Modernized updating for your Surface Dock
Published Sep 20 2019 08:26 AM 15.9K Views
Microsoft

The latest firmware for Surface Dock now runs automatically in the background and simplifies the process of keeping your Surface Dock up to date. For full details, refer to Microsoft Surface Dock Firmware Update. 

 

SurfaceDockRear.pngThe tool comes packaged as a separate .MSI file in Surface Tools for IT. Simply download and install the tool on your Surface device to automatically update your Surface dock.  And of course, the Windows Installer .MSI file can be deployed remotetly across multiple Surface devices.

 

It supersedes the earlier Surface Dock Updater tool, which has been retired, is no longer available for download, and should not be used. 

 

Surface Dock includes two high-definition video ports, a gigabit Ethernet port, four USB 3.0 ports, and an audio output, enabling users to transform their Surface device into a desktop PC. 

 

 

24 Comments
Microsoft
Hi John, Is this coming through Windows Updates as well? Or only via MSI?
Microsoft

It's currently only available via MSI. The intent is to make it available via Windows Update at some point but no details have been announced. Commercial customers who deploy updates across the corp environment would always need to use the latest version of this tool. 

Copper Contributor

So lets so I update a dock with this and then move my surface to another dock. How can to verify that the new dock has the current firmware?

 

Will HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WUDF\Services\SurfaceDockFwUpdate\Parameters change when I plug into a new dock?

 

"Requires Windows 10 Pro RS4 (version 1803) or later" PRO? You ship Surface Pro 6 (consumer) with Home, not to mention Surface Laptops, Go, etc. 

 

Why would you do this?

Microsoft

It just means that Surface devices have to have been updated to at least Win 10 version 1804 in order to run the update. I'll see if I can make that more clear. Thanks. 

John,

It clearly states PRO is required, version 1803 or later

 

"Requires Windows 10 Pro RS4 (version 1803) or later" - I do not think a 1804 was ever released. And you clearly use the words Windows Pro. It either requires Pro or it doesn't. And what about devices running Windows "S"?

Microsoft

Sorry I mistyped. I meant to say version 1803 as the article states. Thanks for your feedback. It's now rephrased as: Requires Surface devices running at least Windows 10 version 1803 or later. 

What about Windows S? Does this msi work on "S" or not?

So that it's clear, - as long as you have 1803 or later on any sku - Home, Pro, Enterprise, S - (and obviously not LTSB as it's not supported at all on Surface devices) you are clear to install this updating tool, correct?

Now that I think about it... prob not S as S is store only, not msi.  Correct?  If I'm on the right track will there be plans to include a version for S (again if I'm on the right track)

Copper Contributor
Why does the documentation say the version number is now 1.42 or is it just a documentation typo? If its not a typo why is there a need to make the version confusion. Back to 1.4 when the previous version was 2.2? Especially given the components use aski numbers and not human readable versions its sometimes hard to know what version is already on a machine.
Microsoft

The version number -- 1.42 -- listed in the documentation is correct and reflects the fact this is an entirely new tool rather than simply a revision of the old Updater tool.  The legacy version info remains as a reference at this time but could be removed if it's generating confusion.  Thanks for the feedback!

Copper Contributor
Its not necessarily that the legacy data should be removed as its still good to have the release notes but it should have a much clearer notification that the delivery tool is being replaces but the firmware still uses the same release notes. While I welcome the ability to push this via SCCM as an MSI see this github chatter (https://github.com/MicrosoftDocs/windows-itpro-docs/issues/3398) what was done with the versioning was unnecessarily complicated. Would have made more sense to call it V3.XX so the version number is still going forward but shows a major jump.
Copper Contributor

Are there any actual changes / fixes in this Surface Dock Firmware Update 1.42.139? 

Microsoft
Few questions I have confirmed: o The firmware (MSI) is only installable on Windows 10 1803 and beyond (any edition). o In Windows 10 S mode, the previous tool didn’t work and it this one won’t since it’s a MSI package (no executables were able to run). o If a Dock is updated with the MSI package, and then another Dock is connected to the same Surface device, in Registry Editor will show the information from the last Dock connected. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WUDF\Services\SurfaceDockFwUpdate\Parameters o If the Dock was updated with the Surface Dock Updater Tool before, there’s no need to install the MSI since there’s no changes on the “MSI firmware update”. o It is planned to release this update through Windows Update (no expected time).
Copper Contributor

I wish the dock had HDMI and USB C.

