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Microsoft delivers new batch of Surface firmware updates

For Patch Tuesday, Surface 2, Surface Pro, and Surface Pro 2 users get multiple keyboard, Bluetooth, and wireless network firmware updates.

Mary Jo Foley
Mary Jo Foley has covered the tech industry for 30 years for a variety of publications, including ZDNet, eWeek and Baseline. She is the author of Microsoft 2.0: How Microsoft plans to stay relevant in the post-Gates era (John Wiley & Sons, 2008). She also is the cohost of the "Windows Weekly" podcast on the TWiT network.
Mary Jo Foley
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It's Patch Tuesday, yet again. And as it often does, Microsoft is rolling out a number of Surface firmware updates as part of it.

There are no firmware updates for the ARM-based Surface RT this month, according to Microsoft's update history page. But the other three Surface devices are all getting numerous updates that users will see listed as "System Firmware Update - 3/11/2014" in their update histories on their devices.

All three are getting keyboard/cover updates, including a driver that supports the new Surface Power Covers that Microsoft will begin making available as of March 19. They also are getting various Bluetooth updates and Marvell AVASTAR wireless network updates.

For the second-generation ARM-based Surface 2, Microsoft is providing the following updates:

  • Surface 2 UEFI (v4.18.500) provides support for Surface Power Cover.
  • System Aggregator Firmware (v1.0.48500.0) provides support for Surface Power Cover.
  • Surface Platform Power Driver (v2.0.524.0) provides support for Surface Power Cover.
  • Surface Power Cover Firmware Update (v2.0.523.0) provides support for Surface Power Cover.
  • Surface Touch Cover 2 Firmware Update Device (v2.0.517.0) update improves multiple finger support on the touchpad.
  • Surface Type Cover 2 Firmware Update Device (v2.0.517.0) update improves multiple finger support on the touchpad.
  • Surface Home Button Driver (v2.0.281.0) resolves behavior where Surface would sometimes not wake from sleep.
  • Surface System Software Device (v5.0.498.0) includes stability and experience improvements.

For the first-generation Surface Pros, Microsoft is providing updates for users running both Windows 8.0 and 8.1.

On devices running 8.0, users will get these updates:

  • Surface Type Cover 2 Firmware Update Device (v1.0.317.0) update improves multiple finger support on the touchpad.
  • Surface Touch Cover 2 Firmware Update Device (v1.0.317.0) update improves multiple finger support on the touchpad.
  • Surface Power Cover Firmware Update (v1.0.323.0) provides support for Surface Power Cover.

On Surface Pros running 8.1, users will get these updates:

  • Marvell AVASTAR 350N Wireless Network Controller (v14.69.24052.168) resolves wireless network connectivity issues.
  • Marvell AVASTAR Wireless Composite Device (v14.69.24052.168) improves Miracast support.
  • Marvell AVASTAR Bluetooth® Radio Adapter (v14.69.24052.168) updated as part of a driver package that includes the Marvell Wireless Network Controller and Marvell Wireless Composite Device. There are no Bluetooth updates in this version of the driver.
  • Surface Type Cover 2 Firmware Update Device (v1.0.317.0) update improves multiple finger support on the touchpad.
  • Surface Touch Cover 2 Firmware Update Device (v1.0.317.0) update improves multiple finger support on the touchpad.
  • Surface Power Cover Firmware Update (v1.0.323.0) provides support for Surface Power Cover.

On second-generation Surface Pro 2s, which run Windows 8.1, Microsoft is making these firmware updates available today:

  • Surface Pro UEFI (v2.04.0450) improves experience when using BitLocker so that a Surface Cover can provide PIN input.
  • Surface Touch Cover 2 Firmware Update Device (v2.0.262.0) update improves multiple finger support on the touchpad.
  • Surface Type Cover 2 Firmware Update Device (v2.0.262.0) update improves multiple finger support on the touchpad.
  • Surface Power Cover Firmware Update Device (v2.0.268.0) provides support for Surface Power Cover.
  • Surface Cover Telemetry (v2.0.229.0) improves stability and experience for Surface Covers.
  • Marvell AVASTAR 350N Wireless Network Controller (v14.69.24052.168) resolves wireless network connectivity issues.
  • Marvell AVASTAR Wireless Composite Device (v14.69.24052.168) improves Miracast support.
  • Marvell AVASTAR Bluetooth ®Radio Adapter (v14.69.24052.168) updated as part of a driver package that includes the Marvell Wireless Network Controller and Marvell Wireless Composite Device. There are no Bluetooth updates in this version of the driver.
  • Intel(R) Display Audio (v6.16.00.3135) improves Miracast support.
  • Intel(R) HD Graphics Family (v10.18.10.3431) improves Miracast support and enables daisy chaining of monitors using DisplayPort 1.2.
  • Intel WiDi Audio Device (v4.5.44.0) improves Miracast support.

Microsoft makes its regular firmware updates available to Surface users via Windows Update. Users can opt to manually install the updates (instead of waiting for their devices to do so automatically) by following the instructions on the Surface history page.

This story originally appeared as "Microsoft rolls out multiple March firmware updates for its Surface tablets" on ZDNet.