Announcements and updates

[archseer]

Subscribe to this issue to be notified of announcements, changelogs and manual upgrade notices.

(For update announcements only)

[qzed]

Changes in v5.14.16

• Fix exposure and gain in OV8865 driver. This should fix the black image problem on the world-facing camera. See https://github.com/linux-surface/kernel/pull/113 for details. Thanks to @djrscally and @jhautbois.

[qzed]

Changes in v5.14.16-2

• Include fix for #617 (internal USB keyboard not working after hibernation on SB1). Thanks to @OliverUrbann for reporting this and tracking down the issue and fix.

[qzed]

Changes in v5.15.14 and v5.16.1

• Include board data for Surface Go 3 to enable cameras. Credits go to @djrscally.

[qzed]

Changes in v5.16

• Fix byttery status not showing (#608) on the Surface Pro 3. Credit goes to @jwrdegoede.

Changes in v5.17

• Fix IOMMU errors with IPTS (https://github.com/linux-surface/kernel/pull/120). Credit goes to @libanp.
• Refactor support for Surface 3 buttons. Credit goes to @jwrdegoede.

Changes in v5.17.5-2

• Fix cameras not showing up (https://github.com/linux-surface/kernel/pull/122). Credit goes to @djrscally.

Changes in v5.17.5-3

• Add auto-focus support for world-facing camera (https://github.com/linux-surface/kernel/pull/123, https://github.com/linux-surface/kernel/pull/124). Credit goes to @djrscally.
• Refactor Surface Aggregator subsystem device hubs to prepare for upstreaming of Surface Pro 8 HID support.
• Re-work ACPI battery behavior by making "not-charging" the default. Credit goes to Werner Sembach ( https://patchwork.kernel.org/project/linux-acpi/patch/20220427154053.499203-1-wse@tuxedocomputers.com/).

Changes in v5.17.7

• Add support for tablet-mode switch via Surface Pro typecovers (https://github.com/linux-surface/kernel/pull/125). Credit goes to @PJungkamp.

[qzed]

Changes in v5.17.9

• Refactoring of Surface System Aggregator Module client device registration and client device hubs. Note: In case you use full disk encryption on the Surface Book 3 or Surface Pro 8, you will need to add surface_aggregator_hub to your initram.

[qzed]

Changes in v5.17.9-2

• Fix #791 for the Surface Go 2 and 3.

[qzed]

Changes in v5.18.1

• Debian/Ubuntu: Android ashmem is no longer built into the kernel as it has been removed upstream. See https://github.com/anbox/anbox/issues/2042 for details.

[qzed]

Changes in v5.18.3 and v5.17.14

• Add support for tablet-mode switch on the Surface Go (https://github.com/linux-surface/kernel/pull/127). Credits go to @krnhotwings.
• Fix issues with camera not showing up (https://github.com/linux-surface/kernel/pull/128). Credits go to @djrscally.
• Support more Surface Aggregator events for the Laptop Studio (preparation for tablet-mode switch support).

[qzed]

Changes in v5.18.4

• Add support for tablet-mode switch on the Surface Laptop Studio.

[qzed]

Changes in v5.18.7

• Add support for HID-based sensors on the Surface Pro 8 (including the ones used for screen rotation). Thanks to @dr-Styki for testing! (See also https://github.com/linux-surface/linux-surface/issues/861).

[qzed]

Changes in v5.19

• Warning: Cameras are currently broken with v5.19. If you rely on them, I recommend you hold off with updating for now. For details, refer to #893.

[qzed]

Changes in v6.0.7-2

• Partial support for the Surface Pro 9 (Intel), including:

  • battery and charger status,
  • internal HID devices (HID sensor hub and UCSI client), and
  • ACPI platform profile.

  TypeCover Support still needs testing/validation. More details can be found at #984.

  Thanks to @aj3423 for testing.

[qzed]

Changes in v6.0.8

• Initial support for the TypeCover on the Surface Pro 9 (Intel), including keyboard and touchpad. Still missing: Support for the tablet mode switch.

  Thanks again to @aj3423 for testing.

[qzed]

Changes in v6.0.8-3

• Add support for the Surface Aggregator Module on the Surface Laptop 5, including

  • battery and charger status,
  • internal HID devices (including keyboard and touchpad), and
  • ACPI platform profile.

  Thanks to @mnilsson76 for testing.

[qzed]

Changes in v6.0.12

• Add patch allowing the hardware-reduced ACPI TAD on the SP7 to work as RTC.

  On the SP7, the ACPI Time and Date device (TAD) seems to be intended as primary real time clock (RTC). Changing the time via the standard CMOS RTC does not work. Unfortunately, the current kernel driver does not load for that as the SP7 uses a "hardware reduced" implementation, meaning it does not provide all functionality. The added patch allows the kernel to still use it as RTC.

  Credits go to @groengpx for the patch and @quo for reporting the issue.

[qzed]

Changes in v6.0.17 / v6.1.3

• Re-introduce the "mwifiex: pcie: disable bridge_d3 for Surface gen4+" patch. This was previously dropped along with some other mwifiex patches as cleanup. While the majority of devices seem to work without it, some still require this quirk. This addresses #1008.

[StollD]

Changes in v6.1.8-2 / v6.1.9

• Updated the IPTS kernel driver to the latest version. This includes stability updates and switches the userspace interface to a HID based one.
• Included the ITHC kernel driver written by @quo for touchscreen support on Surface Pro 7+ and later (only for Intel models).

Since the new kernel drivers use a HID based userspace interface, an updated version of iptsd is required!

See https://github.com/linux-surface/iptsd/releases/tag/v1.0.0 for the list of changes to iptsd (there are many).

