Surface book: April 2020 firmware updates bricked my device

Anonymous
2020-05-21T22:11:24+00:00

This morning my surface book downloaded some firmware updates and asked for me to restart my device.

(Here's the details on the update: https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/4023488/surface-surface-book-update-history )

However, after the first restart, I find that the surface book is in a constant restart state. I cannot even force it to shut down or boot the UEFI menu.

This is exactly what it does:

Every 10 seconds or so, it will turn on, show me the "Surface" boot logo, and after 1 second immediately turns off. It does not even reach any Windows boot up sequence.

I found the following topic which advised doing a few steps but nothing works: 

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/forum/all/surface-book-stuck-in-continuous-restarting-loop/91bc5782-aabf-4555-847a-05b92c88da6d

Could I please get some advice on what to do or how to fix this?

Thank you

Update: Seems the common factor between everyone who is having the issue is that the secure boot is disabled (I.e. there is a 'red strip' shown with an unlock icon being shown). 

Update 2: I have been told my Microsoft that they believe the fault has nothing to do with them. The high number of people who are in this thread with the exact same issue clearly shows that the fault is NOT ours. We are now looking to take legal action as this forced firmware update caused damage to our devices, for which we require compensation from Microsoft (a fix or a replacement free of charge).

For taking legal action and making complaints follow this link:https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/legal/arbitration/EU-ODR.aspx

Surface | Surface Book | Install and update

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  1. Anonymous
    2020-09-12T11:23:00+00:00

    Just wanted to give you all an update on the situation.

    Microsoft is now completely ignoring my requests for information. Last I spoke to them, they suggested that their technical support can at least offer an explanation, but when I took them up on the offer they then stopped communicating with me.

    Honestly - I cannot believe the amount of corporate greed. In such a tough time, these guys have decided to screw things up more. I've lost my job this year due to Covid and now Microsoft are asking me for money to fix the laptop that they crashed in the first place. Even if I did want to replace the device, I'm in no financial position to do so.

    Does anyone know what legal steps I can take against Microsoft? I'm trying to ODR route, but I don't see that going anywhere at the moment.

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  2. Anonymous
    2020-09-12T12:49:35+00:00

    My surface book 2 got bricked too, they offered me 729 euros new refurbished surface...

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  3. Anonymous
    2020-09-13T17:21:17+00:00

    I paid almost $1700 for my surface book 2 and now its bricked less than a year later. I cant believe the hassle people in this thread have went through and am appauled at Microsoft’s response. The first time this happened to me I returned to an earlier version of windows 10 and made sure automatic updates were turned off. Yesterday I turned the surface book on and got the “Updates instlling” pauae screen. Once I logged in it went to the blue screen of death and was stuck in a atart up loop. Tried to go back to an earlier version of Windows 10 and it was not possible. 

    So basically here’s what I see... Microsoft put out updates to Windows that bricked countless Surface products MONTHS ago. Since then, they have had countless complaints. So here I in September and I get an update that bricks my Surface. I figure out a work around and make sure there are no automatic updates. Microsoft forces an update anyways, my Surface is bricked again and now I cant revert to a non-bricked version of Windows. Since this is only happening to Surface products... it sure feels like Microsoft assumes that people willing to spend “Surface money” on a device will pay for another shi**y Microsoft device since Microsoft “force bricked” their Surface. My advice? Go with Mac/Apple bc Microsoft is clearly a bunch of snakes. SO pissed at this point.

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  4. Anonymous
    2020-09-21T03:52:45+00:00

    Hello - 

    My Surface book Laptop (1) is bricked and I am interested in joining your legal fight. Can you please two one four 937 Nine 3 one one.

    Thanks

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  5. Anonymous
    2020-10-01T20:07:19+00:00

    Hey together! Possible a „solution“ for all, who are able to boot into EFI but not into Windows anymore after a Surface-Firmware Update:

    I have quite a similiar issue after i applied the newest „ Surface - Firmware - 235.3261.768.0“ (UEFI) and the „ Surface – Firmware – 241.304.139.0“ (Aggregator) on my SP6. 

    After reboot it hopped into UEFI. I tried everything: no USB-Boot and so on. Tired original Surface BMR Recovery with thausands of different USB-Sticks, disabled secure Boot... Nothing. Just for fun i had a Ubuntu 20.04 Install-Stick.. well, and this one bootet up. For testing i installed it with all neccessary Kernels and Drivers. All was working fine. No faulty SSD or somethin. But Windows still dont wanted to boot. Used several Unix-Tools to get the damn Windows to boot up on a SURFACE. 

    After hours and hours i finally found out, that after the UEFI Update the UEFI-Part if my Surface will not accept Windows Bootloader-Files pre Windows 10 era. 

    So i downloaded the latest Windows 8.1 Build, extracted the bootx64.efi and bootmgfw.efi (is the same File but different naming...) and overwrite them on the EFI Partition/USB Stick /EFI/Boot and /EFI/Microsoft/Boot. 

    And voila: My Windows Surface-Starts up. I had stock 1903, after 2004 the Error reappears after the first reboot (restored this efi Files from !!2014!! again) Same thing from 2004 to 2009 (20H2). I am hoping MS releases a fix for that! ...so that my Surface is able to boot Windows 10 (and future Featureupdates). I dint know how long my old-efi File trick will work on future Builds. 

    conclusion: it seems that MS breaks on some devices with the Surface-Firmware Updates some Bootstack elements in their UEFI. 

    normally without this efi-Files, my surface will be a non-Windows running, Linux-booting brick!! Weirdoo..

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