Several problems with Surface Pro 4

[jhuesser]

I’ve looked into it with @Sebastian-Roth We’ve modifyed the initrd to remove the keyboard interaction (pressing enter to continue). After that the Surface continues with the boot and starts the debut upload task, but because the keyboard doesn’t get recognized, I can’t start the fog script…

[Tom Elliott]

@jhuesser Remove the debug flag from the db. It will not be in debug mode and should continue on as expected, unless you started this as “Host->Basic Tasks->Advanced Tasks->Capture - Debug/Deploy - Debug” in which case you’d need to cancel the task and recreate the tasking like you normally would.

Of course you could just do the cancel recreate tasking method anyway (which is likely going to be faster than finding the task in mysql and removing the debug flag.

[jhuesser]

@Tom-Elliott I’ve used an USB-Keyboard with an USB-Hub and it works!

if i register the other surface with the full host registration i still need the keyboard to enter the details, but as i said with the USB Keyboard it’s fine just as @Sebastian-Roth said in chat. Currently I’m uploading the image, hope that works, so marking this as solved

Thank you all for your help!

[george1421]

@jhuesser OK now that you have it working with an external keyboard can we collect some additional details on this surface pro 4? Is there a sub version that we need to be aware of (remember I’m ignorant of the surface pro tablets). So is there like a surface pro 4 model XXXXX or something like that. I would expect the linux kernel developers will add support for this internal keyboard at some time in the future. Eventually it may make it into the FOS engine.

I’m kind of surprised that others that have imaged the surface pro 4 with FOG didn’t report keyboard issues before now. That is what is making me think there are different models to the surface pro.4. It would be interesting to see if a commercial linux distribution would have the same issue. Something current like ubuntu desktop live would answer that.

Either way I’m glad you have it worked out and can move forward.

[jhuesser]

@george1421 It’s the surface pro 4 with the smallest computer power.https://www.microsoft.com/surface/en-us/devices/surface-pro-4#techspec-block the one with the Intel Core m3

I’ve one booted the ubuntu live USB stick. It didn’t recognized the keyboard (and the touchscreen, but that’s not important for FOG i guess).

[george1421]

@jhuesser Thank you on the feedback.

Since a commercial distro is having trouble with the keyboard then in a way thats a good thing. The linux guys may be working on it. The point here is that the FOS engine uses the 4.7 linux kernel (which is pretty current) and the commercial distros are typically many versions behind because they are aiming for stability not bleeding edge hardware support.

[Tom Elliott]

@george1421 I’m currently building the 4.7.1 kernels and hopefully I’ve added a ton more drivers. I Doubt it will work for the Surface KB but I’m hoping at least to get more support all around.

[george1421]

@Tom-Elliott I’m speculating that either the surface pro has some yet unknown pci bridge or usb bridge or keyboard controller. That is getting in the way. Do you know of a way (other than lspci) to identify/list unknown hardware?

[Tom Elliott]

@george1421 lshw lsusb lspci dmesg

Personally, dmesg will probably be of more use as even if the kernel doesn’t have drivers we should see the device in the list on load up.

[jhuesser]

Btw, could succesfully up- and download an image for SP4!

[Sebastian Roth]

@jhuesser Great to hear! Would be awesome if you could provide the information Tom asked as well.

[Wayne Workman]

@jhuesser Can you summarize exactly what is needed for the Surface Pro 4 please? This thread is really, really long - and we need a summary that is reproducible and clear.

[Quazz]

From what I gather:

Not working: keyboard in FOS engine, NIC in debug mode?

Working: iPXE menu, capture/deploy

Needed: has_usb_nic=1 kernel parameter. intel7156.efi or realtek7156.efi (or other 7156 ipxe bootfile depending on your USB NIC)

Please add/modify as needed.

[jhuesser]

Here are the steps wich resolved the issues:

@jhuesser said in Several problems with Surface Pro 4:

• If i select an entry the display just goes dark, nothing happens

Use intel7156.efi

• If i select Boot from harddisk REFIND_EFI starts, i need to press a key and then windows tries to boot but get stuck at the windows logo. (no problem if i boot without pxe)

Use intel7156.efi

• If a task is assigned it get stuck at

bzImage... ok
init.xz... ok

Use intel7156.efi

• Perform Full Host Registration and Inventory & Quick registration doesn’t work (Select menu entry -> screen goes dark; Quick registration -> chainload failed).

manually add the host and add has_usb_nic=1 to the host settings. (also for dhcp error in FOS)

@jhuesser said in Several problems with Surface Pro 4:

@george1421 It doesn’t recognize the keyboard at this point. (…)

Use an USB-Keyboard with an USB-Hub

@Sebastian-Roth Am I right, if i used the USB keyboard at the beginning, there is no need to modify the initrd to remove the keyboard interaction?

@Tom-Elliott said in Several problems with Surface Pro 4:

@george1421 lshw lsusb lspci dmesg

Personally, dmesg will probably be of more use as even if the kernel doesn’t have drivers we should see the device in the list on load up.

Should i execute dmesg on a ubuntu bootet on the SP4 or in the FOS Engine?

[Quazz]

@jhuesser So the NIC can get DHCP in debug_mode now?

Am I right, if i used the USB keyboard at the beginning, there is no need to modify the initrd to remove the keyboard interaction?

Yes

Should i execute dmesg on a ubuntu bootet on the SP4 or in the FOS Engine?

I think either works, but likely more convenient to boot ubuntu to transfer the output. Make sure the keyboard dock is connected on boot so the information is collected.

[jhuesser]

@Quazz Will do it tomorrow, right now the Surface is getting imaged, and it takes a bit long (old USB HUB)

[Sebastian Roth]

@jhuesser said:

Should i execute dmesg on a ubuntu bootet on the SP4 or in the FOS Engine?

Both will give us some good information although I think that running those on the FOG system would give us a better idea what works and what not.

[jdd49]

@Tom-Elliott
Not sure if you got the keyboard issue figured out or what drivers / patches you added, but I have successfully used this in the past for SP4
https://github.com/cransom/surface-pro-3-nixos/blob/master/multitouch.patch

[Tom Elliott]

@jdd49 I’ve saved this on my bookmarks list and updated the kernels to have the reflected patch changes within the current 4.7.1 kernels.

Thanks for posting.

[Wayne Workman]

#wiki worthy