Is there any way to lock the power button on the Surface Pro?

Question

I'd like to know if there is any way to keep the power button on my Surface Pro 128 from activating the unit when it is in transit?

Also if the unit is accidentally turned on by a bump or something will it shut down by itself since no log in was attempted so it won't drain the battery?

Answer 1

If your power settings are set to shut down after x minutes, it will shut down if accidentally turned on.  If you deactivated the button how would you turn it back on?

Answer 2

Thanks for the reply,

I guess I'll create a power plan strictly for travel so I'm sure it won't stay on long if it should happen to get turned on in transit.

As for the button itself? I guess I didn't word it all that well? What I was hoping for was some kind of clip to cover the button so it could not be pressed. It's to bad a slide lock wasn't designed into the unit to prevent accidental booting. Almost like a write protect lock on SD cards etc..

Answer 3

I see, the only thing I can think of is maybe some tape, but I'd try a power plan with a 1 minute shut down and skip the tape unless it's a problem.   The only other thing that comes to mind would be to put some self adhesive velcro on either side of it and then stick the other part of the velcro over the switch when traveling and to just one of the side strips when using the Pro so you don't lose it. 

 It wouldn't at all suprise me to find that a slide switch to turn on a tablet form PC has been patented, but I remember way back when of people complaning that the slide switches on their HP calculators were too easy to accidently turn on so HP switched to using a button, so you can't win :).

Answer 4

I'm sure there are all sorts of patents out there so you may be correct about the slide switch. My idea was to leave the button as is but put a slide lock next to it so it could not be depressed. Again there is probably a patent for that too? Since I feel I am a creative person I made a clip out of Plexiglas to slide over the tablet which is beveled to prevent the switch from being depressed. I wish there was a way to insert an image here to show it. If there was I would have posted it a day or so ago so folks could see how I did it. What I did and anyone can do is take a 3" X 1 1/2" piece of thin (1/16") Plexiglas and heat it carefully with a thin flame torch from a distance. Once the plastic is pliable you can bend it to a 90 degree angle. Then you need something that is a little over 1/2" wide and heat the plastic again so it can again make just over a 90 degree bend that is spaced using the 1/2" piece as a gauge. A small vise can be used for the first bend but you need to be patient and careful on the final bend to get the spacing right and the angle correct. Just have enough Plexiglas and patience and it will work. I'm sure this sounds like a lot of work to some but being retired I have the time to play with such things. :-) When it's done it will look like an open binder clip but in no way act like a clamp, just a clip that easily slides over the unit without scratching it. The spacing between bends is the most critical and hardest thing to get right. I hope the info I left here helps anyone looking for a solution to the same issue. It will keep the power button from being pressed accidentally.            

Update:

I feel this post explains what I was trying to achieve so I will no longer have the email notification turned on should anyone reply. 04-17-13

Answer 5

nice.  I just thought about using a big plastic paper clip, the kind with the handles that can be folded back, to cover it but it sounds like you've got it nicely solved, just don't lose it ;).

Edit:

Binder clip is the name I couldn't remember :).