Just a few weeks after Microsoft finally made available the Core i3 and Core i7 models of its Surface Pro 3 tablet, many consumers started reporting an overheating issue. And it’s becoming clear that is not one or two isolated incidents, as users are reporting their tablets get extremely hot and as a result users are also experiencing loud noises from high spinning fans.
Though, Microsoft has yet to comment on this heat problem, some users are taking upon themselves to find a fix. And according to a Microsoft Support forum thread, user Step_001 states that the issue appears to be caused by the Windows Installer Module and Windows Installer Module Worker.
These processes will start running without apparent reason and will spike the Surface Pro 3 processor and memory really high causing the device to overheat and making the fan loud and annoying.
Some users in the same Microsoft Support thread agree that going to the Task Manager and ending these two processes, temporarily solves the heat and the annoying loud fan. It’s worth noting that this is not a fix documented by Microsoft and it isn’t clear if the procedure will fix the problem to every Surface Pro 3 Core i7 overheating issue. (If you’re experiencing the issue, it doesn’t hurt to try.)
If the problem actually cause a software bug in Windows 8.1, we can expect Microsoft to issue an update soon, but if it’s a design or hardware problem, this could become something very complex to address for the company.
Source Microsoft via Neowin | Reddit thread on Surface Pro 3 overheating
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert and founder of Pureinfotech (est. 2010). With over 21 years as a technology writer and IT Specialist, Mauro specializes in Windows, software, and cross-platform systems such as Linux, Android, and macOS.
Certifications: Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA), Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP), VMware Certified Professional (VCP), and CompTIA A+ and Network+.
Mauro is a recognized Microsoft MVP and has also been a long-time contributor to Windows Central.
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