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.

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

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
    2016-12-12T04:05:35+00:00

                 no installed updates

    Checking how?  No History is a consequence of using the WU troubleshooter.   So, we may have to find other methods of checking on what has been applied.   One method I mentioned is using IE Help About and its link in Update versions.

    HTH

    Robert

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-12-11T23:00:05+00:00

    Hi Mikie,

    You can try to reset Windows update components. After the reset you have to check for and install the updates again.

    Let us know how it goes.

    Regards.

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-12-11T22:37:51+00:00

    ok here is something very weird i have installed a bunch of updates and i am still looking for otehrs like the start bar but i checked my update history just now and it says i have no installed updates and i know i have installed some updates.so will somebody from Microsoft please help us .

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  4. Anonymous
    2016-12-11T20:32:24+00:00

    Here are all my installed updates:

    PS>Get-Clipboard | Out-String -Stream | Select-String "KB3" | Sort

    KB3004545                                       12/9/2016 12:00:00 AM

    KB3021910                                       12/9/2016 12:00:00 AM

    KB3038936                                       12/9/2016 12:00:00 AM

    KB3135782                                       12/9/2016 12:00:00 AM

    KB3173424                                       12/9/2016 12:00:00 AM

    @ Tithdara

    I guess we should be sorting by HotFixId instead of InstalledOn  at least for your case.  So, this shows that you have a recent patch for a Servicing Stack change (KB3173424) but not much else in 2016. 

    Otherwise I wish we could get finer granularity on the InstalledOn timestamp or even better know which order things were installed.  E.g. it would be interesting to know exactly when KB2919355 was installed in relation to those others.  Presumably that was before the ones which have it as a pre-requisite.   ; )

    So, I guess you have proved that something seems to be inhibiting you from getting maintenance.  In any case, did you check to see if you have anything Optional to install?  Maybe that "optional" KB3000850 is more essential than I thought.

    There certainly does seem to be a contradiction in its procedure.  First it says you can get it automatically and then it says you need to check it under Optional (just as I remembered).

    <quote>

    This update is provided as an Important update from Windows Update. If you turn on automatic updates, this update is automatically installed.

    How to perform the update by using Windows Update

    1. Open Windows Update by swiping in from the right edge of the screen (or point to the lower-right corner of the screen and move the mouse pointer up), tap or click Settings, tap or click Change PC settings, and then tap or click Update and recovery.
    2. Tap or click Check now, and then wait while Windows looks for the latest updates for your computer.
    3. If updates are found, tap or click Install updates.
    4. Select update 3000850 under Optional, and then tap or click Install.

    </ quote>

    HTH

    Robert

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