Surface RT won't boot windows after the installation of update 3

[rarson]

Just FYI, I had this problem on a Surface 2 and was able to log in normally by forcing a resolution change by plugging in an external monitor. Then I just removed and hid KB3033055.

 

[detete]

Thanks for GreyFox7's information that help me how to reset my laptop. It's my first-time update with RT and it's f*cked.

 

[pwill327]

OK - The 'special' way of installing the updates worked for me. I reset the RT and then let it install updates in several batches allowing it to do them all in each batch with the following problem:

I wanted to exclude KB4074594 to ensure that I installed KB3033055 first in line with the instructions in the other link to the Microsoft community website. I didn't see it but before installing KB3033055 but when I checked the installed updates and found that it had been installed (no sign of the other January 2018 update KB4056895 that I THINK has been overtaken by KB4074594). I used the Control Panel Uninstall feature to uninstall update KB4074594, then checked for updates again ONLY selecting KB3033055 and I waited for another crash.

The crash didn't happen and I had the ability to turn on the old fashioned start menu (and not the tiled menu) which is one of the changes in this update I believe.

Check for updates again and KB4074594 was installed along with a couple of other updates after which the RT started fine and seems to be running well.

So, there does seem a way around this with it taking (for me) about 10 hours of time in updates and restarts over a couple of days. Not an elegant solution but it does mean that the last Feature Update for 8.1 RT (believe it is KB3033055) is now installed and available along with more recent security and bug fixes from later updates.

I hope that this helps others with the same problem - any questions please post them and i will try to help bearing in mind I am an end user and by no means an expert in this - but I can follow instructions.

I am new to this forum - I just did the fatal upgrade to my surface RT and have the same issues mentioned here - the blinking wifi indicator and nothing else working. I had created a USB flashdrive prior to the install , I put that in, hold the volume down and press start, The only thing that is going on after an hour is still the blinking wifi indicator. How can I get the RT to a point where I can refresh or reload the software.

OK - so I removed the extra 32GB MicrsSD card, let the battery run all the way down, Plugged in the charger and - I was able to reload from the USB drive. I will apply the updates up to the one that caused the problem and stop there. I use this tablet when I travel to check email and load up my pictures.

***************************************************************************************

Eighteen hours later - all back together and it seems to be working OK. I let the updates get found online and applied them that way. The first set went over an hour searching for updates. At the end, there are 7 that are optional , I did not apply them, that is where it crashed in the first place. I did a disk cleanup and a defrag after all was said and done. The windows C is 13.8GB of used space.

**********************************************************************************************


I did s system cleanup after installing all the updates. This got the disk space down under 10 GB ( I have nothing else on the machine, just office and the RT )

 

[Jleong978]

All, I am a new Surface RT owner from England. Bought my used RT 64Gb over the weekend, reset it using the downloadable image from MS and started the update process. Lost count of how many updates but it has gone on for 3 days. Anyway, today there are more updates available so I just let it go - and got the same problem as above when it was going through the RESTART phase.

Tried various things but cannot get any further than the WiFi icon flashing and the trackpad pointer moving around a black screen.

I had created a USB recovery drive after the reset, so I plugged it in and forced the RT to boot from it (Volume down and Power etc.). Tried troubleshooting but it couldn't solve the problem. Then chose to Refresh and this seems to have worked - at least I can start the machine and everything seems to work.

I don't know how far back in the Update process it has gone (no Update History now) - I will have to wait for "These updates are available" to see if LOADS are there to be re-installed.

Does anyone KNOW which update is causing the problem? Are MS going to do anything about it? Can this specific update be excluded in any way from being installed and crippling the RT AGAIN???

If you have a USB recovery drive this post may help - if not I have no other ideas.

Hi, I'm facing the same issue as you but my knowledge are more limited than you. So may I know how am I going to reset or refresh my Surface? I'd tried pressed power button & volume up/down but it's not working at all. Sometimes I manage see the usual login page but the keyboard are not active can't type password at all. Could you please advise? Tq.

 

[Jleong978]

Hi all, I'm facing the same blank screen with WiFi blinking problem but my knowledge are more limited than you all. So may I know how am I going to reset or refresh my Surface? I'd tried pressed power button & volume up/down but it's not working at all. Sometimes I manage see the usual login page but the keyboard are not active till can't type password at all. Could you please advise? Tq.

 

[frankst237]

Hi, I am not an IT expert, just an enthusiastic user. I have actually sold the surface RT that I had when this happened but I will try to help. I recommend reading all the posts in this thread to understand that:
1 - You probably need to create a USB drive with the right systems image on it - https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/4037673/surface-refresh-or-reset-surface-rt-or-surface-2 or this one - https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/surfacerecoveryimage
2 - The instructions for resetting and using safe mode are here - Safe Mode On Surface - Love My Surface
3 - Read the post by pwill327 just before your post - he says he removed his microSD card ,, let the surface battery run down completely and pressed volume down / start to move towards the reset.

If you read the rest of the posts in the thread it is a VERY long and slow process to get it right. The critical update to NOT install is KB 3033055. Have a look at this - Surface RT "dead"/black screen after installing optional upgrade(s)

When all the above have been read then you might be able to have another try. As I said at the top, I don't have the Surface any more so I don't have any hardware to play with or practice with to help you in detail.

I hope this helps, don't give up because it can be very satisfying when you get it all to work BUT IT IS NOT A QUICK FIX.

