Surface 2 is not charging, battery red X

Hi,

I had the same problem with my surface 2 straight out of the box about a week ago. After much forum research and frustration trying different options and advice including all the refresh options and updates I got Microsoft Technical Support to call me and they managed to fix the problem using the below steps (Surface only switched on when plugged in).

Go to the Desktop, press and hold on the start icon in bottom left until the square appears. Let go and select Device Manager. Under batteries press/hold on each battery driver until the box appears, let go then select uninstall.

Once the battery drivers are uninstalled hold down the power button and take the power lead out. The device switches off. Do not release the power button, keep it held down for 30 seconds and then put the power lead back in - don't let go of the power button until "Surface" appears on the screen.

For me, the above steps changed the message from "Battery not detected" to "Plugged in not charging". I was then told to repeat the above steps and the next time it powered up it started charging. 

Haven't had had any problems since this fix so would recommend trying it before sending back. Microsoft rep did say that this doesn't work for all devices, some have to be replaced but that for the people it did work for they have so far not had any complaints about the issue returning again.

goodluck!

Restarting did correct the issue. To do this you swipe in from the right, choose Settings, Power, Restart.

Update: As of Jan 2014, I still haven't seen this happen again since it did back in October 2012. It appears others in this conversation thread saw the problem recur after restarting, so perhaps they are seeing real battery failure and I was seeing only a temporary glitch.

I love the Surface RT; it's my favorite of the tablets I've had. (Surface RT, iPad 2, Nexus 7.)

Greetings Snoop,

Sorry to hear about your experience. Please try the following troubleshooting. If the issue persists, I'd suggest contacting the retailer you purchased your Surface 2 from and requesting an Exchange. You can also contact Surface Technical Support and request an Exchange.

**Surface Pro 2:**I bought a new power cord and when I plugged it in, I got the red X on my battery icon "no battery detected". So I tried several ways to fix this (PC updates, restarting, refreshing Windows, uninstalling/updating drivers, etc), and finally- this method worked!

Solution 4: Two-button shutdown (Surface Pro models and Surface Book only)

Important

Don’t use this process on Surface RT, Surface 2, or Surface 3.

Use this two-button shutdown process to ensure that your Surface is turned off completely. Here’s how:

If two-button shutdown doesn’t help, contact us.

Hi OLed1, 

Thanks for posting in the community. If the steps here  can not address your issue, please reach out to our assisted support for further assistance.

Kind regards,

Clare

Greetings Snoop,

Sorry to hear about your experience. Please try the following troubleshooting. If the issue persists, I'd suggest contacting the retailer you purchased your Surface 2 from and requesting an Exchange. You can also contact Surface Technical Support and request an Exchange.

The trouble shooting page helped as my issue was not having my Surface 2 updated. After installing all the Windows Updates, the Surface recognizes the battery and is now charging.

Hello HitkoKwok,

I understand that you are not able to view your battery icon on your Surface's notification bar. I'll help you with this.

We have a few steps which may address this issue. Please try the following. If one step does not work, try the next:

1. Install all updates
2. Reinstall associated drivers
3. Refresh your Surface
4. Contact our Assisted Support team

1. Install updates:

• Open Desktop
• Swipe from right and select Settings
• Control Panel
• Click on Windows Update
• Select Check for Updates
• Restart your Surface. Check for updates again.

2. Reinstall associated drivers:

• In Device Manager, look for anything that has an attention icon.
• Click on these items.
• Choose the Driver tab.
• Choose to uninstall the driver (DO NOT DELETE)
• Restart your Surface

3. Refresh your Surface: This guide has a full description of how to do this.
4. Contact our Assisted Support: Use this link to contact them.

Please let us know if any of these steps works for you. We appreciate your participation in the Community.

Best Wishes,

Zack_T

Hi Everyone - The following may help resolve "red X over battery" or "plugged in, not charging".

If your Surface 2 turns off immediately when you remove the power supply the battery may not be detected or will not charge.  The October 14, 2014 update for Surface 2 addresses a case when the battery drains to 0% and will not charge.  Please follow the steps below to apply the latest Windows Updates depending on the scenario you experience:

If you see:

A red X over the battery status icon in the Windows taskbar then use the instructions below:

1. Install the latest Windows Updates, particularly the “System Firmware Update – 10/14/2014” using instructions here.

2. After the Windows Updates are installed Surface should restart.

3. Hovering over the battery status icon in the Windows taskbar should show a status of “plugged in, charging”.

4. Let Surface charge to 50% and then restart Surface (not Shutdown) to complete the installation of the update.

If you see:

A power plug next to the battery status icon in the Windows taskbar, but the battery is not charging.  Hovering over the battery status icon in the Windows taskbar will show a status of “plugged in, not charging”.  Use the instructions below to uninstall the battery and install the latest Windows Updates, particularly the “System Firmware Update – 10/14/2014”:

1. Make sure the power supply is connected and the LED light on the connector is lit.

2. Swipe in from the right, and tap or click Settings. (If you're using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer down, and then click Settings.)

