Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

4

Time Required

                          10 hours

Sections

1

  • SSD
  • 4 steps

Flags

5

Scenic Route

This guide’s procedure isn’t the most efficient way to get the job done, but still may be useful in some circumstances.

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Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Mark it
  • Print this off to scale it up to the right size of the surface and mark it up with a pencil.
  • When it is marked up it should look something like the second photo.
  • You need to reverse this image. This is shown with the screen off.

Print this off to scale it up to the right size of the surface and mark it up with a pencil.

When it is marked up it should look something like the second photo.

You need to reverse this image. This is shown with the screen off.

1024

Step 2

              Mill it
  • You want to use a V bit on a CNC machine to cut it nicer and give it a chambered edge.
  • I used my CNC machine with no WD40 or water to cool it and it cut very nicely. Remember to vacuum the chunks as they come off because they can get caught and puncture the battery.
  • It’s also a good idea to put some paper towel in between the clamps and the Surface. Also be sure to have the type cover on so you don’t damage the screen.

You want to use a V bit on a CNC machine to cut it nicer and give it a chambered edge.

I used my CNC machine with no WD40 or water to cool it and it cut very nicely. Remember to vacuum the chunks as they come off because they can get caught and puncture the battery.

It’s also a good idea to put some paper towel in between the clamps and the Surface. Also be sure to have the type cover on so you don’t damage the screen.

Step 3

              Unscrew it
  • The drive should just lift out, I used a Micro SD card to cover my serial number.

The drive should just lift out, I used a Micro SD card to cover my serial number.

Step 4

              Install it
  • Now this is where it gets interesting. you can either try to make the recovery USB from This or you can book an appointment with someone at the Microsoft store and they can make it work and install all new drivers. The only thing they won’t do now once you cut it open is replace it
  • Either that or you can install linux on it from www.reddit.com/r/surfacelinux

Now this is where it gets interesting. you can either try to make the recovery USB from This or you can book an appointment with someone at the Microsoft store and they can make it work and install all new drivers. The only thing they won’t do now once you cut it open is replace it

Either that or you can install linux on it from www.reddit.com/r/surfacelinux

There is no going back but with some files and a drill bit you can make a sweet keychain fob that you can engrave with the CNC machine

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                                                                                      3 other people completed this guide.

Author

                                      with 5 other contributors 


                    Hamish Davis

Member since: 07/09/2017

212 Reputation

                                      1 Guide authored                  



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Joshua Newman - Jul 18, 2018

Reply

While this will make a tidy hole, the fact that you can’t guarantee shavings won’t fall into the chassis makes this riskier than a busted screen. Replacing the motherboard or battery are expensive by themselves, but a shaving that gets lodged into the battery is a fire risk, and lipo batteries aren’t known for calm fires

Andrzej Rusztowicz - Sep 3, 2021

Reply

I love this, I think this may be a viable method for replacing batteries in smartphones that are still good but not worth the careful dance around the glued touchscreens. And phones are typically carried in a protective case anyway!