Resetting Surface RT in NOV 2016. Cannot get Windows RT 8.1 Update 3. [Solved]

Anonymous
2016-11-15T05:47:14+00:00

Hi

I reset my Surface RT recently. After resetting, I could not get Windows RT 8.1 Update 3 back like before.

My Windows Update now checking for update forever. I left it open for 24 hours, the process is in infinite loop.

  1. I tried the method reset the Windows Update components (Stop services, delete Windows\SoftwareDistribution). It doesn't work.
  2. I check my installed update, I can't find KB2919442.
  3. I can't download or update any apps from Windows Store too. (wsreset.exe tried)

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Updates (JANUARY 2017) *You can skip this to the solution below

================

  1. gianpietromerighetti found Windows RT 8.1 update 3 standalone installer
  2. Evan Forrest made a step by step guide to get Windows RT 8.1 Update 3
  3. Windows update and Windows Store issues are still not solved.
  4. According to Barb Bowman, Surface Support is aware of the problem and working to push a fix out quickly but don't have an exact time frame.

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Solution (Issues solved)

================

Thanks to one of the community member Stjinchan found a solution and provided a complete guide.

Step 1: Download KB3173424 from HERE.

Step 2 : Download KB3172614 from HERE.

Step 3: TURN OFF your WiFi, and reboot the surface.

Step 4: Install KB3173424 by opening it.

Step 5: Reboot the surface.

Step 6: Install KB3172614 by opening it.

Step 7: Reboot the surface.

Step 8: TURN ON your WiFi, start searching for updates.

▲ Windows Update: I completed every updates using the method above.

▲ Windows Store: My Windows Store is working and got a new interface.

Surface | Other

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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Anonymous
2017-01-17T19:55:27+00:00

After contacting Microsoft, and doing research for at least a few weeks, I found a solution to this major problem.

Alright, so I got a permanent solution for the Windows Update searching disaster! :)

Step 1: Restore your Surface RT with the recovery image from the microsoft website. (optional)

Step 2: Set up your surface and head to Windows update.

Step 3: Search for updates, after 30m-1h you will see a firmware update, press install without modifying the update list.

Step 4: After the installation succeeded, and your surface rt restarted go ahead and search again for updates.

Step 5: Again you will see a package of updates, this update includes the Windows RT 8.1 Update 1 update (kb2919355).

Step 6: When you finished installing the updates and your surface rebooted again, go to "installed updates" and check if kb2919355 is installed.

Step 7: If not, try to install the updates again. If it did, start searching for updates again.

Step 8: Once Windows Update is searching for at least 4 hours we came at the point where most of us are stuck.

THE SOLUTION

Step 9: Download kb3173424 from HERE.

Step 10 : Download kb3172614 from HERE.

Step 11: Turn off your Wifi, and reboot the surface.

Step 12: Install kb3173424 by opening it.

Step 13: Reboot the surface.

Step 14: Install kb3172614 by opening it.

Step 15: Reboot the surface.

Step 16: Turn on your Wifi, start searching for updates and after 10+/- minutes you will see 180+ updates coming your way :D.

I hope this helps a lot of people, since it was a major problem on the Surface RT.

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  1. Anonymous
    2017-01-02T19:19:01+00:00

    I too have this issue.  I have even done a full recovery of the tablet.  After recovery it pulls down a ton of updates and then after KB2919355 is installed, endless loop of "checking for updates".  If I uninstall KB2919355 and reboot it will check for updates again but just display the same results which include KB2919355. I just spent over an hour on the phone with Microsoft support and was told they do not support this OS and to post here for Microsoft to answer.  This issue is causing me not to get the most recent updates include Update 3 for the improved start menu.

    Microsoft Support - please advise.

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  2. Anonymous
    2017-01-02T13:56:47+00:00

    let's look at the modules which would be involved, e.g. to see if they are just in WinSxS or if they have been properly applied to the OS.

    For a guess, after inspecting the first .mum and then doing a search for its version let's compare what we have for  uxtheme.dll.   E.g. in an Administrator's Command Prompt enter

    .\fsutil  hardlink  list  uxtheme.dll

    we can also compare length but more generally it would be misleading  just to do a  Get-Item  on that module (in PowerShell).  You can do the  fsutil  in either command shell (from  %windir%\System32).

    But another useful measure of your patching is to simply open IE and use its About, Help, and look at the Version there.  Unfortunately that is not capturable but what is more easily used is the link in Update Versions.  Then you can also compare module versions with that KB article's File Information with what you are seeing loaded (e.g. in System Information Loaded Modules, msinfo32.exe).  Ugh.  Not as simple as it should be.  RT modules are not being listed.  I had to link to the list for IE11 for other OS to find this  (e.g. do a Ctrl-f Find for Dec-2016)

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3205401

    Dismcoreps.dll 6.3.9600.18545 152,064 02-Dec-2016 02:53 x64 None Not applicable

    which incredibly seems to be the only new module being shipped with that update.

    For some reason on the RT that module is going into  SysWOW64.  I didn't even know it had one.  Isn't ARM 32-bit?  So then System32 is 32-bit, so why bother with SysWOW64?  In any case on the RT that module has not been touched since 2014 apparently.

    Let's try a different tack.  Using my msinfo32 Loaded Modules and sorting first by File Date and then once I get a module version from that sorting again by Version my suggestion for a useful comparison is  bcrypt.dll.  According to the KB article it was updated in November; so maybe the RT is just getting its updates a month later?

    BTW on the RT we do have access to all the Event logs, so for some specific detailed potential clues for relevant Operational areas we could use them.  For example, for the Store the Event Viewer is showing stuff happening under Microsoft Windows Store Client UI.   Etc.

    HTH

    Robert

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  3. Anonymous
    2017-01-01T23:14:32+00:00

    you can go into the services option ansd set it to manually update instead of automatic .

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  4. Anonymous
    2017-01-01T21:06:58+00:00

    When I uninstall KB2919355, I can use the store and get windows updates.  

    Did you apply wsreset? I uninstalled that update and still can't install any app from the store on Surface 2.

    Update: Nevermind, I just could, I had to turn off and then turn on wi-fi after uninstalling the update.

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