Microsoft Surface Diagnostic Toolkit

Find out how you can use the Microsoft Surface Diagnostic Toolkit to test the hardware of your Surface device.

The Microsoft Surface Diagnostic Toolkit is a small, portable diagnostic tool that runs through a suite of tests to diagnose the hardware of Surface devices. The Microsoft Surface Diagnostic Toolkit executable file is less than 3 MB, which allows it to be distributed through email. It does not require installation, so it can be run directly from a USB stick or over the network. The Microsoft Surface Diagnostic Toolkit walks you through several tests of individual components including the touchscreen, cameras, and sensors.

Note
A Surface device must boot into Windows to run the Microsoft Surface Diagnostic Toolkit. The Microsoft Surface Diagnostic Toolkit will run only on the following Surface devices:

•Surface Book

•Surface Pro 4

•Surface 3 LTE

•Surface 3

•Surface Pro 3

•Surface Pro 2

•Surface Pro


Note
Security software and built-in security measures in many email applications and services will block executable files that are transferred through email. To email the Surface Diagnostic Toolkit, attach the .zip archive file as downloaded from the Surface Tools for IT page without extracting it first. You can also create a custom .zip archive that contains the .exe file. (For example, if you want to localize the text as described in the Localization section of this article.)


Running the Microsoft Surface Diagnostic Toolkit is a hands-on activity. The test sequence includes several tests that require you to perform actions or observe the outcome of the test, and then click the applicable Pass or Fail button. Some tests require connectivity to external devices, like an external display. Other tests use the built in Windows troubleshooters. At the end of testing, a visual report of the test results is displayed and you are given the option to save a log file or copy the results to the clipboard.

To run a full set of tests with the Microsoft Surface Diagnostic Toolkit, you should be prepared with the following items:

•An external display with the appropriate HDMI or DisplayPort connection

•A Bluetooth device that can be put into pairing mode

•A MicroSD or SD card that is compatible with your Surface device

•A Surface Pen

•Room to move the Surface device around

•External speakers or headphones

Note
The Microsoft Surface Diagnostic Toolkit tests verify only the hardware of a Surface device and do not test or resolve issues with the operating system or software.


The tests

The Microsoft Surface Diagnostic Toolkit runs several individual tests on a Surface device. Not all tests are applicable to every device. For example, the Home button test is not applicable to Surface Pro 4 where there is no Home button. You can specify which tests to run, or you can choose to run all tests. For tests that require external devices (such as testing output to an external display) but you do not have the required external device at the time of the test, you are given the option to skip the test. If a test fails, you are prompted to continue or stop testing at that time.

Windows Update

This test checks for any outstanding Windows updates and will prompt you to install those updates before you proceed to other tests. It is important to keep a Surface device up to date with the latest Windows updates, including drivers and firmware for the Surface device. The success of some of the tests that are performed later in the task sequence depend on these updated drivers and firmware. You will be prompted to restart the device if required by Windows Update. If you must restart the device, you will need to start the Microsoft Surface Diagnostic Toolkit again.

Device information

This test reads the Device ID and serial number in addition to basic system information such as device model, operating system version, processor, memory, and storage. The Device ID is recorded in the name of the log file and can be used to identify a log file for a specific device. Several system log files are also collected, including update and rollback logs, and output from several Windows built-in tools, such as DirectX Diagnostics and System Information, power configuration, disk health, and event logs. See the following list for a full set of collected log files:

Code:

Output of Get-WindowsUpdateLog if the operating system is Windows 10
%windir%\Logs

%windir%\Panther

%windir%\System32\sysprep\Panther

%windir%\System32\WinEvt\Logs

$windows.~bt\Sources\Panther

 $windows.~bt\Sources\Rollback 

%windir%\System32\WinEvt\Logs

Output of dxdiag.exe /t

Output of msinfo32.exe /report 

Output of powercfg.exe /batteryreport

Output of powercfg.exe /sleepstudy

Output of wevtutil.exe epl System

 Events from: 

Chkdsk
Microsoft-Windows-Ntfs
Microsoft-Windows-WER-SystemErrorReporting
Microsoft-Windows-Startuprepair
Microsoft-Windows-kernel-Power

Output of powercfg.exe /q

Output of powercfg.exe /qh

%windir%\Inf\SetupApi*.log

These files and logs are stored in a .zip file saved by the Microsoft Surface Diagnostic Toolkit when all selected tests have completed alongside the Microsoft Surface Diagnostic Toolkit log file.

Source and more: Microsoft Surface Diagnostic Toolkit (Windows)

   Tip

See tutorial: How to Use Microsoft Surface Diagnostic Toolkit in Windows 8.1 and Windows 10

Posted By: Cluster Head
29 Apr 2016