Surface Pro 8.1 Update 1, Hard Freeze & Now Won't Boot

[F27]

Hi Everyone,

I despriately need your help. I have an original Surface Pro 32GB.

This morning I decided to update to Windows 8.1 Update 1.
I made a restore point updated all app's and installed all Windows Updates apart from the big 800MB one.
Everything installed fine so I then restarted and started installing the main update.
It was downloading and installing in the background and I stupidly decided to browse IE whilst waiting.
The Surface then hard froze, no buttons, touch or keyboard worked. I left it for about half an hour and still nothing then finally decided to shutdown by holding the power button.

Now the Surface won't boot, its stuck on the Surface logo with the spinning balls.

I haven't got a bootable USB stick or another Windows 8.1 PC around.

Please help, I have never liked doing updates because they never go smoothly. I really hope I haven't bricked it (I can't believe it would be that easy to totally brick). What do I need to do to get this back up and running? I can't access anything to get to the restore point.

I appreciate the help, Thank You.

 

[CrippsCorner]

See the thread I just started in this section... try a hard reset (hold the power button and up)

 

[F27]

Yeah I tried all the button combinations of resetting and powering it on and nothing works. I just get the 'Surface' splash screen with the spinning icon.

I'm really worried the major update bricked it, froze in IE whilst updating now it won't boot. Any other recommendations?

 

[Bazzer]

Have you made a USB boot stick? Do a restore to Window 8 and start again. Should be OK then.
Also do it on Mains power.

 

[F27]

No I don't have one to try. I don't understand why Microsoft don't have it available for download (just the files needed for the recovery menu not the full image).

If anyone has Surface Pro 1 Windows 8.1 recovery usb files it would be appreciated.

 

[Bazzer]

The other way would be to go to shop selling them and make a USB Disk from a showroom Surface.
I had it were with some updates and both RT and Pro it goes as I say heavy sleep mode.
Doing a Volume UP and Power On and hold both buttons for at least 10 seconds seems to wake it up.

 

[F27]

Yeah I need to get one. Would a standard bootable Windows 8.1 iso do the same job?

 

[F27]

Every bootable USB I have created does not boot. I tried....

- Windows 8.1 iso on USB using rufus (GPT UEFI Fat 32)
- Windows 8.0 iso on USB using rufus (GPT UEFI Fat 32)
- Windows 8.1 iso on USB using microsoft win 7 download tool (NTFS)
- Windows 8.0 iso on USB using microsoft win 7 download tool (NTFS)
- Windows 8.0 Surface recovery image files on USB using copy & paste (Fat 32)
- Windows 8.0 Surface recovery image files on USB using DISKPART (Fat 32)

I can ACCESS the BIOS easily so booting into USB should work, no firmware changes where being made when mine crashed, it was just a software update.

Why does MS not make it clear the factory recovery partition it's as good as useless if you can't boot into Windows. Really stupid.

Can anyone help at all?

 

[jeffskent]

I've got a Day One Surface Pro and haven't had your issue, yet. I have had the machine lock up and have always, so far, been able to restart it by attaching the power cord and doing a 10 second press on the power button. I haven't heard about pressing the up volume key at the same time until now.

When I bought my SP I also bought a two year warranty plan for an extra $100. I take it you didn't. Did you call the 1 800 microsoft support number? I hear they have access to recovery options normal people don't know about.

Finally, after making an appointment, can you take the SP physically into an MS actual store and see if the techs there can restore the thing?

One more thing. As far as I can remember, MS never made a 32 GB SP. The SP came in 64 and 128 GB models. Only the RT had a 32 GB version. Am I correct?

I have a 32 GB RT and it seems very slow to function compared to my 128 SP. Please verify your model configuration.

 

[F27]

Thanks for the reply. My bad its a 64GB.

Unfortunately no MS stores in my country, MS said no USB recovery sticks available and nothing can be done for this one if the device doesn't boot. How could anyone use this for serious work if there are no easy ways of recovery. It's all the power of a laptop with a crazy walled firmware and bios of a tablet.

Every button combination I have tried for days doesn't work but something odd did happen. When I powered on with a 8.1 iso USB stick in 'SURFACE' appeared then after a while the screen went blank (on but just black) with a cusor you can move and this was a high res cursor (not the one you would see in the BIOS menu).... very odd. I don't know what it means but nothing happens after that.

What does a black screen with a cursor on it mean????

 

[jnjroach]

Have you tried this? (USB needs to be FAT32)

Start from a bootable USB device when Surface is off


Step 1: Attach a bootable USB device to the USB port.
Step 2: Press and hold the volume-down (–) rocker.
Step 3: Press and release the power button.
Step 4: When the Surface logo appears, release the volume rocker. Surface will start the software on your USB device.

 

[F27]

No Fat32 USB boot's even if I hold down the volume down rocker whilst pressing the power button. The Surface loading icon just continues endlessly.

The only strange thing I do get occassionally is a blank screen with white mouse cursor... I don't know what that is.