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

Anonymous
2018-01-23T22:02:45+00:00

Hello!

I've recently reset my Surface RT to factory settings.

Now after setting it up again and installing all needed updates via WindowsUpdate, I also wanted to install the optional ones - especially the one with the Windows 10-like start menu because I like it much better than the big tiles :D

So here I go... but after the needed restart the screen stays black with a blinking WiFi icon in the bottom left and a mouse arrow when I touch the screen or the touchpad (watch here: Youtube Video)

I waited a few hours if there was an update to be finished (until the battery ran out!) - but nothing happened.

  • I already did a complete factory reset
  • Also a complete reset with a recovery USB drive (Windows 8.1 RT image 20.8.17.0)
  • I am out of ideas...

I tried these procedures already...

  1. The first time I installed many updates by hand because WindowsUpdate got stuck - OK I thought this was the mistake...
  2. So the second time I installed only KB2919355, KB3173424 and KB3172614 by hand because of WindowsUpdate stuck again... afterwards I thought this was the mistake because it didn't work...
  3. So the last time I tried everything over WindowsUpdate - which worked only because I flushed the DNS cache before and did the WindowsUpdate repair option from the settings. Again it didn't work...

It works completely flawless until I install an optional update.

PS: I've seen there are already others with this issue which seems to happen since this january...

Please help!

Thank you.

Surface | Other

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Anonymous
2018-02-14T04:32:38+00:00

You can remove KB3033055 after getting the flickering wifi icon, no need to reset from scratch.  

 - Interrupt the boot process a couple times by holding down the power button to force windows into startup repair.

 - Open the command prompt from the menus. (Troubleshoot, Advanced, Command Prompt)

 - You will be prompted to enter username and password

 - At the command prompt type:

dism /image:c:\ /get-packages > c:\dism-output.txt

notepad c:\dism-output.txt

In notepad press ctrl-f and type 3033055, you should find the full name (In my case it was Package_for_KB3033055~31bf3856ad364e35~arm~~6.3.1.19)

Back to the command prompt, In my case I typed:

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

  exit

From there you should be able to continue to Windows as normal.

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Anonymous
2018-08-15T17:57:24+00:00

Hi everyone,

Thank you for your feedback. We have identified the root cause and published a fix through Windows Update. This fix is available in the August 14, 2018—KB4343898 (Monthly Rollup) package.

  • Addresses an issue that may prevent your device from starting up properly if you install KB3033055 (released September 2015) after installing any Monthly Rollup dated November 2017 or later.

If your device is already booting to a black screen, you may need to Restore/refresh Surface with a recovery image.

Greg

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  1. Anonymous
    2018-01-29T23:40:11+00:00

    Hi, 

    I’m a bit confused with your solution here. I have the same issue with the dark screen and flashing wifi icon. How did you go back to installing the updates? I cant get back onto windows from the flashing screen. 

    Thank you, 

    Derek

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  2. Anonymous
    2018-01-29T20:25:43+00:00

    Hi,

    I did install all important updates first, then installed only update KB3033055 as you described. But unfortunately it didn't work out for me. After installing the update KB3033055 , shutdown the tablet and reboot it again I ended up on the black screen with blinking wifi icon again...

    No solution so far for me except not installing that particular update.

    Cheers,

    Peter

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  3. Anonymous
    2018-01-29T15:23:33+00:00

    A reset is not the same as a restore. A reset is a band aid that tries to fix the OS. A restore restarts the system with a fresh install.

    If you want an RT that works again, restore it. As it is right now you can't do anything except use the recovery image.

    KB 2919355 is critical to continue the restore process, don't know how you got there but I have never installed optional, 'non-important' updates on a 32GB system.

    I have seen the RT and the inability to find and install updates. Why continue down that path. Follow the step by step and see.

    I have restored more than one RT to Update 3 as cleanly as possible and ended up with 15GB free on C drive and it still updates as needed.

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