 

Lame

Copper Contributor

I have a few questions:

 

Is there an easier way to check if a Dock has the current firmware than going into the registry editor? We deploy hundreds of Surface Pros with docks in our organization.

 

The instructions on https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/surface-dock-firmware-update are incorrect. It says to Click Start > All Apps > Microsoft Surface Dock Updater however it's not there. Perhaps I am missing something?

 

When a newer version of Dock firmware is released, will this tool automatically update itself or do we need to manually get a newer version of this tool?

 

For logs, the instructions say the Surface Dock Firmware Update log is here: /l*v %windir%\logs\ SurfaceDockFWI.log but there is no such file. This looks like something that needs to be added to the command line for Windows Installer commands (Msiexec.exe). This should be clarified.

 

Thanks!

Copper Contributor

I don't see the Start > All Apps > Microsoft Surface Dock Updater entry in the start menu anywhere either...

 

Also, I'm using the Dock as a home user...no "enterprise" link here...

 

Dwayne

 

Microsoft

Yes, I don't see that entry in the Start menu either. It was a requirement in the previous version. I'll confirm but I believe that now you just need to install the MSI and then connect the dock to initiate the update. 

Bronze Contributor

I'm re-posting @Mendioroz 's helpful information with correct formatting to make it a little easier to read for everyone:

 

  • The firmware (MSI) is only installable on Windows 10 1803 and beyond (any edition).
  • In Windows 10 S mode, the previous tool didn’t work and it this one won’t since it’s a MSI package (no executables were able to run).
  • If a Dock is updated with the MSI package, and then another Dock is connected to the same Surface device, in Registry Editor will show the information from the last Dock connected. 
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WUDF\Services\SurfaceDockFwUpdate\Parameters
  • If the Dock was updated with the Surface Dock Updater Tool before, there’s no need to install the MSI since there’s no changes on the “MSI firmware update”.
  • It is planned to release this update through Windows Update (no expected time).

I will also confirm that nothing appears in the Start menu when you install this new update and that it silently performs the update in the background when you connect a Surface Hub.

Brass Contributor

I've tried adding the log file command (/l*v %windir%\logs\ SurfaceDockFWI.log) to the msiexec script in many different recommended ways and it fails to initiate. Has anyone got it working? 

 

Thanks

 

Mike

Copper Contributor

Hopefully someone knows the answer to these questions.

 

*We deploy the Surface Platform Installers to our Surface devices in our enterprise.*

 

1. Is this MSI REQUIRED to be installed on ALL Surface devices that connect to a dock in order to update the dock firmware?

2. Do we also to deploy this Surface Dock Firmware Updater even if we already deploy the Surface Platform Installer(s)?

3. Doesn't the Surface Platform Installer also install the Surface Dock firmware (if required)? I know is has in the past. Has this changed?

Microsoft

Hi @MSD_GUY ,

 

For your questions:

 

1: Yes.

2: Yes.

3: No, Yes.

 

Here's how to deploy dock updater:

 

Network deployment

You can use Windows Installer commands (Msiexec.exe) to deploy Surface Dock Firmware Update to multiple devices across your network. When using Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager or other deployment tool, enter the following syntax to ensure the installation is silent:

  • Msiexec.exe /i <path to msi file> /quiet /norestart

    For example:

    msiexec /i "\\share\folder\Surface_Dock_FwUpdate_1.42.139_Win10_17134_19.084.31680_0.msi" /quiet /norestart
    

     Note

    A log file is not created by default. In order to create a log file, you will need to append "/lv [path]". For example: Msiexec.exe /i <path to msi file> /lv %windir%\logs\ SurfaceDockFWI.log"

    For more information, refer to Command line options documentation.

  • As well you can use any other alternative to deploy the msi to all hosts.

 

Once msi has been installed on the host, it will keep the Dock1 up to date, the installation will be done by regular use (plug/unplug), the download/installation, will happen in the background.

 

Note: New Dock 2 firmware updates, I understand it will come through Windows Updates (settings).

Iron Contributor

"Modernized" :cryingwithlaughter:

Version history
Last update:
‎Sep 20 2019 09:59 AM
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