System Firmware Update - 12/10/13 fails to install

UK SP2 / 128

I am still being offered the October update but nothing for this month. Is the latter dependent on the former as I'm reluctant to install it?

Boy, am I getting tired of this b*ll5h*t

Roy

EDITED

Checking for updates via the desktop control panel shows the new update  but not the October version; checking via the sidebar PC settings menu shows the October update but not the new one. Yet more spectacular incompetence from Microsoft.

I'll wait a while before installing the latest version. Now why would that be?

I checked only the Desktop readouts, and also had the 24 October update disappear in favor of the 18 January update.  After charging the SP2 (and doing a disk image while that was happening, just in case) I installed the firmware update and nothing catastrophic happened.  I haven't tested what happens after hours in sleep with the Type Cover attached, or what happens at low charge, but I imagine that many of us will get the opportunity to test such things in coming days.

The main things I did differently as a result of this thread were:

• Knew what to avoid because of the power management issues (Type Cover left attached, use of Sleep).
• Knew to avoid re-installing the 24 October firmware update that was offered a week or so ago.

Ideally I should have known both of these things promptly by being so informed by an apologetic and  well-informed Microsoft representative helping out in this group and making public statements to reach a wider audience as well, but alas we don't live in such a world.  But I continue to think the Surface is a very important step in the right direction, and thank the community for making things work well anyway despite the unimpressive performance by Microsoft on customer service.

It could be the way my body builds up electricity more than others (I get discharged zaps a lot), or the way I drive these machines like they're freaking rocketships, but System Resets are part of life for me. It doesn't matter which system I use as long as the outer chassis is metal. PCs, Macs, Android, all the same. My hands habitually reach to touch connection ports like monkeys searching for the next flea - increasing the chances of memory and circuitry damage. In short, I get used to system wipes and re-installations... which in turn made me very efficient at simplifying & standardizing system cloning and redirecting storage data where the OS' aren't. Once I got hacked 7 times in one day. The hacker took approx 30min getting through my BitDefender firewall, however a quick disk image cloning operation and 7min later I was back good as new, like nothing has happened, which absolutely frustrated him. The goals he opened were gone as well as his worms. I'm not boasting and I'm not suggesting that all computer users need to become techies to use their machines, but every reset is an opportunity to get to know the game engines and optimizing one's routines.

PS: Having performed 8 resets on my 2-month old SP2 after the failed Dec-10-2013 update. I swapped the unit at JB Hifi Paramatta for a new one. I was fortunate that I knew the store manager well. I called to explain to him about the Firmware flash error and how many were having similar issues. It wasn't something I could fix and I knew it.

I received my replacement SP2 512GB today....and it is completely useless.  First, it is quite obviously used and has some scratches on the edges of the device and around the USB and power plugs.  After logging in the first time, I have no network adapters, so no internet access.  The desktop is also showing "Windows 8.x Test Build 9780" in each corner.  It appears I received a unit with a version of Windows that is not released or at least I should not have, and it appears to be broken with missing device drivers.

I've been on hold now for 1 hour, 43 minutes waiting for Surface support to tell them how incompetent they are......