Friday, November 8, 2013

Surface RT takes a diRT nap

Windows is an operating system for desktop computers. It runs fine on Laptops, but the move to a closed hardware platform (like RT) with a codebase like Windows has lead to the modern anomaly known as Windows RT.

I bought a Surface RT with the intention of learning WinRT development (in Oxygene or C#) with it, in September.    I upgraded without incident to WinRT 8.1.  Then, some time yesterday, the Remote Update gods at Microsoft sent an update to my machine, which bricked it completely.

I have initiated an in-warranty exchange online with Microsoft.  I decided to try to buy an extended warranty on my WinRT surface device.  No offers are available from Microsoft at this time for the first generation Surface RT.

Is that not a tacit admission by Microsoft that the first generation Surface RT is a ticking time bomb, of uninsurable proportions?   Let's see.  Secure boot. Remote update.  Battery rundown.  Let's let it update when it's not plugged into the wall.  Can  anyone guess the unavoidable end results?  It should take about 30 seconds to figure it out. Microsoft's engineers obviously couldn't.

Update: A new surface arrived, and the old one was shipped back.  I'm quite happy with Microsoft's exchange program. However now my Surface RT locks up randomly during use.   Perhaps I have received a "refurb" unit that has a problem?  Lovely.  I may try to contact support again and ask them about it.

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