ARM64 processor problems

Hello mondaymoan,

Thanks for posting your concern here in Microsoft Community. I'm sorry for the inconvenience this has caused you.

I totally understand important for you to use a printer on your Surface Pro X. However, please be informed that drivers for hardware, games and apps will only work if they're designed for a Windows 10 ARM-based PC. Peripherals and devices only work if the drivers they depend on are built into Windows 10, or if the hardware developer has released ARM64 drivers for the device. With that being said, we would highly recommend to contact your printer's manufacturer to check if they have released drivers for ARM-based PC.

Hope this helps. Feel free to respond to keep us posted.

Kind regards,

StevenK

Hello mondaymoan,

We have noticed that you haven’t replied to our last response. We would like to know if you still need assistance with your concern. If yes, kindly reply back so we can further assist you.

Hope to hear from you.

No, your response didn't help. None of the printer manufactures have drivers for your piece of junk ARM processors to download. Why would microsoft put a product out there that does not use any available drivers just like all of the other computer manufacturers do. Every other processor out there will recognize a new device and automatically download the drivers or allow you to install the drivers yourself. I will never purchase another microsoft computer again. I have purchased many computers before, and this is the first one to cause me so many problems and headaches. Why would anyone develop a processor that is not compatible with what is available. It is not up to the peripheral manufacturers to create all new drivers because the microsoft engineers are to lazy to make their processors compatible with existing devices. Looks like a cheap money grab to me.

Luckily I was able to return my microsoft surface pro X for a full refund. Maybe you should re-learn what customer service is and do not sell a product that is not compatible with devices currently available to every other platform.

No, your response didn't help. None of the printer manufactures have drivers for your piece of junk ARM processors to download. Why would microsoft put a product out there that does not use any available drivers just like all of the other computer manufacturers do. Every other processor out there will recognize a new device and automatically download the drivers or allow you to install the drivers yourself. I will never purchase another microsoft computer again. I have purchased many computers before, and this is the first one to cause me so many problems and headaches. Why would anyone develop a processor that is not compatible with what is available. It is not up to the peripheral manufacturers to create all new drivers because the microsoft engineers are to lazy to make their processors compatible with existing devices. Looks like a cheap money grab to me.

Luckily I was able to return my microsoft surface pro X for a full refund. Maybe you should re-learn what customer service is and do not sell a product that is not compatible with devices currently available to every other platform.

Thanks for keeping us posted, mondaymoan.

In this case, you can try joining the Windows Insider Program to get the 64-bit emulation and run 64-bit (x64) apps on your Surface Pro X. Please see Windows Insider and Introducing x64 emulation in preview for Windows 10 on ARM PCs to the Windows Insider Program | Windows Insider Blog for more details.

That is ridiculous. Why should someone have to jump through so many different hoops just to get a computer to act like every other computer is supposed to work. You are missing the point. I spent $1,500 for a laptop that would not allow any printers to connect to it. I even went to the microsoft app store to download an app that allegedly would allow me to only print from my device that also has a scanner. But, because of the ARM64 processor, I could not download that app from the microsoft store to a microsoft computer. That is just poor design and engineering on the part of microsoft. Microsoft has lost all of its credibility. And printer manufactures do not make drivers that are compatible with the ARM64 processor. The microsoft surface pro x is an overpriced piece of garbage.

I totally understand how you feel, mondaymoan.

If ARM-based device would not work for you, the best thing to do is to get one of the other Surface devices that have regular processors. May I know when did you purchase your device? If it's still within 60 day from the date of purchase, please be informed that you can still take advantage of our Surface Promise (microsoft.com).

Hope this helps.

Microsoft blew it on this one. I, and many others who bought a surface pro X with an ARM processor, bought a piece of junk.

You can no longer plug in a printer and have windows recognize it or manually install printer drivers because this machine will not allow it. This is the first computer that I bought that you can't just plug ang play. As far as I am concerned, this surface is garbage. Who designed this operating system? Microsoft is blaming printer manufacturers for not developing drivers instead of having the computer recognize a new device and automatically download the required drivers. This is the first computer that I have ever had this problem with. I am so upset with microsoft for this.

