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)

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

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.

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

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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Answer accepted by question author
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
    2017-03-13T05:43:26+00:00

    don't understand, I thought RT devices can't run msu files through the standalone updater?          

    My guess is that it can at least pull them apart and extract any XML that may be relevant.  I suppose I should try downloading one to see exactly how it is constructed.

    C:\Users\Downloads\TEST MSU>expand -d *.msu

    Microsoft (R) File Expansion Utility

    Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

    windows8.1-kb3173424-arm_e11b6837c0586d2b8d887f3bc33b3372fe83c8c7.msu: WSUSSCAN.cab

    windows8.1-kb3173424-arm_e11b6837c0586d2b8d887f3bc33b3372fe83c8c7.msu: Windows8.1-KB3173424-arm.cab

    windows8.1-kb3173424-arm_e11b6837c0586d2b8d887f3bc33b3372fe83c8c7.msu: Windows8.1-KB3173424-arm-pkgProperties.txt

    windows8.1-kb3173424-arm_e11b6837c0586d2b8d887f3bc33b3372fe83c8c7.msu: Windows8.1-KB3173424-arm.xml

    4 files total.

    So, looks like you could also look at the .cab files too if you wanted to see if there was anything useful there too.   And supposedly this is ARM data too so who knows maybe it can actually be used by the RT as is.

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  2. Anonymous
    2017-03-13T05:04:36+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.

    I installed the firmware update and about 60 important updates, I managed to reach Update 1 (KB2919355) and while there was what seemed to be "a green light in the update server" the apps sitting pending in the store managed to download too. However it was not for long and I have not been able to download Update 1 or the newer important updates since. Also I don't understand, I thought RT devices can't run msu files through the standalone updater?

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  3. Anonymous
    2017-02-01T15:37:06+00:00

    Thank you! It works perfectly.

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  4. Anonymous
    2017-01-24T02:39:21+00:00

    OMG thank you very much this has fixed my store i can now install apps from the windows app store with no problem and it has increased the speed of my tablet as well its much faster than it was. So these downloadable and manually installable updates do work.

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