problems flashing BBC microbit with my new arm-64 Surface laptop

Question

I have an old Surface pro (at least 6 years old) and I use it to program the BBC Micro:bit version 2 with the latest Firmware. I also have just purchased a Surface laptop (snapdragon version), however I cannot download programs to the microbit, yes it is there in explorer and it webpage tells me that it is connected but alas when I attempt to perform a download the yellow LED flashes really slowly and not a lot else happens until the download gives up. I have these machines side by side using the same lead and same microbit, can you help?

 

Answer 1

Hello

It sounds like you’re encountering a compatibility issue with the new Surface Laptop (Snapdragon version) when trying to download programs to your BBC Micro:bit.

 

Check Windows S Mode: Ensure that your Surface Laptop is not running in Windows S Mode, which restricts installations to Microsoft Store apps only. You can switch out of S Mode by going to Settings > Update & Security > Activation and selecting “Switch to Windows 10/11 Home” or "Switch to Windows 10/11 Pro".

 

USB Compatibility: Verify that the USB cable you’re using is a data cable and not just a charging cable. Some cables only support charging and not data transfer.

 

Driver Updates: Make sure all drivers, especially USB drivers, are up to date on your Surface Laptop. You can check for updates in Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.

 

Firmware and Software: Ensure that the latest firmware and software for the BBC Micro:bit are installed. You can find the latest updates on the Micro:bit support page.

 

Compatibility Mode: Some programs may not run natively on ARM processors like the Snapdragon. Try running the program in compatibility mode by right-clicking the executable file, selecting Properties > Compatibility, and choosing an appropriate Windows version.

 

Antivirus Software: Temporarily disable any antivirus software to see if it is interfering with the download process.

 

If these steps don’t resolve the issue, you might want to try using a different computer to program the Micro:bit or reach out to Micro:bit support for more specific assistance.