If you had previously installed one of the kernel drivers through DKMS or built iptsd from source, please remove it completely before updating. Otherwise the custom-built versions might continue to override the built-in ones.

If you are building your own kernels from source, please note that the configuration option for IPTS has changed from CONFIG_MISC_IPTS to CONFIG_HID_IPTS. A new option CONFIG_HID_ITHC has been added alongside.

[qzed]

Changes in v6.1.12

• Add USB_QUIRK_DELAY_INIT for Surface Go 3 Type-Cover to (hopefully) fix some touchpad initialization problems. Thanks to @WolfWings for reporting. See #1059 for details.

[qzed]

Changes in v6.1.12-2

• Add support for the tablet-mode switch on the Surface Pro 9. Thanks go to @aj3423 for testing.
• Add workaround to fix shutdown issues on the Surface Pro 9. This may only work on some devices and might need further work. Please direct feedback to #1058 or Matrix chat. Thanks go to @aj3423 and @nouknouk for debugging and testing.

[qzed]

Changes in v6.1.12-3 / v6.1.13

• Add workaround to fix shutdown issues on the Surface Laptop 5. This may only work on some devices and might need further work. Please direct feedback to #1058 or Matrix chat. Thanks go to @CheeseFM for debugging and testing.

[qzed]

Changes in v6.1.14 / v6.2.2

• Add Surface Go 3 Board data for IR camera GPIOs. This enables the IR camera on the Surface Go 3. Credits go to @djrscally. See https://github.com/linux-surface/linux-surface/issues/1055 for details.

[qzed]

Changes in v6.1.15-2 / v6.2.2-2

• Add patchsets for Intel Thread Director. This should improve performance and battery life of Alder-Lake devices (Surface Pro 9, Surface Laptop 5). See https://github.com/linux-surface/linux-surface/issues/1084.

  The applied patchsets are taken from:

  • https://lore.kernel.org/lkml/20230207051105.11575-1-ricardo.neri-calderon@linux.intel.com/ (thread director support)
  • https://lore.kernel.org/lkml/20230207045838.11243-1-ricardo.neri-calderon@linux.intel.com/ (prerequisite for the above)

[qzed]

Changes in v6.1.18 / v6.2.5

• Remap GPIO for the OV7251 (infrared) camera sensor to make it work (IPU3 based devices only). With that, all three camera sensors (front, back, infrared) should now work on most IPU3-based devices (Surface Book 2, Surface Pro 4-6, Surface Go 1-3). Note that capturing images from the IR camera is currently a [bit involved](https://github.com/linux-surface/linux-surface/issues/1022#issuecomment-1463675323, more work in libcamera is required to improve that. Credits go to @djrscally.

  See https://github.com/linux-surface/linux-surface/issues/1022 and https://github.com/linux-surface/kernel/pull/136 for details.

• Add support for wake from suspend via lid/Type-Cover on the Surface Pro 9.

[StollD]

iptsd 1.2.0 has been released

This update to iptsd brings a very significant change: It replaces the old basic / advanced algorithms with a new algorithm that is a combination of both. This new algorithm is more robust towards noise (like the advanced one), while using vastly less resources (like the basic one).

If you have calibrated iptsd, you must remove the old calibration, as the values will no longer be accurate.

This update also changed the available config options. If you have a custom configuration, please check the values against the reference configuration.

For a full list of (user-facing) changes, look here: https://github.com/linux-surface/iptsd/releases/tag/v1.2.0

[qzed]

Changes in v6.2.12 and v6.2.11 (Fedora)

• Remove Intel Thread Director patches due to suspend/resume issues reported in #1120.

[StollD]

Changes in v6.3.6 (Fedora)

We have updated our Fedora packages to follow the upstream packages more closely. This fixes some issues with our old package, for example akmods should now work properly. Like the stock kernel, it will also keep around the last 3 versions automatically.

However, because the transition between the old and new packages is hitting an edge case in DNF, you MUST temporarily disable the running kernel protection. Otherwise DNF will refuse to remove the old package and install the new one.

You can do this by either rebooting into a stock kernel to do the upgrade, or by running the following command:

$ sudo dnf update --setopt=protect_running_kernel=False

[qzed]

Changes in v6.5.8

• Add initial support for the Surface Laptop 3. In particular it's SAM EC, unlocking support for battery information and (ACPI) platform profiles.

[qzed]

Changes in v6.6.1/v6.5.11-2

• Add initial Support for the Surface Laptop Studio 2. In particular it's SAM EC, unlocking support for the keyboard, HID-based sensors, battery information, (ACPI) platform profiles, and tablet-mode/display orientation. Note that we do not support the touchpad yet.

[qzed]

Changes in v6.6.10 (Arch Linux) / v6.6.11 (Ubuntu/Fedora)

• Add driver for reading the fan speed on newer Surface devices with a fan. This driver is currently only enabled on the Surface Pro 9. Credits go to @iwanders (https://github.com/linux-surface/kernel/pull/144).
• Add a driver for reading out temperature sensors connected via the Surface Aggregator Module. This driver is currently only enabled on the Surface Pro 9.

[qzed]

Changes in v6.9.3

• Add initial support for the Surface Laptop 6. This includes basic SAM EC support, unlocking the keyboard, other HID-based devices, battery information, platform profiles (including fan), and additional temperature sensors. Touchpad support is still work in progress (see https://github.com/linux-surface/linux-surface/issues/1432).

[qzed]

Changes in v6.9.3-2

• Fix driver/module issue preventing the Surface Laptop Go 3 from booting into the Surface Linux kernel (c67bbcf9bfa5541fe6053f2141c8be878c5592ea).