Microsoft Surface Book 2
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.
Contents
Compatibility
The laptop works surprisingly well with Arch Linux, but requires a kernel with modules and updated drivers, available on Github or in an AUR package, linux-surface4AUR.
What works?
- Touchscreen
- Requires kernel with modules/drivers in link above.
- Pen Input
- Requires kernel with modules/drivers in link above.
- 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:
- Shut down your Surface and wait about 10 seconds to be sure it is off.
- Press and hold the volume-up button on your Surface, and, at the same time, press and release the power button.
- 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[broken link: invalid section] on how to change them.