I understand your frustration, but it really is the printer manufacturer's fault. Microsoft does not write the printer drivers that are included in windows, let alone the ones you can download from the manufacturer's website. Now whether Microsoft could do more to encourage these companies to write drivers, I can say as I don't know the inner workings of these companies.

But I would suggest you contact whoever made your printer and ask for a driver. You might not get anywhere, but at least you'll make your voice heard. It's unfortunately kind of a chicken/egg scenario, so to speak.

That said, there are some printers that are plug-and-play with the Surface Pro X. Brother laser printers are a good example. They work because Brother wrote a "class driver" that is included with windows that works for many of their printers. Note that this doesn't enable some of the more advance features of some of the multi-function models, but those can at least still print.

If all else fails try the standard Microsoft PostScript or PCL drivers and see if one of those will work with your printer. Many printers support at least one of these standards. For example, I've used the Microsoft PostScript driver to print to KonicaMinolta machines (the big all-in-one does everything kind) from my Pro X.

Nice try, but the microsoft ARM processor is junk. I tried three different printers on the surface pro x and not a one works. So, your suggestion is just to buy a printer with the hopes that it will work. Maybe microsoft could send me a printer/scanner that would work on the pro x and solve my problems. How about developing a processor that will work with existing printers instead of trying to blame the printer manufacturers for not having drivers. The three printers that I tried on the surface pro x all work on two other windows 10 computers, so your cheap shot at trying to blame the printer manufacturers for your products defect is preposterous. And for your suggestion to try apps from the microsoft store, guess what, I did try and download a few apps that were supposed to help. But, guess what? Because I was working with the ARM processor, the microsoft pro x would not let me download those apps from the microsoft store to a microsoft computer because of compatibility issues.

Nice try, but the microsoft ARM processor is junk. I tried three different printers on the surface pro x and not a one works. So, your suggestion is just to buy a printer with the hopes that it will work. Maybe microsoft could send me a printer/scanner that would work on the pro x and solve my problems. How about developing a processor that will work with existing printers instead of trying to blame the printer manufacturers for not having drivers. The three printers that I tried on the surface pro x all work on two other windows 10 computers, so your cheap shot at trying to blame the printer manufacturers for your products defect is preposterous. And for your suggestion to try apps from the microsoft store, guess what, I did try and download a few apps that were supposed to help. But, guess what? Because I was working with the ARM processor, the microsoft pro x would not let me download those apps from the microsoft store to a microsoft computer because of compatibility issues.

I'm curious what printers you've tried. I still wonder if you couldn't use a generic driver with one of them, but without knowing what they are I really don't know.

You're definitely correct that printing is a weak area of Windows on ARM currently. That's why I mentioned Brother printers, as I know from personal experience they do work. Epson also has a tool that you can use to lookup compatibility with Windows ARM PCs:

If your printer is network capable, you could also try connecting to it that way instead of USB. I've seen that suggested on reddit threads on this same subject. For example:

Network printing is how I print from my Pro X, whether it's at home or at work, so you might have better luck that way.

If it's an HP supposedly the HP Smart app in the store is supposed to work for ARM PCs. HP printers apparently have the best ARM driver support, again based on what I've read online (I don't have an HP printer to test with though).

I do agree that the Microsoft store is frustrating when it comes to deciding whether or not an app is compatible. I'd love a way to get around that and be able tell it to install anyway, regardless of what CPU, GPU, or whatnot is in my PC. Most other store apps (mostly game stores) on windows for the most part don't care, and will let you download and install apps even if you don't meet all the system requirements.

I tried canon, hp and lexmark printers and none worked. And all of those printers were already connected to devices running windows 10. I downloaded drivers for each one, from the manufacturers and from other places and not a single one worked. There were no drivers of any kind that i found that would work, generic or from the manufacturer because I worked on this problem for weeks with no resolution. Just comments from people like you and others with things or printers that "might work". I was not about to go out and keep buying printer/scanners that "might work". And then, not being able to download a microsoft app to a microsoft computer was too much.

I got fed up with this problem and I returned the surface pro x and i was reluctantly given a refund on it, after pleading my case for an hour. I bought another laptop, and I was able to connect anything I wanted to it. Now i can do what i need to do on it, and it is not a microsoft lap top.