How to Configure Microsoft Surface Book 3 BIOS Settings?

Update on 31/05/2023

Understanding how to adjust the BIOS settings on your Microsoft Surface Book 3 can allow you to customize its performance and functionality. But what does adjusting these settings involve and why is it important?

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Introduction to BIOS and Microsoft Surface Book 3

The Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) is a crucial component of any PC, including your Surface Book 3. It ensures the smooth interaction between your device’s hardware and software. Now, you might be wondering, what does this have to do with your Microsoft Surface Book 3?

Why Adjusting BIOS Settings is Important

Adjusting BIOS settings can be beneficial for several reasons. It can aid in troubleshooting hardware issues, boosting performance, or even enabling new features.

Potential Risks of Adjusting BIOS Settings

However, be mindful! Changing these settings without proper understanding can lead to system instability or even failure. So, handle with care, folks!

Prerequisites Before Configuring BIOS

Before we jump into the BIOS configuration, ensure your device’s battery is fully charged or connected to a power source. Also, remember to back up all your important data.

How to Get Into Your Microsoft Surface 3 UEFI Settings?

Making changes to the UEFI settings impacts the entire device. Below explained are the steps you need to follow to boot your Microsoft Surface Book 3 BIOS.

Also, if you are reading this article because your Surface keyboard is not working, don’t worry; here are all the possible solutions to fix it for you.

Steps to Boot Your Microsoft Surface Book 3 BIOS:

1: First, please make sure that your device is shut down properly. If you see that your device is frozen, then try holding and pressing down the Power button for several seconds to completely turn off the Surface.

Important note: Depending on which specific Surface model you are using, the position of the power and volume buttons varies. For the Surface Book, Surface Pro, and Surface Go models, the power and volume buttons are positioned on the device’s top. For the Surface Studio model, the power and volume buttons are situated at the bottom right corner. The positioning of the buttons on the Surface Laptop is entirely different altogether; you will find the power button next to the Delete button, and you will find the volume buttons on your keyboard.

2: The second step is to hold down the volume up button. Do note that you must do this on your Surface tablet since the positioning of the volume up button on your Surface laptop is different; on the laptop, you need to hold down the F6 button.

3: The next step is to press the power button while simultaneously pressing the volume up button. The Surface or Microsoft logo will appear first, followed by the UEFI window.

Bear in mind that the Surface Pro 3 and previous devices have a different-looking UEFI system than the Surface Pro 4 and subsequent devices.

What is Trusted Platform Module (TPM)?

A Trusted Platform Module (TPM) is a dedicated chip on your device that is meant to safeguard hardware through the use of inbuilt cryptographic keys.

A TPM aids in the verification of a user’s identification and the authentication of their device. A TPM also aids in the prevention of threats such as firmware as well as ransomware breaches.

If all this technical jargon seems overwhelming to you, let me break it down for you. Imagine the TPM to be the keypad to your house or, let’s say, your bank account.

Every time you enter your house using your keypad, you are disarming all the security alarms, or every time you log on to your bank account from your phone using a special code, you are verifying the authenticator software that it is you.

Now, in this case, opening your device and entering your credentials is like entering your house through your front door. If you fail to enter a code in a specified amount of time, the alarms will go off.

Similarly, when you turn on a PC with full-disk encryption as well as a TPM, the small chip will offer a specific code known as a cryptographic key.

If all is in order, the disc encryption will be unlocked, and your device will boot up. If there is an issue with the key—for example, and if a thief steals your laptop and tries to meddle with the locked disc inside—your device will not boot.

Also if the TPM microchip detects that the device’s security has been breached by a malicious program, it can boot into quarantine status to assist in the resolution of the issue.

What is Secure Boot Control?

The Secure Boot is basically a system present in your device’s software that is meant to guarantee your computer begins safely and reliably by preventing unwanted applications, such as malware, from assuming charge of your device during boot-up.

Prior to the introduction of Secure Boot, the BIOS system would pass over the control of your device to whatever bootloader is found on the hard drive.

Since the BIOS has no method of validating or authenticating the system, anything-Windows, alternative software platforms such as Linux, and sometimes even viruses-could start the device. That is not the case with Secure Boot Control.

Besides, if you are experiencing the issue of Video_Dxgkrnl_Fatal_Error on Windows 10, here are the top solutions for you.

How to Access The Surface 3 Device Details Using UEFI Settings?

The UEFI settings let the user know an array of information about the device, including Serial Number, System UUID, as well as Asset Tag. In order to access such information on your Surface device, follow the steps below:

1: Enter into the Surface Book 3 BIOS/UEFI mode, as already mentioned. Press the power as well as volume up buttons at the same time (depending on where they are located on your device), and you will get into the UEFI window.

2: Once you enter the UEFI mode, under the settings menu, you should see a section labeled Device Information. Click on it, and you should see a box containing your System UUID and Serial Number.

Access Device Details Using UEFI Settings

How to Change System Boot Order on Surface 3?

The UEFI settings let the user change the system boot order. In order to access that information on your Surface device, follow the steps below:

1: Enter into the Surface Book BIOS/UEFI mode, as already mentioned. Press the power as well as volume up buttons at the same time (depending on where they are located on your device), and you will get into the UEFI window.

2: Once you enter the UEFI mode, under the settings menu, you should see a section labeled Configure Alternate System Boot Order. Click on it, and you should see a box containing the options Network -> USB -> SSD as well as SSD only. Choose the relevant one.

How to Handle Device Safety on The Surface 3 Using UEFI Settings?

The Surface Book 3 BIOS/ UEFI mode lets you deactivate parts of your device’s elements and functions in order to satisfy your individual security needs. You may disable or enable such security features by following the below steps:

1: Enter into the Microsoft Surface Book 3 BIOS/UEFI mode, as already mentioned. Press the power as well as volume up buttons at the same time (depending on where they are located on your device), and you will get into the UEFI window.

2: Once you enter the UEFI mode, under the settings menu, you should see a section labeled Advanced Device Security. Click on it, and you should see a box containing a set of security options. Side USB, Front Camera, Rear Camera, WiFi, and Bluetooth are some of the options you will have on that menu. Enable or disable the options as necessary.

How to Protect UEFI Settings with a Password on Surface 3?

You can set up an Administrator Password using the Microsoft Surface Book 3 BIOS/UEFI mode. Setting up a password will ensure that others will not be able to change your settings.

1: Enter into the Surface Book BIOS/UEFI mode, as already mentioned. Press the power as well as volume-up buttons (depending on where they are located on your device), and you will get into the UEFI window.

2: Once you enter the UEFI mode, under the settings menu, you should see a section labeled Administrator Pass. Click on it, and you should see a box containing the requirements for your password. The minimum length of the password needs to be four characters. The maximum length of the password is 20 characters. You will only be able to use alphabets or numeric values.