3. Tap or click Control Panel.

4. Next, do one of the following:

  a.  If Control Panel is set up to show categories, tap or click Hardware and Sound. Then, under Devices and Printers, tap or click Device Manager.

  b.  If Control Panel is set up to show icons, click Device Manager.

5. Tap or click the expansion arrow for the Batteries node.

6. Press and hold (or right-click) on the Microsoft ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery.

7. Tap or click Uninstall.

8. Install Windows Updates, particularly the “System Firmware Update – 10/14/2014” using the information found here.

9. After the Windows Updates are installed Surface should restart and the battery will be automatically reinstalled.

10. Hovering over the battery status icon in the Windows taskbar should show a status of “plugged in, charging”.

11. Let Surface charge to 50% and then restart Surface (not Shutdown) to complete the installation of the update.

Let us know,

Josh_F

Hi Dirk van Wijck,

Thank you for the reply. We suggest contacting our assisted support for further assistance.

Let us know if you have other questions or concerns in the future.

Best Regards,

Clare

Hello ice2strong,

Thank you for posting to the Microsoft Community. I understand the frustration an issue such as what you've experienced can cause. Rest assured we are here to help.

I did gather some troubleshooting steps that I would like to share with you and try to see if it solves your issue.

Steps:

• Before you begin
• Solution 1: Remove and reconnect the power supply
• Solution 2: Check the battery charging status
• Solution 3: Change the power connector orientation (Surface Pro 3 only)
• Solution 4: Install Surface and Windows updates
• Solution 5: Restart Surface
• Solution 6: Shut down and charge Surface
• Solution 7: Two-button shutdown (Surface Pro models only)

If after trying the steps and the issue still persist, I would suggest contacting the store where you made the purchase for a replacement or reach out to support for further assistance.

Depending on what is most convenient for you, you can: 

1. Open a service request yourself, using our Online Service Center, or
2. Contact our Technical Support Team here.

Please try the steps above and please do keep us updated.

Thanks Zack, and I mean that sincerely. And I guess I'm venting frustration and disappointment.

But unfortunately with my time scales on getting assignments in I haven't got time to iron things out, I'm a mature student studying History and Archaeology, so it's difficult enough without adding IT problem solving to the mix :-) If I'm late with work, IT problems do not count as a reason for being late on work.

I've got to say, it was a wonderful device (when I tried it plugged in) and if I'd had time to sort things out then I'd certainly have kept it, or even looked at upgrading to the Pro for MS-Access which is not on the RT it seems. But I've spoke to the help desk and they're taking it back as it's within 14 days of purchase.

Hello drdhruvjain,

I'm sorry to hear that you battery is displaying as not detected on your Surface 2. We're here to help you wtih this.

We would like you to shutdown your Surface by swiping from the right, choosing settings, clicking on the power icon, and selecting Shutdown. After the device is fully turned off, please let it charge for several hours before turning it back on and trying again.

When you turn it back on, if the battery is detected, please install all updates through Control Panel. Here's how:

• Open Desktop
• Swipe from right and select Settings
• Choose Control Panel
• Click on Windows Update
• Select Check for Updates

If the battery still is not detected after charging for some time, we ask you to reach out to our Technical Support team. They are available here.

Please get back to us and let us know how it goes.

Best Wishes,

Zack_T

Hi JudyHS,

Thank for posting in the Microsoft Community! We value the time you have taken to visit and consult this issue with us. I understand that have been having a few issues with your Surface 2 including having a hard time applying the updates, some battery draining and the clock not updating. I can certainly see why you this is concerning to you, taking into consideration this is a new device. Please know I will do my best to guide you in the right direction and improve your experience!

In this case, it sounds like you were able to troubleshoot and fix most of the problems except for the clock. I truly appreciate all the research you’ve done and steps that you have taken, and I will go ahead and help you troubleshoot further.

