knowledge-base/KB/Linux/Desktop/Surface.md

creation date	tags
2022-09-02	surface linux sp8 microsoft

A guide for the Surface Pro 8. Based on https://github.com/linux-surface/linux-surface/wiki.

This guide is for ArchLinux and improves the instructions to be more structured and suited for the SP8.

Prerequisites

• USB adapter cable for USB A to USB C
• USB Drive, see KB/Linux/Desktop/Archinstall for getting an ISO onto USB
• External keyboard, because Type Cover will not work without custom kernel

Prepare

• If Windows is still on disk, boot into it and update everything, so Surface firmware gets updated
• Head into BIOS to change boot order and disable Secure Boot
  • Shut down device
  • Press and hold Volume up and in parallel hit power button once until boot logo appears
  • Keep Volume up pressed
  • Disable Secure Boot entirely
  • Change boot order by drag'n'drop USB Drive to first position, maybe uncheck all other options

Install

Boot from USB drive and edit ISO live boot options to copy USB drive contents to RAM, because you need to plug in an external keyboard for installation

• Press e during selection of Arch ISO
• Add copytoram=y as option
• Exit with CTRL+x

Proceed with install like you would usually do. KB/Linux/Desktop/Archinstall is an easy way with little configuration to get an install up and running.

This installation uses systemd-boot as bootloader. Your experience of the tutorial may vary if you pick another one.

In generel, you should pick wayland. It has much better touch, gesture and pen support.

Post install

After you've successfully booted into your installation, some additional steps need to be performed to get your Type Cover and touchpad etc. working.

Disclaimer: Don't mix the iptsd of the official repository with the iptsd mentioned here, they're different and may soon get merged.

pacman repository

Let's add the the official pacman repository of linux-surface

curl -s https://raw.githubusercontent.com/linux-surface/linux-surface/master/pkg/keys/surface.asc sudo pacman-key --add -
sudo pacman-key --finger 56C464BAAC421453
sudo pacman-key --lsign-key 56C464BAAC421453

Edit /etc/pacman.conf:

[linux-surface]
Server = https://pkg.surfacelinux.com/arch/

Refresh by invoking sudo pacman -Syu

Install required packages

Install the following packages, some of them are also in the AUR.

# the actual kernel and their headers
linux-surface
linux-surface-headers

# SP 8 is an Intel device
intel-ucode

# needed for later compiling modules
dkms
meson

Make touchpad work and allow Type Cover during early boot (luks)

Touchpad will not work out of the box. The SP8 needs a different touchpad module and the proper iptsd, not the one from the official linux-surface repository.

Ensure that dkms and meson are installed.

1. Clone git clone https://github.com/quo/ithc-linux
   1. cd ithc-linux
   2. Execute sudo make dkms-install
2. Clone git clone https://github.com/quo/iptsd
   1. cd iptsd
   2. Execute the following commands in order

meson build --wrap-mode=forcefallback --buildtype=debugoptimized -Dmarch=native
ninja -C build
sudo build/src/daemon/iptsd
sudo ninja -C build install
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable iptsd.service

• For _ ithc_ to load properly, you need to edit kernel parameters in your entries/....conf file and add intremap=nosid. Add a .conf for the SP8 if not already present.
• You also need to edit the MODULES in your /etc/mkinitcpio.conf so that type cover will also work during early encryption dialog

MODULES=(btrfs i915 surface_aggregator surface_aggregator_registry surface_aggregator_hub surface_hid_core 8250_dw surface_hid surface_kbd intel_lpss intel_lpss_pci pinctrl_tigerlake)

• Regenerate initramfs with mkinitcpio -P
• Reboot, you should no longer need your external keyboard

pen

Install libwacom-surface from the AUR.

screen rotation

Install iio-sensor-proxy.

120hz display

Follow instructions here to extract the EDID. Ensure you're in X.org.

Afterwards, your entries/....conf systemd-boot entry could look like

title Arch Linux (linux-surface)
linux /vmlinuz-linux-surface
initrd /intel-ucode.img
initrd /initramfs-linux-surface.img
options ... intremap=nosid drm_kms_helper.edid_firmware=eDP-1:edid/edid.bin

In addition, your /etc/mkinitcpio.conf needs FILES=(/usr/lib/firmware/edid/edid.bin) and ensure you re-generate initramfs with mkinitcpio -P.

Fix Type Cover suspend

If suspended via Type Cover, Touch might not work. Prevent this by editing /etc/libinput/local-overrides.quirks and add the following contents

[Microsoft Surface Cover]
MatchName=*Microsoft Surface *Cover*
MatchDMIModalias=dmi:*svnMicrosoftCorporation:*
AttrKeyboardIntegration=internal
ModelTabletModeNoSuspend=1

Reboot.

Recommended software

KB/Linux/GNOME has wonderful support for touch devices. You should probably use it.

Useful GNOME extensions

• improved gestures gestureImprovements@gestures (https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/4245/gesture-improvements/)
• improved on screen keyboard improved-osk (https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/4413/improved-osk/)

List of extensions personally used:

[
  "appindicatorsupport@rgcjonas.gmail.com",
  "dash-to-dock@micxgx.gmail.com",
  "gestureImprovements@gestures",
  "improvedosk@nick-shmyrev.dev",
  "launch-new-instance@gnome-shell-extensions.gcampax.github.com",
  "workspace-indicator@gnome-shell-extensions.gcampax.github.com"
]

xournal is a wonderful program for you pen.