help page too but oddly, they removed it...

Maybe because the method i tried was not to microsoft standards. Please use my method at your own risk.

Anyways, i had the exact same problem just a week ago. I was only away from my laptop for about 3-5 hours and when i went back to it, I found that it couldn't turn on anymore. I tried every method on the internet. After a whole week of frustration and trying, i finally made some time to visit a microsoft store and booked a technician. I left my surface at the store with the microsoft technician for the day too.

In the end, nothing worked, they couldn't fix it. My surface was labeled as "dead". Microsoft offered me to exchange it with a new one but i couldn't do it as I had all my work data saved on the surface! So I decided to take it back home and think it over a few more days.

Because my surface was already doomed, I finally decided to use the crazy method of freezing the surface in the freezer fridge.

Here are my detailed steps in reviving my completely dead surface:
1. I used a Foodsaver vacuum wrap machine that i borrowed from my mother's place (She bought it on Amazon for $100 a month ago). You could also try using a ziplock baggy and sucking out all the air from it so that it won't create condensation/liquid damage on the surface. I also wrapped it with an additional plastic bag.

2. Then i place it in the freezer fridge flat (surface screen facing up) on top of a pizza cardboard box so that it doesn't touch the actual freezing fridge. I left the surface in the fridge for 3 hours - nothing more than that.

3. After 3 hours, I placed the surface flat (surface screen facing up) in room temperature for 2 hours.

4. After 2 hours in room temperature, I plugged the charger in. Then I did the usual power button and volume up button for 15 seconds, 2 second pause, and then 2 second power button. By now, It should start to flash.

5. If it doesn't flash yet, don't give up, keep repeating step 4. Once it starts flashing, the surface logo will start appearing but may shut down again a couple times. Keep pressing the power button down with 2 second intervals until the surface logo STAYS.

6. Once it loads further, WAIT for the AUTOMATIC UPDATE. After that, everything should boot up as it used to! I haven't had any problems since

7. Make sure to do a backup of your surface in case this happens again!

Hope this works for you too!! GOOD LUCK!

 

[bex]

Hi cheesarah,

My surface pro 3 also dosent power on, no matter what procedure i perform on it (I tried everything Microsoft support told to me to do ) but no luck .
My SP3 has exactly same symptoms as yours.

The issue started yesterday. i remember i was surfing web and watching same videos in a web page before i turn it off. After that it i can't turn it on again.
I notice a pattern, if i dont touch the tablet for some time (around 3 hours) and then i tried again to press the power button,i manage to get it showing the surface logo three times but unfortunately, it shut down again.

So i guess your procedure is my only hope left. i will try to put mine in a fridge (not in the freezer because i dont have access to any vacuum wrap or something simillar) and see how it goes.

BR
Bex.

 

[Heejungie]

YES! What a coincidence?
I turned on my Surface Pro 3 yesterday with its power cord plugged in, and it just died.
I tried everything (hold down button for?), and I plan to freeze it today.
Hopefully it works!

Curious, but when did you purchase your Surface Pro 3.
I got it the summer of 2014 (as a college present).

Thank you for the help in good(?) timing!

 

[cheesarah]

Heejungie,

I also got mine summer of 2014 (August to be exact).............
i5 256gb

What does this mean?? Our batch was a bad one? Although so far, after the freeze revival and update, my surface hasn't had any more problems whatsoever.

Hope you can revive yours soon too!

 

[Heejungie]

So I tried to revive it, but no luck...
At least the stuff that I care about is in my school emails.

I also have a core i5 but 128 GB.
Something seems fishy though ...

 

[bex]

I manage to power mine at least 3 times, and copy my emails!

So , my first tentative e left it one hour in the freezer (i changed my mind about the fridge). It turn on, booted up to windows and after two or three minutes shuts down.

I repeated the procedure, but this time only 15 minutes in freezer. It power on, boot to windows and again shuts down after two minutes.

Repeated again, 15 minutes of freezer, boots up ( this time i had a plan to copy my emails as soon as it booted to windows). It booted up completely to Windows 10 I could work with it for maximum 3 minutes enough time to copy emails to USB PEN drive. Unexpectedly, it shutdown (i notice that, as soon as it starts to get hot in the back it turns off). Apparently, mine is really faulty. The good new is that i manage to copy my work emails !!

I still want to try again today.

 

[bex]

Ok, status of my surface pro 3 power on issue ( hopping this can help some else to recover the data inisde SP3):

In my case, the SP3 only works when its cold (very cold). after its working for some 3 minutes it heats a bit and shuts down.

So, i still have to send for replacement ( i will get a new one, and from now on i will use cloud system to backup all my data on daily basis). However, good news is: i still found a workaround to recover the data from this faulty SP3 )))))

Here it is:

1? put the SP3 in the freezer around 20 minutes( use something to protect it from the ice water, in my case i used this plastic transparent stuff normally used to cover the food in fridge).

