Surface RT "dead"/black screen after installing optional upgrade(s)

Ok, either Microsoft has fixed this issue, or I've found a workaround.

I installed every needed update until I saw the Windows RT 8.1 Update 3 (KB3033055) under optional updates.

Then I only installed KB3033055.

When finished installing and the "Restart now" button appeared, I didn't restart the Surface.

Instead I selected "Shut down" and waited until the Surface was off.

After 10-20 seconds - I haven't counted - I rebooted the Surface:

1. Surface logo appears, rotating dots...
2. Then display was dark, just the background light...
3. I moved the mouse a little bit... nothing... damned (I thought)
4. But a few seconds later the Update screen appears starting from 60%.
5. When finished I was able to login an voila... the Wndows 10 Start Menu was usable.

The last hours I spent updating the rest of the 200 (!) needed and optional updates including all Office updates I deactivated before. So far everything worked fine.

At the moment I am installing just the Office updates.

All other neccessary updates and updates regarding only Windows (also optional ones) are installed.

Perhaps someone os willing to try and confirm?

I am certain the issue is January 8, 2018—KB4056895 (Monthly Rollup).

(it likely has a conflict with KB3033055)

I did a clean reset, hid KB4056895, and installed ALL other updates (except Previews).  Surface RT is fine and there is ~15GB free space leftover.

Note that MS reports that KB4056895 causes some old machines to get "into an unbootable state after installing this KB."  Surface RT is not mentioned (and this black screen issue is not a boot problem), but maybe the KB4056895 problem is related.  Read details in KB4056895 support page.

I suggest skipping KB4056895 and waiting for the February Rollup.  Who dares try the February Rollup!?

Dear all,

I have finally solved the problem. There are two ways of solving it. I will explain both of them carefully.

PROBLEM: After the update of the system, the screen is black, only the cursor can be seen, and also the wifi icon on the left part of the screen, appearing and disappearing.

SOLUTION 1:

This solution works, I have tried it.

You have to start the system from the scratch and install all of the updates proposed but one: KB3033055. But pay attention: this update is proposed two different times: 

The first one, as a part of a very loooong list of updates; in this moment, it has to be accepted and installed, and no problem will happen.

Later, this update will be proposed in a short list of six optional updates. At this moment, you have to accept all the rest of the KBs, but not KB3033005. Since it is an option, you can simply skip it but not selecting it.

After installing all the updates but KB3033055, you have to restart the system and try to find more updates, which can be installed with no risk. I’m writing this comments on February 27th, and every update prior to today is OK but KB3033055. 

Now my system is ready, steady, smooth and functioning. Everything runs perfectly.

After updating everything but KB3033055, the system has 42 GB free (my table is a Surface RT 64 GB). Probably there will be more or less 15GB in Surfaces RT 32 GB.

Even though somebody stated that the February update solves the compatibility problem with KB3033055, I have tried to install KB3033055 AFTER February update and the black screen comes back again. Since I don’t need it, I won’t try it (maybe later, or in another life…!!). But I have been able to solve the problem without starting from the scratch again, instead of that I have followed this second solution that I will explain now.

SOLUTION 2:

Maybe you don’t want to start the system from the scratch. Or maybe you did it and later, without paying attention, you did install KB3033055 and the black screen problem reappears.

This solution is inspired by the solution proposed by the user called timpeq in this thread:

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/forum/surfwinrt-surfupdate/surface-rt64-update-kb3033055/6f38b3b1-82ff-4ef0-bcfa-4416c8ccf79f

(Timpeq replied on February 13, 2018. I have not been able to follow his instructions (maybe you will), but some of them have been useful.)

You have to follow these steps:

• Turn off the Surface by pressing the on/off button for some fifteen or twenty seconds.
• Once you are sure that the Surface is off, press the side button (reduce volumen), and, without releasing it, press the on/off button for one or two seconds. When the Surface logo appears, you have to release the volume button immediately.
• The Surface will start in a safe mode, and the “Wait” message can be read after the Surface logo. If not, turn it off and start again the process.
• Then, you have to go to the Command Promt (by this way: Troubleshoot, then Advanced, then Command Promt).
• The system will ask for the Bit Locker code. That code is a long code (8 numbers of 6 positions each, separated by “-“. Like xxxxxx-xxxxxx-xxxxxx-xxxxxx-xxxxxx-xxxxxx-xxxxxx-xxxxxx, obviously each x is a number. If you don’t have the code, you can get it in this url:

https://microsoft.com/recoverykey

• Please, note that you have to login with your Microsoft ID and password to get your Bit Locker code.
• Once you enter the Bit Locker code, you have to select your user (it will appear in your screen), and use your password.
• The Command Prompt will appear (you know, the classic black window with the prompt letter, which in my Surface is: X:>
• You have to write this command. Do it VERY CAREFULLY, taking into account that even blanks are important. Even though you see it here in two lines, everything must be written in only one line, without any space between "remove-" and "package": ".../remove-package /packagename...".