Please check the following:

• Does a full shut down and start allow the clock to return to accurate local time?  Have you tried adjusting the time manually as TKsurface suggests?
• Swipe for Charms> Settings> Change PC settings> Time and language> Date and time> Set time automatically> Off
• What happens if you do not set the time to set automatically?  Does your manual correction of the time stay set?
• Do you use any other Windows 8.1 devices with the Microsoft account associated to Surface?
• Try un-syncing the OneDrive settings: Swipe for Charms> Settings> Change PC settings> OneDrive> Sync settings> Sync your settings on this PC> Off.
• As a last step, please make sure that you have checked the box next to: "Synchronize with an Internet time server". Here is how:

1. From the Desktop menu select the time and date at the bottom right corner.
2. Tap on Change date and time settings...
3. Select the "Internet Time" tab.
4. Select Change Settings.
5. Check the box next to "Synchronize with an Internet time server".
6. Select Update now.
7. Then select OK and OK.
8. You can also try a different server by synchronizing it with the time.nist.gov server (instead of time.windows.com) and then select****Update now.

Please let us know if these steps prove useful! Keep us posted!

We are always here to help!

Best Wishes,

Hello malcolmjonesPO,

Sorry to hear about the issue you are experiencing with your newly purchased Surface RT. 

At this point since you said you've everything as directed and still encountering the same issue, it does sound as though you may need to contact our support for further assistance. 

Depending on what is most convenient for you, you can: 

1. Open a service request yourself, using our Online Service Center, or
2. Contact our Technical Support Team here.

Please let us know if you have any further questions.

Hi LinPope & ThomasQuintero,

Thank you for visiting and posting in the Microsoft Community! We appreciate the time you have taken to consult this doubt in our forums.  I understand you are unable to update your Surface Pro 3 since is not charging properly and for this reason, you keep receiving error code 8024004c. I can definitely see why you fell disappointed and frustrated, taking into consideration this is a new device. Please know I´ll do my best to assist and guide you in the right direction!

First of all, I would like to clarify that the 2 button restart (power/volume button combination) it is specific for the Surface Pro, Pro 2 and Pro 3, for this reason, it will not work on a Surface RT or Surface 2.

Nevertheless, please try the following:

Fully shutdown your Surface (or let the battery run until it is fully discharged), connect it to the power outlet and let it charge for a while (couple of hours minimum).

After, please try to download the update while the Surface is plugged to the power.

If after following the steps provided, the issue persists, please contact our Technical Support team for further help and options.

Depending on what is most convenient for you, you can:

1. Open a service request yourself, using our **Online Service Center**
2. Contact our Technical Support team**here**

We hope this information is useful. Keep us posted!

We are here to help!

Best Wishes,

Hello gloria_co,

Thank you for posting to the Community. I am sorry to hear about the troubles with Surface 2 not charging. I can only imagine the frustration. 

Please take a look at these suggested troubleshooting steps:

• **Solution 1: Remove and reconnect the power supply**
• **Solution 2: Check the battery charging status**
• **Solution 3: Change the power connector orientation (Surface Pro 3 only)**
• **Solution 4: Install Surface and Windows updates**
• **Solution 5: Restart Surface**
• **Solution 6: Shut down and charge Surface**

Further information about these solutions can be found here.

If that doesn't help go ahead and contact oursupport team.

I hope the information you'll find in the thread and the link provided will help quickly resolve your issue. Please do respond and let us know.

FOLLOW UP:

I know this is a common, pretty ridiculous glitch, so I thought I would share my results.

Instead of uninstalling the driver (it was the one of the two driver in device manager that had the long name, cannot remember exactly at the moment), I disabled it. Then restarted my Surface and it started to do 46 updates to be exact. When it was done and rebooted, it was finally charging. I then enabled the driver and can call this case closed. I hope this works for anything else who has this problem.

Hello Anne

Thank you for trying that.  Please contact Support.  They can be reached Here and Here.

Best regards

Hi John

I already have spoken to support and have a new coming soon.

Thanks for your help.

Anne

Hello Anne

Thank you for trying that.  Please contact Support.  They can be reached Here and Here.

Best regards

hi,

panic over it seems to working fine now, just thought I would update you!

cheers anyway,

mike

Hello Rnosa

Sorry to hear you are having issues with the battery indicator on your Surface RT.  Thank you for reaching out to us on this, this has got to be irritating not knowing how much battery capacity is left. 

When did this start happening?  What kind of troubleshooting have you tried already?

Have you tried updating or uninstalling the battery driver?

Desktop> Swipe for charms> settings> control panel> device manager> batteries

Have you considered a Refresh to reinstall the factory drivers and settings?

Let us know what is happening.

Best regards

Hello Arinder,

Sorry to hear about that. Please contact our support team here.

Please let us know if you have any other questions.

Thank you for posting.

Kind regards,