I complained about Apple in my last post so I suppose it is only fair that I now address issues with Microsoft.
Before I start, I want to make it clear that I really like my Surface Pro 4. The only slight hesitation I might have is whether or not I should have bought the Surface Book.
My SP4 is light and small, yet still a powerful PC. I use it as a tablet, laptop and as a desktop when connected to the Dock and keyboard. I really like having a touch screen, issuing voice commands to Cortana and I am almost unable to do without the sign in via face recognition.
The thing I use least is the pen, but I hand write my sticky notes just so I can say that I use every feature.
So it pains me a little to complain. However two recent problems were annoying particularly as they were associated with updates.
About a month ago, Cortana started having issues with opening programs / applications. Everything else seemed to work OK, but instead of opening an app or program, it diverted to a Bing search. This problem occurred with both traditional programs and the new store apps, even apps like Mail that come with the OS.
I tried the on-line suggestions including installing chrome with Google search as the default browser, all to no avail. Even after a “Reset this PC” the problem persisted until one day I noticed that it needed a re-boot to finish installing one of those big system updates. I recalled the the problem started following a previous similar update. So, after the re-start and with some trepidation, I said, “Hey Cortana – open Excel” and she was back to her old helpful self.
I can’t say for certain that updates caused this but I was using the computer normally when it started after an update and it fixed itself following a later update.
The second problem occurred recently and there are plenty of reports on line linking it to an update. The Widows Hello log in via face recognition just stopped working with the following notification: “Couldn’t turn on the camera. Please sign in with your PIN.”
Then to make matters worse, “Sign In” options in All Settings / Accounts was showing : “Windows Hello isn’t available on this device”.
Once again, I tried the various remedies like updating drivers, but when nothing worked, I again resorted to “Reset this PC”. This time it worked and the problem was fixed. BUT, after going to all this trouble, I read this https://www.thurrott.com/mobile/microsoft-surface/132340/microsoft-fixes-windows-hello-issue-surface-pro-4
GRRR! It is not that a “Reset this PC” is an onerous task, but it still takes time with a slow internet to re-install programs like Office 365. Even some store Apps like “Photo Shop Elements” are large time consuming downloads.
This time, when I got it all set up, I imaged the drive using the tool that can still be found under Control Panel / File History/ System Image Back Up. Restoring from an image like this only takes a few minutes as opposed to “hours” to download and re-install the various programs.
I note that Paul Thurrott said on Windows Weekly that this tool is being “deprecated” but I hope it hangs around long enough until we get the NBN so that a fast internet solves the problems I currently have with downloading and re-installing programs after a re-set.
But “all’s well that ends well” and Cortana “obeys” me and my computer signs me in after “seeing” me and I don’t have to go to all that “trouble” to type my PIN!!!
