I got my SP4 10 minutes ago.... I'm stuck on the boot screen

[macmee]

I was using the device fine and all of a sudden the screen went black and nothing was working.

After the device wouldn't turn on for awhile, it finally did turn on but now it's stuck on the boot screen with the text "surface" in the middle and the loading spinner at the bottom.

Does anyone know a fix for this? I'm having huge buyers remorse!

edit: so I kept rebooting and got a "repair mode" state, then it BSOD'd, then it rebooted and now I'm stuck on a blue screen that says it's setting up my device.... even though I already did this.

Good god Microsoft.

 

[macmee]

and I have a desktop again - but I'm stuck in tablet mode, hitting the start button does nothing lol

great first hour with my new $2000 device

 

[macmee]

holy **** I actually have to reset this piece of **** on day 1, beyond ****** off.

edit: oh my **** I have to build a recovery disk? Jesus christ this is pathetic.

 

[macmee]

Trying to access their support:

Contact Microsoft Answer Desk for Surface

"An unexpected error has occurred."

Are you kidding???? Can they do anything right?

 

[GreyFox7]

Trying to access their support:

Contact Microsoft Answer Desk for Surface

"An unexpected error has occurred."

Are you kidding???? Can they do anything right?

That would be... An expected error?

Just curious, did you run Windows Update before you started using it?

 

[Seneleron]

I had a similar issue with the first one I purchased. Did a restore to factory settings [long story] that ended with it stuck at that same screen. Best I could figure was corrupt hard drive.

 

[macmee]

I had a similar issue with the first one I purchased. Did a restore to factory settings [long story] that ended with it stuck at that same screen. Best I could figure was corrupt hard drive.

what happened in the end?

That would be... An expected error?

Just curious, did you run Windows Update before you started using it?

Yes it was up to date. I had the side bar on the right open and it stopped working, it wouldn't close, then I realized that the start button also did nothing, then the screen just went black. Then it wouldn't turn on for around 10ish minutes, then when it did turn on, the stuck boot screen, BSOD, recovery mode ensured. After booting, explorer did not work, and metro apps wouldn't open. I ended up following this Command Line to Restart Windows 8 with Advanced Boot options Menu - UnlockForUs to reboot directly into recovery mode from cmd. Then I had to enter some bitlocker garbage that was like 50 digits (so painful) and now I see: resetting this PC 1%.

edit: it's still at 1% - I think I have a lemon.

As you can see from my previous posts, I am very upset. I am hoping this is just a fluke and resetting will fix it. But it goes without saying that Microsoft's onboarding experience is a complete disaster

 

[malberttoo]

what happened in the end?




Yes it was up to date. I had the side bar on the right open and it stopped working, it wouldn't close, then I realized that the start button also did nothing, then the screen just went black. Then it wouldn't turn on for around 10ish minutes, then when it did turn on, the stuck boot screen, BSOD, recovery mode ensured. After booting, explorer did not work, and metro apps wouldn't open. I ended up following this Command Line to Restart Windows 8 with Advanced Boot options Menu - UnlockForUs to reboot directly into recovery mode from cmd. Then I had to enter some bitlocker garbage that was like 50 digits (so painful) and now I see: resetting this PC 1%.

As you can see from my previous posts, I am very upset. I am hoping this is just a fluke and resetting will fix it. But it goes without saying that Microsoft's onboarding experience is a complete disaster

Couldn't happen to a nicer guy...

We expect others to come here to this board with their issues, but yeah it's always a little cringe-worthy when one of US experiences something major like this!!

 

[macmee]

I had a similar issue with the first one I purchased. Did a restore to factory settings [long story] that ended with it stuck at that same screen. Best I could figure was corrupt hard drive.

what happened in the end?

Couldn't happen to a nicer guy...

We expect others to come here to this board with their issues, but yeah it's always a little cringe-worthy when one of US experiences something major like this!!

I've had Windows machines blow up on me like this in the past but not 10 minutes after turning it on for the first time. Then getting it into recovery mode and being stuck on 1% is very discouraging. I'm contemplating just returning it and keeping my Sp3. I've heard a lot of other users around here have had other issues with their Sp4 too, and my SP3 is working relatively well at the moment.

 

[leeshor]

If your 10 minute statement is correct then you were restarting at some point while updates were still trying to install. The last (NEW) SP4 I had in my office took updates 3 times before it didn't have any. I assure you it takes more than 10 minutes to update 3 time and allow for them to fully install. That's why I have installed a drive LED app on mine and the others that have passed through my office.

 

[macmee]

^ I'm making a recovery stick with my surface pro 3 for my surface pro 4

If your 10 minute statement is correct then you were restarting at some point while updates were still trying to install. The last (NEW) SP4 I had in my office took updates 3 times before it didn't have any. I assure you it takes more than 10 minutes to update 3 time and allow for them to fully install. That's why I have installed a drive LED app on mine and the others that have passed through my office.

Yeah, when I mean first 10 minutes I mean I went through setup, immediately checked for updates and *then* started using it. To its credit the updates did install pretty fast. I have no idea why the device's screen went black. Could be a problem with the display drivers or a hardware problem or a fluke or many things I guess. Anyway, it definitely corrupted my windows installation. I just set up recovery drive with my other computer and I'm recovering it now. I'll use it over the next few days and if anything else weird happens again I'll set up an RMA.

edit: ohhh but the silver lining is that even during the entire recovery process (so far), the fan has yet to come on and the device is barely warm. In comparison my Sp3 when recovering was very hot.

Also it's nice how W10 detects that windows isn't booting after several failed boots. The recovery process it started for me completely failed. But it's a nice touch anyway because I assume this feature works most of the time.

 

[leeshor]

Note that you need to continue checking for updates until there are none displayed. Applying some updates then requires followup updates. In the case of the systems I've had in my office it has been at least 3 times.