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

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
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
    2018-01-28T14:19:55+00:00

    I have exactly the same problem with Surface RT, caused also by attempting to install optional / recommended Windows updates after KB 2919355 was re-installed two days ago. The ‘installing updates’ graphic in Settings suddenly became erratic and the whole Settings update page turned into a mass of fragmented text & symbols. Absolutely no intervention from me. Control Panel indicated I needed to restart to finish the installation. Surface then went through to the 30% configuration stage but when rebooting itself at this point, the screen has stuck with a wi-fi icon blinking at bottom left and a cursor the only other live element on the screen. So I have a totally non-usable Surface as of yesterday, caused seemingly by the Windows 8.1RT update system. Is Microsoft going to repair this? or what should I do?

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  2. Anonymous
    2018-01-27T22:45:04+00:00

    Its really bad when you MS people tell users to charge their device to fix it. Dont you think we all know that when installing lots of updates after a recovery like the user told you that the power cord is attached!!! That wont fix a thing charging the battery when its already hooked to power! That just shows lack of respect for the user and obvious you have no clue what to say will fix the problems AFTER MICROSOFT PUTS UPDATES ON OUR COMPUTERS THAT DONT WORK!!! We spend hours/days trying to fix machines that were fine until we are forced to these updates!

    No charging battery or being hooking to power OR WAITING ALL NIGHT will fix this last set of January 2018 updates put on the fragile Windows 8.1 Surface RT. Black screen with blinking wifi in lower left corner and moving cursor across black screen. So behind this black screen is the login but one cant get to it.

    Can someone at Microsoft take some initiative for the fouled updates so users can go on with their devices PLEASE!

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  3. Anonymous
    2018-01-26T07:22:04+00:00

    It's good to know that you were able to resolve the issue. This will help a lot of users who may be experiencing the same issue.

    Feel free to post back if you have any concerns.

    Regards.

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