Microsoft Surface RT (microsoft-surface-rt): Difference between revisions
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Unpack and flash a pre-built image to USB. | Unpack and flash a pre-built image to USB. | ||
https://postmarketos.org/ | https://images.postmarketos.org/bpo/edge/microsoft-surface-rt/ | ||
==== Installation on eMMC ==== | ==== Installation on eMMC ==== | ||
Install pmOS on USB firstly. Boot into it, connect to internet and perform: | Install pmOS on USB firstly. Boot into it, connect to internet and perform: | ||
<syntaxhighlight lang="shell-session"> | <syntaxhighlight lang="shell-session"> |
Revision as of 13:01, 18 May 2024
Released in 2012, the Surface RT was the first tablet and personal computer developed and manufactured by Microsoft. It ran on the extremely limited version of Windows, known as Windows RT 8, and that was its downfall, leading to eventual discontinuation in late 2013. Despite this, a community emerged to make the Surface RT more usable via jailbreaking and bypassing secure boot, allowing other armhf apps and even other Operating Systems such as postmarketOS to run.
![]() Surface RT running postmarketos-demos | |
Manufacturer | Microsoft |
---|---|
Name | Surface RT |
Codename | microsoft-surface-rt |
Released | 2012 |
Type | tablet |
Hardware | |
Chipset | Nvidia Tegra 3 (T30) |
CPU | 4x ARM Cortex-A9 @ 1300Mhz |
GPU | Nvidia GeForce ULP @ 420Mhz |
Display | 1366x768 IPS |
Storage | 32 / 64 GB |
Memory | 2 GB |
Architecture | armv7 |
Software | |
Original software | Windows RT |
Original version | 8 |
Extended version | 8.1 Update 3 |
postmarketOS | |
Category | community |
Pre-built images | yes |
Internal storage |
Works |
---|---|
SD card |
Works |
Battery |
Works |
Screen |
Works |
Touchscreen |
Works |
Keyboard |
Works |
Touchpad |
Works |
Multimedia | |
3D Acceleration |
Partial |
Audio |
Partial |
Camera |
Broken |
Connectivity | |
WiFi |
Works |
Bluetooth |
Broken |
Miscellaneous | |
FDE |
Works |
USB-A |
Works |
HDMI/DP |
Works |
Sensors | |
Accelerometer |
Works |
Magnetometer |
Works |
Ambient Light |
Works |
Hall Effect |
Works |
Haptics |
No data |
Primary Bootloader |
Partial |
---|---|
Secondary Bootloader |
Partial |
Mainline |
Works |
Internal Storage |
Works |
SD card |
Works |
USB Host |
No data |
USB Peripheral |
Works |
Display |
Works |
Keyboard |
Broken |
Buttons |
Works |
This device is based on the Tegra 3. See the SoC page for common tips, guides and troubleshooting steps |
NOTE: Deep suspend does not work on this device. |
How to boot from USB
Power on the device with
button pressed.Installation
Preparation
Enable test signing and install yahallo to disable secure boot.
See the instruction on OpenRT GitBook.
Note: Device can't boot from a SD card. Boot with a USB storage. |
Installation on USB storage
Unpack and flash a pre-built image to USB.
https://images.postmarketos.org/bpo/edge/microsoft-surface-rt/
Installation on eMMC
Install pmOS on USB firstly. Boot into it, connect to internet and perform:
$ sudo apk add pmbootstrap
$ pmbootstrap init # select "microsoft" vendor and "surface-rt" codename
$ pmbootstrap install --disk /dev/mmcblk0 --no-sshd # add --fde if you want FUll Disk Encryption
WiFi
The WiFi firmware will go to sleep and break after some time (12 hours or less) with driver log talking about command timeout. The WiFi interface (mlan0) will vanish and trying to unload and reload the driver will block forever at trying to unload it. So the only way to recover is to hard reset.
It seems this can be avoided by disabling power management on the WiFi device. With NetworkManager this is nmcli connection modify <SSID> 802-11-wireless.powersave disable
, otherwise iw dev mlan0 set power_save off
If this isn't enough, another thing to try is to disable and re-enable the WiFi device every so often through a cronjob:
>/etc/periodic/hourly/reset-wifi cat <<EOF
#!/bin/sh
ip link set mlan0 down
ip link set mlan0 up
EOF
chmod +x /etc/periodic/hourly/reset-wifi
service crond start
rc-update add crond default
Sound
All outputs (speakers, headphones, HDMI) work, but mics are not supported for now.
U-Boot
APX booting can be performed using generic Nvidia Tegra armv7 device port.
Users owning this device
- Arnavion
- Chaosleo07
- CrackTheSurface
- Dilletant (Notes: owns two on Kali)
- InterstellarTaurus
- Jenneron
- Jja2000 (Notes: Hopeful on a GPU driver)
- Little-miss-synth
- LogicalErzor
- Lotigara (Notes: Broken eMMC, so can't boot without RCM)
- Neko (Notes: 64GB Model with spicy pillow and WinRT (might switch to pmOS) - 32GB Model with Win10/Raspbian)
- Plasma bsun
- Retrocountry (Notes: Running PostmarketOS!)
- Russanandres (Notes: Moved To Raspbian)
- Veast (Notes: Currently running PostmarketOS!!!)
- Wangxiaohu (Notes: running Raspbian now for more package selection)