Frank

 

[Jleong978]

Hi, I am not an IT expert, just an enthusiastic user. I have actually sold the surface RT that I had when this happened but I will try to help. I recommend reading all the posts in this thread to understand that:
1 - You probably need to create a USB drive with the right systems image on it - https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/4037673/surface-refresh-or-reset-surface-rt-or-surface-2 or this one - https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/surfacerecoveryimage
2 - The instructions for resetting and using safe mode are here - Safe Mode On Surface - Love My Surface
3 - Read the post by pwill327 just before your post - he says he removed his microSD card ,, let the surface battery run down completely and pressed volume down / start to move towards the reset.

If you read the rest of the posts in the thread it is a VERY long and slow process to get it right. The critical update to NOT install is KB 3033055. Have a look at this - Surface RT "dead"/black screen after installing optional upgrade(s)

When all the above have been read then you might be able to have another try. As I said at the top, I don't have the Surface any more so I don't have any hardware to play with or practice with to help you in detail.

I hope this helps, don't give up because it can be very satisfying when you get it all to work BUT IT IS NOT A QUICK FIX.

Frank

Thanks alot for your detailed and step-by-step explanation, Frank~ Will try on the above and hope everything goes well~

 

[Jleong978]

Dear All,

I had found out an easiest solution which can help out to remove the KB3033055 without reset, refresh or using recovery image and hope it's working for any one of you too. It's working on my Surface RT 2 (64GB) while I am using SOLUTION 2:-


ÁLEX CERROLLO replied on

Dear all,

I have finally solved the problem. There are two ways of solving it. I will explain both of them carefully.

PROBLEM: After the update of the system, the screen is black, only the cursor can be seen, and also the wifi icon on the left part of the screen, appearing and disappearing.

SOLUTION 1:

This solution works, I have tried it.

You have to start the system from the scratch and install all of the updates proposed but one: KB3033055. But pay attention: this update is proposed two different times:

The first one, as a part of a very loooong list of updates; in this moment, it has to be accepted and installed, and no problem will happen.

Later, this update will be proposed in a short list of six optional updates. At this moment, you have to accept all the rest of the KBs, but not KB3033005. Since it is an option, you can simply skip it but not selecting it.

After installing all the updates but KB3033055, you have to restart the system and try to find more updates, which can be installed with no risk. I’m writing this comments on February 27th, and every update prior to today is OK but KB3033055.

Now my system is ready, steady, smooth and functioning. Everything runs perfectly.

After updating everything but KB3033055, the system has 42 GB free (my table is a Surface RT 64 GB). Probably there will be more or less 15GB in Surfaces RT 32 GB.

Even though somebody stated that the February update solves the compatibility problem with KB3033055, I have tried to install KB3033055 AFTER February update and the black screen comes back again. Since I don’t need it, I won’t try it (maybe later, or in another life…!!).


SOLUTION 2:

Maybe you don’t want to start the system from the scratch. Or maybe you did it and later, without paying attention, you did install KB3033055 and the black screen problem reappears.

This solution is inspired by the solution proposed by the user called timpeq in this thread: Surface RT "dead"/black screen after installing optional upgrade(s)

(Timpeq replied on February 13, 2018. I have not been able to follow his instructions (maybe you will), but some of them have been useful.)

You have to follow these steps:

1. Turn off the Surface by pressing the on/off button for some fifteen or twenty seconds.
   
   
2. Once you are sure that the Surface is off, press the side button (reduce volumen), and, without releasing it, press the on/off button for one or two seconds. When the Surface logo appears, you have to release the volume button immediately.
   
   
3. The Surface will start in a safe mode, and the “Wait” message can be read after the Surface logo. If not, turn it off and start again the process.
   
   
4. Then, you have to go to the Command Promt (by this way: Troubleshoot, then Advanced, then Command Promt).
   
   
5. The system will ask for the Bit Locker code. That code is a long code (8 numbers of 6 positions each, separated by “-“. Like xxxxxx-xxxxxx-xxxxxx-xxxxxx-xxxxxx-xxxxxx-xxxxxx-xxxxxx, obviously each x is a number. If you don’t have the code, you can get it in this url:
   
   Microsoft OneDrive - Access files anywhere. Create docs with free Office Online.
   
   Please, note that you have to login with your Microsoft ID and password to get your Bit Locker code.
   
   
6. Once you enter the Bit Locker code, you have to select your user (it will appear in your screen), and use your password.
   
   
7. The Command Prompt will appear (you know, the classic black window with the prompt letter, which in my Surface is: X:\>
   
   
8. You have to write this command. Do it VERY CAREFULLY, taking into account that even blanks are important. Even though you see it here in two lines, everything must be written in only one line, without any space between "remove-" and "package": ".../remove-package /packagename...":
   
   X:\>dism /image:c:\ /remove-package /packagenameackage_for_KB3033055~31bf3856ad364e35~arm~~6.3.1.19
   
   I don’t know if this command Works for all kind of Surfaces RT, but it is valid for Surface RT 64 GB.
   
   Important: For typing ~ , you have to press AltGr + 4, and then spacebar.
   
   Important: There is a blank space (spacebar) among \ and / in: “image:c:\ /remove-package”.
   
   
9. The Surface will uninstall KB3033055. Wait until the percentage of uninstalling is 100%. It will take some minutes. Be patient, it looks like nothing is happening when it arrives to 99,5%, but you have to wait. Don’t touch anything and don’t restart.
   
   
10. After the uninstallation (when the porcentage gets to 100%), write “exit” and press enter:
    
    X:\>exit [and press enter]
    
    
11. After that, you can continue with the start process. Your Surface will come back to life again. Like magic!!
    

I have tried both solutions on my SURFACE RT, and both of them work.

Good luck.

Álex Cerrollo