Surface Pro 3 Type Cover Not Working

[Mainstay]

Argh - SP3 256 GB running W8.1 has wireless connectivity issues.

Customer wants it upgraded to 10... and they love it! Except the Type Cover does not work.

If I boot into Windows Recovery options the keyboard and mouse work just fine.

But in regular Windows 10 it doesn't work.

The contacts obviously are working but I am striking the wall on getting a MS keyboard designed solely to work with a Surface to WORK WITH A SURFACE!

Any thoughts?

 

[nlinecomputers]

Device manager. Error logs? What exactly HAVE you done?

 

[Mainstay]

• no device errors in device manager.
• no error logs in event viewer.
• contacts are clean (and they obviously are working outside of Windows proper).
• tested keyboard on a second SP3 (works fine).
• tested SP3 with a bluetooth keyboard (understand that this is irrelevant from the keyboard perspective) but W10 ID'd and connected no problem.
• attempted restore - failed
• have not attempted a reset as I don't have all software & licenses to facilitate re-installation
  
• updated all drivers with Snappy (no change)
• have not rolled back to W8.1 because there goes a lot of hours for the wrong result
• googled the hell out of it and all solutions follow the Apple route: "oh, I tried a restart and it magically worked!" or "I disconnected and re-attached, and it worked!"....
  
• both keyboard and trackpad do not work when in regular W10 but in recovery mode (i.e., safe mode launcher) they both work fine....

Not sure where else to turn...

 

[nlinecomputers]

So when you attach it, It shows up in Device Manager?

 

[Mainstay]

No. Just generic HID keyboard Device (x2) appear in Keyboards.

Device Manager flickers as if something is being changed... but I cannot see any new additions to the list.

 

[Markverhyden]

Have you tried the conventional tools for M$, like Tweaking AIO, etc. If you are getting a generic HID then it's probably some kind of OS, permissions, driver thing. Have you tried a regular USB KB/mouse?

 

[nlinecomputers]

Upper and lower filters?

 

[Mainstay]

Have you tried the conventional tools for M$, like Tweaking AIO, etc. If you are getting a generic HID then it's probably some kind of OS, permissions, driver thing. Have you tried a regular USB KB/mouse?

Thank you for this. It didn't work... but I appreciate all the nudges I can get.

(running on very little sleep these days =) )

 

[Mainstay]

Upper and lower filters?

I couldn't get this trick to yield a positive result.

I will compare against the other SP3 to see what values it has...

thank you for the continued input!

 

[Markverhyden]

Thank you for this. It didn't work... but I appreciate all the nudges I can get.

(running on very little sleep these days =) )

USB KB and mouse failed as well? Then it may be nuke and pave time.

 

[Mainstay]

regular USB (and bluetooth) mice and keyboards connect very quickly and happily.

And they ID correctly too (i.e., an Apple keyboard properly ID's as Apple Keyboard).... and they all work well.

But a MS KB does not work on a MS Surface (yikes!).

The Type Cover definitely responds... I get the back lights appearing on touch... but no joy on screen.

So bizarre.

 

[ComputerRepairTech]

Did you try shutdown /s /f /t 0 and/or forcing it off via the power button. I dont have a surface pro 3 but I have a surface pro 1 and its a little pita sometimes.

Edit: To clarify I do this to fully cold boot it because when I restart or shutdown normally its more of hybrid shutdown.

Edit2: If this does work then do http://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/4189-fast-startup-turn-off-windows-10-a.html to turn off the fast startup feature.

 

[Mainstay]

hmmm - no change... I actually ran the system out of juice last night to see if there is some sort of flea power going on... no change.

Seriously considering a wipe and reinstall. =(

What a waste of time!

 

[JustMe]

Do you have a Microsoft Store near you? I would take the Surface there and connect one of the store demo Type Covers to it and see if its a defective keyboard.

 

[Markverhyden]

hmmm - no change... I actually ran the system out of juice last night to see if there is some sort of flea power going on... no change.

Seriously considering a wipe and reinstall. =(

What a waste of time!

Those types of devices are probably going to have a preserved state that gets reloaded every time. Even if you run out of juice.

 

[Mainstay]

I would take the Surface there and connect one of the store demo Type Covers to it and see if its a defective keyboard.

The KB works on another SP3 and worked on THIS SP3 prior to upgrade from 8.1 to 10....

Those types of devices are probably going to have a preserved state that gets reloaded every time. Even if you run out of juice.

Thinking of N&P .... sort of wasteful.... and that damn well better fix 'er !

 

[Mainstay]

Nuked the whole system... reinstalled.

Installing applications now.

Keyboard working.

I despise these types of solutions. Like bringing a bazooka to a fist fight.


Thank you for all of the input guys... very much appreciated!

 

[Markverhyden]

The way that M$ OS's handles USB drives me nuts. Almost all the other drivers, while they can be cranky, can usually be fixed. I cannot remember ever being able to fix the type of driver failure like you had. Don't understand why they can't figure out a way to handle it better.

 

[nlinecomputers]

Because it is a freaking tree. What part of the USB system hit the skids. The item itself. The bus. The hub. The chipset. Anything at anypoint can f it up. It also can think the item is disconnected when it isn't. I've have had some luck using USBDeview to remove screwed up USB systems. But it is a major PITA and can leave the system worse if it doesn't work. Always set a restore point before messing with it.

 

[Mainstay]

USBDeview

Yet another interesting tool for me to investigate... Love to hear about new utilities and approaches from everyone here.

My N&P "solution" has left a bad taste in my mouth... (I am fixing that by washing the taste out with copious amounts of high hops beer)....

The solution is so much like those Apple Forums... "Oh, I fixed it by reinstalling OS X. Isn't Apple great?" ARGH! Hate those solutions.