X:>dism /image:c:\ /remove-package /packagename:Package_for_KB3033055~31bf3856ad364e35~arm~~6.3.1.19

• I don’t know if this command Works for all kind of Surfaces RT, but it is valid for Surface RT 64 GB.
• Important: For typing ~ , you have to press AltGr + 4, and then spacebar.
• Important: There is a blank space (spacebar) among \ and / in: “image:c:\ /remove-package”.
• The Surface will uninstall KB3033055. Wait until the percentage of uninstalling is 100%. It will take some minutes. Be patient, it looks like nothing is happening when it arrives to 99,5%, but you have to wait. Don’t touch anything and don’t restart.
• After the uninstallation (when the porcentaje gets to 100%), write “exit” and press enter:

X:>exit                        [and press enter]

• After that, you can continue with the start process. Your Surface will come back to life again. Like magic!!

I have tried both solutions on my SURFACE RT, and both of them work.

Good luck.

Álex Cerrollo

OK, you can still do it this way.

This will end up with Windows RT 8.1 Update 3 installed

All you need is a good 4GB USB memory stick. Backup anything you want to save from the RT to a PC, another memory stick or the micro SD card if you have one installed on the RT.

Download the Windows RT recovery image

https://www.microsoft.com/surface/en-us/support/warranty-service-and-recovery/downloadablerecoveryimage      SurfaceRT_BMR_10.8.17.0.zip    3.033GB

 Extract the zip and paste all of the folders and files in the SurfaceRT_BMR  folder to the USB stick.  There is enough room on the drive to create a MSU folder for the downloaded msu files.

Restore your Surface RT with the recovery image booting from the USB drive.

Put the RT on the charger. This is going to take several hours to complete.

Turn the RT off and boot from the USB drive, press and hold the volume-down button while you press and release the power button. When the Surface logo appears, release the volume-down button. It will take a while to boot, maybe a minute or longer.

You will have the selection, - ‘Just remove my files’ or ‘Fully clean the drive’. Select ‘Just remove my files’. Fully clean the drive takes hours.

One of the pages will ask for a drive encryption key. Go to the bottom of the page and

select ‘Not this Drive”

When the reset finishes, in settings go to ‘Power and Sleep’, ‘When plugged in’ set to ‘Never’

All updating is done from the Control Panel, Windows Update.

After each search for updates is complete click on the blue line that says ‘important updates are available’ to see what is found. You can speed things up by hiding all Office updates.  Right click an Office update and select ‘Hide’.    Install all other updates found. 

When Windows updates are all done and Update 3 is installed go back and restore hidden updates and install the Office Updates.

Start Update Instillation Here Following the reset

Turn on WiFi, Search for updates from the Control Panel, you will see a firmware update, install all Windows updates, restart

When you go back to Windows Update it will show updates are available. Do not install these updates. What you need is KB2919355 and it will not be there.  Stay on the page and search for updates.

Install KB2919355 along with the other updates.  Restart. 

Go to Control Panel, Programs and Features, View installed updates. See that KB2919355 is installed.

Turn off  Wifi,  install KB3173424, restart

 Install KB3172614, restart

 Turn on Wifi, search for updates, should find over 200 updates, install, restart

Turn off Wi-Fi and install KB3097667

After the restart, right-click on Taskbar > Properties, Start Menu.   Check the box, Use the Start Menu instead of the Start Screen for no more metro screen.

finish installing updates

**************************** 

KB3173424, KB3172614 and KB3097667 are standalone MSU update installer files that you download to install at the correct time.

Download KB3173424 HERE.

Download KB3172614 HERE.

Download   KB3097667 Windows RT 8.1 Update 3 Standalone Package

You can download these ahead of time and place them on a USB drive to install at the correct time.