Microsoft Surface Pro
The Microsoft Surface Pro is a x86 tablet. Optionally are a cover with keyboard and a digitizer/stylus. The good thing about the surface is that is as handy and mobile as a tablet but has the performance (cpu, ram, ssd) and software of a x86 notebook. And you get FullHD display resolution on 27 cm.
power connector
ground positive LED (when this pin has current -> LED lights up) positive ground
operating systems
The cpu is amd64, the UEFI is 64 bit, UEFI does not have CSM (legacy mode) support. To boot Linux/BSD with Secure Boot enter UEFI setup menu and select "delete all secure boot keys". This way Linux/BSD can boot and during install add keys to Secure Boot.
| operating system | Version / File | Installer booting? |
|---|---|---|
| debian | debian-9.0.0-amd64-netinst.iso | true |
| devuan | devuan_jessie_1.0.0_amd64_NETINST.iso | false |
| FreeBSD | FreeBSD-11.0-RELEASE-amd64-mini-memstick.img | true |
| gentoo | install-amd64-minimal-20170629.iso | false |
| gentoo | livedvd-amd64-multilib-20160704.iso | true |
| gnewsense | gnewsense-live-4.0-amd64-gnome.iso | false |
| guixSD | guixsd-usb-install-0.13.0.x86_64-linux.xz | true |
| OpenWrt | lede-17.01.2-x86-64-combined-squashfs.img | false |
| NetBSD | 7.1 amd64 install.img | false |
| OpenBSD | 6.1 amd64 install.fs | true |
| ReactOS | 0.4.5 i386 | false |
Hardware problems
- The WiFi chip is connected via USB.
- There is only one USB connector.
- There is no Ethernet connector.
- It's hard to put it on your belly.
Tricks
UEFI
Hold volume up button while pressing the power button.
The UEFI provides only two options. En-/Disabling trusted platform module and En-/Disable SecureBoot.
USB Boot
Hold volume down button while pressing the power button.
Bookmarks / Advertisments
- Surface at Wikipedia
- Microsoft update history tells that the last update was in February 2016