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
    2017-01-03T15:03:00+00:00

    First of all, just checking, when you shut down the machine, never use the power button itself and use the icon in the menu and there, if you click on it, see if you see a listing of "Restart and Update".  If you do see that, it did download the updates and needs to be properly restarted to install them.

    A lot of people have a bad habit from the old days of using the power button on a Windows machine (any version of Windows) to shut down their machines and in fact, the machine actually goes into sleep mode and does not install any downloaded updates.  All the machine does is continue running.

    If you did wait 5 days with it on (and not in use) and you click on the power icon and you do not see that "Restart and Update" message, then you have all the updates already.  Believe it or not, Microsoft did not release that many updates last year for the RT models.  I didn't run mine since May of last year and it only downloaded 483 updates to include Windows Defender definitions.

    If you do not see that message, just use the tablet and don't worry about it.  There is no other way of getting the updates for the RT models.

    Hang in there, mine did do it and yours will also.  If you have been using your machine daily and do properly shut it down when you are finished using it, then, it already has all the updates.  Windows Defender has its own separate set of downloads but can be used as an indicator that the machine is online.  That program can be updated around 50 times a day as well.

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  2. Anonymous
    2017-01-03T14:57:06+00:00

    sometimes I am able to update manually the virus definition updates but nothing else.

    What I want to know is are there still Optional updates?  FWIW that is how I originally got KB3000850 which seems to be very important for getting anywhere after KB2919355.  If you don't have KB2919355 installed and applied you won't be able to get anywhere further.

    BTW there may have been a recent change to the Catalog for us but I don't know if we can use it.

    C.f.

    https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/forum/surfwinrt-surfupdate/updates-to-windows-rt-81/1acbde40-0b8a-44e2-baa7-bbd37efb07cd#LastReply

    FYI

    Robert Aldwinckle

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  3. Anonymous
    2017-01-03T13:30:31+00:00

    Tried this and left it running for 5 days. No change. Tried Troubleshooting updates multiple times and sometimes I am able to update manually the virus definition updates but nothing else. If I try to manually check for update after a troubleshoot process the 'checking for updates' goes on for days until I have to restart the tablet. Same thing if I manually start maintenance it keeps going on for days.

    After a restart the tablet CPU indicates 25% usage without anything happening and just runs down the battery.

    At point where I will be shopping for something different.

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  4. Anonymous
    2017-01-02T23:26:34+00:00

    after KB2919355 has been removed.

    KB3135782

    <quote>

    All future security and nonsecurity updates for Windows RT 8.1, Windows 8.1, and Windows Server 2012 R2 require update 2919355 to be installed.

    </quote>

    I was actually wondering what else you had installed after 2919355.

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