If your Surface isn’t working correctly, the Microsoft Surface Diagnostic Toolkit (SDT) for Business can help you or your administrator find and solve problems. SDT for Business lets you quickly investigate, troubleshoot, and resolve hardware, software, and firmware issues with Surface devices — across your network.
Note
Surface Diagnostic Toolkit for Business is built for commercial devices. If your device is a personal device and not managed by your work or school run the Surface Diagnostic Toolkit instead.
To run Surface Diagnostic Toolkit for Business, download the components listed in the following table.
Mode
Primary scenarios
Download
Learn more
Desktop mode
Assist users in running SDT on their Surface devices to troubleshoot issues. Create a custom package to deploy on one or more Surface devices allowing users to select specific logs to collect and analyze.
SDT distributable MSI package: Microsoft Surface Diagnostic Toolkit for Business Installer Surface Tools for IT
Directly troubleshoot Surface devices remotely without user interaction, using standard tools such as Configuration Manager. It includes the following commands: -DataCollector collects all log files -bpa runs health diagnostics using Best Practice Analyzer. -windowsupdate checks Windows Update for missing firmware or driver updates. -warranty checks warranty information.
For Intel/AMD devices, download: Surface_Diagnostic_Toolkit_for_Business_v2.193.139.0.msi.
For ARM devices, download: Surface_Diagnostic_Toolkit_for_Business_v2.193.139.0_x86.msi.
Copy the .msi file to a preferred location on your Surface device, such as Desktop.The SDT setup wizard appears, as shown in Figure 1. Select Next.
Note
If the setup wizard does not appear, ensure that you are signed into the Administrator account on your computer.
Figure 1. Surface Diagnostic Toolkit setup wizard
When the SDT setup wizard appears, select Next, and accept the End User License Agreement (EULA).
On the Install Options screen, change the default install location if desired.
Under Setup Type, select Advanced.
Note
The standard option allows users to run the diagnostic tool directly on their Surface device, provided they are signed into their device using an Administrator account.
Select Next, and then select Install.
Installing using the command line
If desired, you can install SDT at a command prompt and set a custom flag to install the tool in admin mode. SDT contains the following install option flags:
SENDTELEMETRY sends telemetry data to Microsoft. The flag accepts 0 for disabled or 1 for enabled. The default value is 1 to send telemetry.
ADMINMODE configures the tool to be installed in admin mode. The flag accepts 0 for client mode or 1 for IT Administrator mode. The default value is 0.
To install SDT from the command line
Open a command prompt and enter:
Console
msiexec.exe /i <the path of installer> ADMINMODE=1.
Both SDT and the SDT app console are installed at C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Surface\Microsoft Surface Diagnostic Toolkit for Business.
In addition to the .exe file, SDT installs a JSON file and an admin.dll file (modules\admin.dll), as shown in Figure 2.
Figure 2. Files installed by SDT
Preparing the SDT package for distribution
Creating a custom package allows you to target the tool to specific known issues.
Select Start > Run, enter Surface, and then select Surface Diagnostic Toolkit for Business.
When the tool opens, select Create Custom Package, as shown in Figure 3.
Figure 3. Create custom package
Language and telemetry settings
When creating a package, you can select language settings or opt out of sending telemetry information to Microsoft. By default, SDT sends telemetry to Microsoft to improve the application per the Microsoft Privacy Statement. If you wish to decline, clear the check box when creating a custom package, as shown below. Or clear the Send telemetry to Microsoft check box on the Install Options page during SDT Setup.
Note
This setting does not affect the minimal telemetry automatically stored on Microsoft servers when running tests and repairs that require an Internet connection, such as Windows Update and Software repair, or providing feedback using the Smile or Frown buttons in the app toolbar.
Figure 4. Select language and telemetry settings
Windows Update page
Select the option appropriate for your organization. Most organizations with multiple users will typically select to receive updates via Windows Server Update Services (WSUS), as shown in Figure 5. If using local Windows Update packages or WSUS, enter the path as appropriate.
Figure 5. Windows Update option
Software repair page
This allows you to select or remove the option to run software repair updates.
Figure 6. Software repair option
Collecting logs and saving package page
You can select to run a wide range of logs across applications, drivers, hardware, and the operating system. Select the appropriate area, and select from the menu of available logs. You can then save the package to a software distribution point or equivalent location that users can access.
Learn about Microsoft Surace IT Toolkit, configuring the SDT toolkit, the SDT toolkit for Business, the Surface data eraser, the Surface Recovery Tool, the Surface Battery Limit settings, and more.
Plan and execute an endpoint deployment strategy, using essential elements of modern management, co-management approaches, and Microsoft Intune integration.
Find Surface service & repair options for commercial devices, including warranty coverage, self-repair, and replacement services. Learn how to manage repairs efficiently with Microsoft support tools.
Discover how the Surface Support Portal offers Microsoft 365 Business customers a centralized solution for managing Surface devices, including warranty tracking, device repair requests, and Windows Autopilot registration.
Explore centralized solutions for IT admins to manage Surface devices at scale. Learn about the Surface Management Portal and Surface Support Portal, designed for efficient device monitoring, warranty management, and support requests.
Discover IT documentation for Microsoft Surface for Business and Surface Hub. Learn how to deploy, manage, and secure Surface devices in enterprise environments.