2? After the 20 minutes, Then i take it out from freezer, I press the power button several times until it power up (normally it powers up after the third time i press it).

3? After it finishes booting to windows 10, i connect the USB drive , and select the data i want to copy.

4? Then i rapidly put it back to freezer again while its copying the files ) and it stays on all the time (strange tablet) it was working at least for 40 minutes until i remove it from frezeer, then after a minute outside it shut down !! LOL

I was so desperate yesterday( i was really worried about the work data inside it), now I am so happy i could recover all my important data files. Amayzing !!

Btw , my surface is from 2015 Fev. I5 , 256 , 8GB RAM

Thanks cheesarah for sharing your experience!! You save my day!!

Br
Bex

 

[peehdoh]

Hi, have you done d freezing method? Got an SP3 here too and have that kind of problem.

 

[ohiojacket]

Cheesara, what can I say but your freezer trick saved me a lot of trouble. My Surface Pro 3 is back to life after being pronounced dead by my local Microsoft dealer. My machine has now been backed up in case this happens again.

I have to ask, how did you discover this trick ?

Thank you for sharing this recovery trick. ☺

 

[Cara Aileen]

My SP3 quit on me yesterday I still had some photography I had not backed up! I tried all the hold this button hold those buttons hold forever or hold for a short time tricks to no avail. I took it to the store I had purchased it and a maintenance plan from and learned that there is a recall on some of the SP3 including mine. The tech said I could take it home and keep trying to boot it and get my files but once I turned it over I would not be able to recover them. After googling I found this forum and the suggestion to freeze it. Well the recall has something to do with the battery so why the heck not since freezing can revive batteries. I own a Food Saver so proceeded to seal the tablet when while sealing it my SP3 suddenly turned on. Bizarre apparently either something about removing the air or about the way the button was pressed down during sealing cause my SP3 to finally reboot! I have my file backed to the cloud for now I was able to operate the tablet through the plastic over the screen rather than risk it turning off while I got it out. Please note if you try this the computer will heat up quickly sealed from air so grab your stuff and go!

 

[Zeb Barber]

So here is my experience:
Surface Pro 3 i5 8 Gb RAM 256 GB flash Windows 8.1

1st thing is that early this week the WiFi in the tablet quit, I tried reinstalling the driver but it didn't work. So this was already a bad week.

Then on Friday night I left work and just closed up Surface Pro 3 i5 8 Gb RAM 256 GB flash by disconnecting my USB3 docking station and closing the type keyboard. After dinner grabbed Surface and it would not start. Pushed all the buttons and followed the procedure on Microsoft help. Tried for a couple hours to get it going, even tried two different power supplies. Found this thread and thought I would try the freezing method. Went to store late at night to get freezer bag to put it in, then went home. Before I put it back in the freezer I tried to start it again basically by trying different combinations of button pushes and waits. Then lo and behold it went into the bios mode using the up volume and power simultaneously for a long hold. Exited out of the bios and it started up just fine except the clock was way off. Then I downloaded 43 GB of files to a USB 3.0 flash drive. This took about 40 minutes. Surface stayed on the whole time. Thought things were back to normal and so I was going to check my favorite political site and change the clock and the surface just shut down suddenly and would not start again. This was 2 am so I went to sleep. In the morning still wouldn't start up after about 30 minutes of playing with it. So I decided to try the freeze technique. In freezer for about an two hours, pulled out and waited 10 minutes and tried to start inside freezer bag. No go. Waited 40 minutes to let it warm up then I started pushing buttons again and lo and behold it started after about the 10 try. I think this last time I hit the power button three times in a row with a about two second push two second release etc.

Started up without going through bios. So it is now working, and I decided to say screw it and I hit install Win 10. Went through install alright and has been working for a few hours now. I even tried a full shut down and restart using the power on button - let me tell you that was nerve racking. Anyway don't know if it was the freezing that helped but seems to be fine now.

Except the Wifi adapter is still broke.

 

[Grodelj]

Another SP3 i5 256 broken here. It suddenly died yesterday, but since I have the backup and it's still in warranty, I won't be freezing it.

 

[benzar7]

This saved my *** the day before my final. On top of this it had all my college work for the rest of my finals in the coming week! Freezing it/Putting it in the fridge was the only thing that saved me. I also had Microsoft and Best Buy people basically tell me my Surface Pro 3 was dead. I had tried everything...everything and this is the only thing that worked. Thank you! Not sure if this will last , but it allowed me to get all my files off of it! :grincry::grincry::grincry::grincry::grincry::grincry::grincry::grincry::grincry::grincry::grincry: