Microsoft Surface Book 2 - ArchWiki

# Microsoft Surface Book 2

From ArchWiki

Device | Status | Modules
Intel | Working | xf86-video-intel
Nvidia | Partially Working | nvidia or nvidia-dkms
Wireless | Working | mwifiex
Audio | Working | snd_hda_intel
Touchpad | Working | xf86-input-synaptics
Touchscreen | Working | intel_ipts
Camera | Not Working |
Card Reader | Working |
Bluetooth | Working | btusb
Battery Stats | Not Working |

This page contains instructions, tips, pointers, and links for installing and configuring Arch Linux on Microsoft Surface Book 2 devices.

## Compatibility

The laptop works surprisingly well with Arch Linux, but requires a customized kernel with updated drivers and modules, available on Github or in an AUR package, linux-surface4AUR.

### What works?

Note: Touchscreen only works in a Window Manager or Desktop Environment that has full support for it. It's recognized as a mouse click otherwise.

- Touchscreen
  - Requires customized kernel.
- Pen Input
  - Requires customized kernel.
- Removal of keyboard base
  - A few seconds slower in Linux than in Windows
  - May cause touchscreen to stop working until reboot
  - May cause issues with dedicated graphics (if equipped)
- Keyboard function and media keys, including volume and brightness adjustment of the keyboard and screen backlights.
- Wireless Networking
- Dedicated Nvidia graphics (If equipped)
  - With big caveats, detailed below.

### What doesn't work?

- Cameras
- Battery Stats
- Nvidia card is thermally throttled and the fan speed defaults to read-only zero keeping the throttle extremely low.

### Nvidia

The Nvidia 1050 and 1060 cards in the Surface Book 2 Performance Base are recognized by the kernel and supported by `nvidia` and `nvidia-dkms` drivers. However, when a load is put on the Nvidia graphics hardware, it immediately and severely throttles down to around 139MHz. The reason, as reported by `nvidia-smi`, is software thermal throttling. The cause is that, apparently, the fan cannot be controlled automatically, nor through `nvidia-smi` or `nvidia-settings`, even when the nvidia xorg `Coolbits` option is set to 8.

## UEFI Setup and Secure Boot

Follow The manufacturer's directions for accessing UEFI setup:

1. Shut down your Surface and wait about 10 seconds to be sure it is off.
2. Press and hold the volume-up button on your Surface, and, at the same time, press and release the power button.
3. When you see the Surface logo, release the volume-up button. The UEFI menu will appear within a few seconds.

Disabling Secure Boot is not necessary, but makes things easier.

## Booting

The information in Boot loaders applies here. refind-efi works well.

### Boot from USB

Booting from USB is possible by reordering boot devices in the UEFI setup.

## Graphics Drivers

The standard xf86-video-intel driver works with the Surface Book devices.

For devices equipped with dedicated Nvidia graphics, the nvidia driver supports the dedicated GPU.

## Console fonts

Because of the screen's resolution, the console font is barely readable - refer to Fonts#Console fonts on how to change them.

Category:

- Laptops