Anyone get Smart SDR to run on a Microsoft Surface Pro 7+?? HELP NEEDED PLEASE.

Mark

Hello other users,

I am hoping to connect with other Flex users that are also attempting to run SDR on a Microsoft Surface device. Here is the background.
Microsoft Surface Pro 7+ (11th gen i7 processor, w/16GB. Running Windows 10Pro).

Flex radio 6700

Loaded SDR (CAT&DAX) version 3.1.12. Everything worked fine.

Upgraded the radio and the SDR to 3.2.31.

I had to downgrade after learning that my remote Flex 6700 could only use a static IP address due to being inside a commercial network.

It was at this point, when I tried to uninstall 3.2.31 on the Surface according to the instructions and "everything" broke. I was unable to fully get the 3.1.12 drivers to reinstall using the installer and even after creating a support ticket ( 43520) and having the support team work on it.
I am now been trying to get SDR running on my Surface for 14 days and frankly I have not been given much hope that there will be any sort of speedy resolution.

From Flex support : “We have tried everything available to us and have been unable to get the DAX Drivers to install. The only explanation we have is that there seems to be some sort of incompatibility between something in your computer system and SmartSDR DAX that is preventing the DAX Drivers from properly installing. I regret that there is nothing else that we can do.”

Here are my current problems:

1) The frequency display on SDR does not work. Apparently this is Intel’s fault because I am running on an 11th generation i7 processor with an IRIS graphics card (Iris XE Graphics adapter). If I am willing to turn off hardware acceleration on my tablet that I also use for Photoshop it may work. I have not tried it yet because I am afraid of breaking something else. Has anyone tried the work around or managed to get a similar configuration to work?

2) DAX won’t run and apparently won’t run for the foreseeable future on my system.
I wanted to reach out to the Flex community to see if anyone has figured this puzzle out.

Thanks for the advice.

Mark

KØKQ

Mark,

This is what I frequently use and works well:

Microsoft Surface Pro 4, i7, 16Gb, Win10 Pro. Display adaptor Intel Iris Graphics.

Running Flex 6300 V 2.6.2 and Flex 6600 V 3.2.31. Google Fiber 1Gb connection. No problems with DAX, CAT, SmartLink or SmartSDR.

There is no incompatibility between this Surface Pro and any Flex software tried.

Works great locally or via SmartLink from the remote site (low bandwidth DSL at remote site 1Mb uplink).

I have nothing else to tell you or have you try that Flex Support hasn't already. It does work here and I would be happy to compare any settings or configurations that might help you with your situation.

Dave

One more thing, installed 3.2.31 and my Expresso machine stopped working.

VE7ATJ_Don

Hi Mark... since you mention you are running on a commercial network, I'm wondering if your Surface Pro is running an 'Enterprise' version of Win10? If that's so, maybe they have configured the O/S so that the DAX drivers are having problems???

I can say that I'm running SmartSDR on a Surface Pro Laptop under Win10 and it seems to work fine. Not exactly the same as your configuration, but it is a similar processor/RAM mixture.

Mark

Hi Don,

The 6700 is on a commercial network but the Surface Pro is running Win 10.

Mark

VE7ATJ_Don

Got it, Mark... but did you install Win10, or is it an Enterprise version of Win10 installed by the corp IT guys?

Ted S

The graphics issue with the Iris Xe GPU is a separate issue from the DAX driver installation issue. Disabling HW acceleration does indeed work. I am using it on an HP Pavillion Laptop, I have read the registry entry disabling HW acceleration only affects applications that use the Microsoft WPF software and it does not disable acceleration for other applications. I have not confirmed this though, here is a link to another thread where this is discussed in more detail.

https://community.flexradio.com/discussion/comment/20583692#Comment_20583692

Also, when I have driver installation issues like you are experiencing, a clean install of the operating system has been used to successfully resolve the problem. In the Windows environment once software has been installed it sometimes is just not possible to completely remove it and you must install a known good image or complete a clean install of the OS. I wish Linux was better supported by app developers as you just don't have issues of this type with Linux systems.

Ted WR4T

Mark

Hi Don, The Windows version on the Surface is the standard MS load of Windows Pro. This is my own personal device. I just tried resetting the device and going back to the "original" Windows Pro load and starting with a clean device and I get the same issue trying to load the Smart SDR. The graphics doesn't work.... I guess a known issue.... and DAX drivers wont install properly (yellow warning markers in device manager). Super frustrating. There is nothing unusual or odd about the system except that if it is the new version of the Intel processor (i7 11th gen).

Mark

Hi Dave, I cannot reach out to you directly ... perhaps you can to me. I would like to compare configurations.

KØKQ

Mark, PM sent...Dave

Keith Halverson

Had the same problem. right clicked on the program install exe did a compatibility trouble run, came up that it needed to be installed with Windows 8.. did the complete install works as it should. Hope this helps 73 Keith K0HKL

Mark

Will windows 8 support a processor that is about 5 years newer than the OS? I am not sure what to do now. If I downgrade the OS then none of my other applications will work and none of the security enhancements will still work. Of course at the rate these guys at Flex are going.... they will have release version 16.4.5 by the end of next week. Just a bit frustrated with the beta testing - or lack there of.........

Keith Halverson

Mark all you are going to do is run the Flex program under windows 8. you can do that under windows 10 right mouse click,then go to troubleshoot compatibility let windows figure out what will work . good luck 73

KM0T

Hi all, was thinking of purchasing a Surface Pro 7 with LTE. Has any of this been resolved or is it a real issue running SmartSDR under WIN10 pro on one of these machines?

Thanks for any insight.

73 - Mike - KM0T

Mark

Hi Mike,

Until Flex gets their act together and solves the issues with their latest install I would avoid it.

When Flex support tells you that there is nothing they can do and they don't know how to fix the problem ..... well you can read between the lines.

It is unfortunate because the Surface Pro 7 (and 7+) is a great platform for running SDR if only the software was able to run on the latest hardware.

Curious to hear about your experiences. Please let me know.

Mark

Mark

Keith,

The main issue is that DAX won't load the drivers it needs to run. Will it solve that issue running it under Windows 8?

Curious.

Mark

WX7Y

Hi Mark, before you get to frustrated you may want to put in a trouble ticket to get Eric or someone to give you a helping hand on the DAX drivers, Usually this is a permission issue when a program not on the Windows app install list tries to install the Drivers, it locks them out.

This is just speculation on my part of course.

putting on SmartSDR and the DAX Drivers has nothing at all to do with the problems with SmartLink.

Mark

Hi Bret,

The problems are all related (as far as I know) to:

1) Not supporting the most current Intel graphics device (that is on probably about a third of current laptops)

2) Dax drivers not loading properly.

The first problems is a "known issue" and users have to work around it because the developers apparently can't.

The second issue, I opened a trouble ticket and after about 10 days of back and forth and remote access with Ken and Tim the answer was "we give up".

Disappointing but ....

Mark