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. I tried the method reset the Windows Update components (Stop services, delete Windows\SoftwareDistribution). It doesn't work. I check my installed update, I can't find KB2919442. 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 ================ gianpietromerighetti found Windows RT 8.1 update 3 standalone installer Evan Forrest made a step by step guide to get Windows RT 8.1 Update 3 Windows update and Windows Store issues are still not solved. 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.

Just letting those who are having the same/similar update issues specifically on a Surface RT/RT2 that I was able to fix the issue by creating a separate user and alternate Microsoft email account, and using those accounts to log into the store and successfully download and install updates. After installing updates I noticed that my regular Admin account was now responding to the update server and the Store was able to download apps etc, so I deleted the alternate user account when I was done and now all is working mostly fine except app downloads still stay pending for the most part, however I was able to get the most important ones to install. I'd tried every fix available to me beforehand, so if anybody else has trouble persisting once again message me, ******@gmail.com and I'll answer any questions. Wow what a journey. PS - Don't pay money to Microsoft or Surface Support to 'assist' you with troubleshooting these problems on a Surface RT, they've pretty much washed their hands of this device and will more or less tell you to move on. One guy from Surface Support told me all their data regarding the Surface RT had been deleted and they're no longer supporting the device, much more often than not I had to tell the Support person or Surface team what limitations/capabilities regarding RT and general troubleshooting. I don't know how many times I had to say "No, I can't do that" "RT devices cant be accessed remotely" "there aren't any third party softwares interfering, I can't download third party software on an RT" etc etc etc they don't know anything about their own device, the incompetence is astounding.

I have updated one rt and two surface two's in the past month, and while it did take about 2 days on average for each of them to complete updates, I can say they are now running on the '10' update without issue, and continue to receive and install updates without problems. One thing I did differently to succeed was to use the official recovery image from microsoft and install that from usb stick, and I unselected áll firmware updates in the update lists .. Since all of them have been in frequent use in the past, they all already had their firmwares updated since the last relevant one was from 2015. Thought I would try doing that differently from all the failed attempts before, and it worked! One issue I have found with áll of them was in Device Manager a nice yellow triangle in front of Touch Device - there is an issue with this device etc.. they all function, but they all mention they shouldn't be lol.. One tip just in case people overlook this : be sure to edit the powerplan so the Surface does switch off its screen after a while, but does nót enter sleep after a while or the already slow update process might take weeks ;) Also, be sure to remove the local recovery image from the Surface to ensure maximum available drive space!

I'm BUMPING this page as this is an important issue that needs to addressed by the Windows/Surface team. Any RT users being told they need to replace their devices when there nothing wrong with them is not acceptable, and I wont be bullied into submission BY ANYBODY (whether that be corporate or personal) If anybody has been experiencing issues relating to the subject of this thread with the Surface RT or the Surface 2 then please speak up, you can ask in your own thread, you can reply to me on Windows Support pages, or you can email me at ******@gmail.com with any questions regarding the issues on your RT/RT2 devices

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.

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

Anonymous

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.

I tried the method reset the Windows Update components (Stop services, delete Windows\SoftwareDistribution). It doesn't work.
I check my installed update, I can't find KB2919442.
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

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

gianpietromerighetti found Windows RT 8.1 update 3 standalone installer
Evan Forrest made a step by step guide to get Windows RT 8.1 Update 3
Windows update and Windows Store issues are still not solved.
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.

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.

0 comments

Answer accepted by question author

Anonymous

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.

0 comments

319 additional answers

Anonymous

2017-04-13T09:39:36+00:00

Just letting those who are having the same/similar update issues specifically on a Surface RT/RT2 that I was able to fix the issue by creating a separate user and alternate Microsoft email account, and using those accounts to log into the store and successfully download and install updates. After installing updates I noticed that my regular Admin account was now responding to the update server and the Store was able to download apps etc, so I deleted the alternate user account when I was done and now all is working mostly fine except app downloads still stay pending for the most part, however I was able to get the most important ones to install. I'd tried every fix available to me beforehand, so if anybody else has trouble persisting once again message me, ******@gmail.com and I'll answer any questions. Wow what a journey.

PS - Don't pay money to Microsoft or Surface Support to 'assist' you with troubleshooting these problems on a Surface RT, they've pretty much washed their hands of this device and will more or less tell you to move on. One guy from Surface Support told me all their data regarding the Surface RT had been deleted and they're no longer supporting the device, much more often than not I had to tell the Support person or Surface team what limitations/capabilities regarding RT and general troubleshooting. I don't know how many times I had to say "No, I can't do that" "RT devices cant be accessed remotely" "there aren't any third party softwares interfering, I can't download third party software on an RT" etc etc etc they don't know anything about their own device, the incompetence is astounding.
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Anonymous

2017-04-05T07:17:26+00:00

I have updated one rt and two surface two's in the past month, and while it did take about 2 days on average for each of them to complete updates, I can say they are now running on the '10' update without issue, and continue to receive and install updates without problems.

One thing I did differently to succeed was to use the official recovery image from microsoft and install that from usb stick, and I unselected áll firmware updates in the update lists.. Since all of them have been in frequent use in the past, they all already had their firmwares updated since the last relevant one was from 2015. Thought I would try doing that differently from all the failed attempts before, and it worked!

One issue I have found with áll of them was in Device Manager a nice yellow triangle in front of Touch Device - there is an issue with this device etc.. they all function, but they all mention they shouldn't be lol..

One tip just in case people overlook this : be sure to edit the powerplan so the Surface does switch off its screen after a while, but does nót enter sleep after a while or the already slow update process might take weeks ;)

Also, be sure to remove the local recovery image from the Surface to ensure maximum available drive space!
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Anonymous

2017-04-05T06:22:12+00:00

I'm BUMPING this page as this is an important issue that needs to addressed by the Windows/Surface team. Any RT users being told they need to replace their devices when there nothing wrong with them is not acceptable, and I wont be bullied into submission BY ANYBODY (whether that be corporate or personal) If anybody has been experiencing issues relating to the subject of this thread with the Surface RT or the Surface 2 then please speak up, you can ask in your own thread, you can reply to me on Windows Support pages, or you can email me at ******@gmail.com with any questions regarding the issues on your RT/RT2 devices
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1 person found this answer helpful.

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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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1 person found this answer helpful.

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