Surface Pro 4 - Screen won't wake from sleep

This issue is caused by a Surface Pro 4 display driver timeout error when waking up from sleep. 

This makes Surface Pro 4 one of the most unreliable Windows 10 machine out in the market today. 

The typical answer given by Microsoft Tech support is to hold the power (and volume up) button for 20 seconds and force reboot which is ridiculous!

If anyone from Microsoft Surface team is reading this, please fix this.**A tablet (a tablet that can replace your laptop) should not fail to wake up 30-40% of time!!**This makes it completely useless and unreliable for its intended use as a tablet and for note taking.

I have spend countless hours troubleshooting this (using WinDbg tool) and this is the error from the crash dump file: 

VIDEO_TDR_TIMEOUT_DETECTED (117)

The display driver failed to respond in timely fashion.

Arguments:

Arg1: ffffe00102988010, Optional pointer to internal TDR recovery context (TDR_RECOVERY_CONTEXT).

Arg2: fffff80118d86770, The pointer into responsible device driver module (e.g owner tag).

Arg3: 0000000000000000, The secondary driver specific bucketing key.

Arg4: 0000000000000160, Optional internal context dependent data.

NOTE : For those hopeful souls, I would like to let you know that this issue is not fixed with the latest Windows 10 TH2 (November, 2015) update either.

First, try a two button restart:

Step 1: Press and hold the power button on your Surface for 30 seconds.

Step 2: After Surface turns off, press and hold volume-up button and the power button on your Surface at the same time for at least 15 seconds, and then release both. 

        The screen may flash the Surface logo, but continue holding the buttons down for at least 15 seconds.

Step 3: After you release the buttons, wait 10 seconds.

Step 4: Press and release the power button again to turn your Surface back on.

Next, after your Surface turns back on, check for Windows Updates:

Step 1: Go to Start and select Settings > Update & security > Windows Update.

**Step 2:**Select Check for updates. Install any available updates.

**Step 3:**If prompted, select Restart now.

For details on Surface updates, please check the Surface update history page.

This is in response to Barb Bowman's reply to ViperMan60's post on October 31, 2015. 

Barb, your response, as a consumer, concerns me.  Just so you know, I had the first generation Surface Pro and absolutely loved it.  Now, I do agree with the most common complaints about the device - weight and battery life.  But, the performance of the Surface, for me, outweighed those two downfalls.  And, I'd really love to have the new Surface 4 Pro.  But, your comment is telling me that you do not care that this person is having a legitimate problem and to just return the product. 

From what I have read, this problem isn't new with the Surface 4 - it has been a problem since the Surface 3.  What I would have liked to see from you is something like "sorry for any inconvenience" and "this is a known problem that we have not found a solution for as yet".   Or, "please exchange it as this should not be happening on your device".  Instead, no explanation, just "exchange it or return it". 

What kind of customer service is that?  I work in the IT field, and I know that you cannot please everyone.  But, you didn't even try.  I just received a Microsoft Band 2 as an early Christmas gift.  And, I was planning on buying the new Lumia 950 when it's released.  But, I have to tell you, I may be looking elsewhere and may return my Microsoft Band 2.  If I have a legitimate problem with my Band, will you tell me to just exchange it or return it, instead of trying to resolve the issue and satisfying a customer?

I was a big supporter of Microsoft...but not so much now...

Very concerned consumer...

Had it happen to me the first day.  I  love the device, just wish they would fix it.  Happened on my wife's surface 3 too. 

How can this be your only computer if it locks up.

Thankfully still have my Samsung tablet to find how to reset the Surface pro 4 online.