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... The first time I installed many updates by hand because WindowsUpdate got stuck - OK I thought this was the mistake... 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... 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.

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

Hi Andreas, It’s normal for your Surface to take several seconds to start up. Sometimes the Surface screen remains dark while Surface updates are installing. Large updates may take up to 20 minutes, so you may need to wait while they install. However, if your Surface device still does not boot in to Windows, you may need to charge your Surface device for about 30 minutes to 1 hour then try to start your device. You might be able to wake your Surface using a special keyboard shortcut. If you have a keyboard connected, simultaneously press the Windows logo key + Ctrl + Shift + B . If you are in tablet mode, simultaneously press both the volume-up and volume-down buttons three times in quick succession (within two seconds). If none of the solutions worked, you can bring your device to a Microsoft Store near you and have it checked by one of our personnel. If you're outside the US, refer to the Global Customer Service phone numbers to get in touch with our Customer Support in your region. Let us know if you need further assistance.

Thanks, but as I already mentioned, I waited until the battery ran out - approx. 6 hours. Nothing happened. The battery is fully charged. The Charger is attached the whole time. As metioned in the attached link in my post, there are other users facing this issue. So Microsoft has to fix this task on their side as our Surfaces did work before.

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: Surface logo appears, rotating dots... Then display was dark, just the background light... I moved the mouse a little bit... nothing... damned (I thought) But a few seconds later the Update screen appears starting from 60%. 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?

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

Anonymous

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...

The first time I installed many updates by hand because WindowsUpdate got stuck - OK I thought this was the mistake...
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...
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.

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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Answer accepted by question author

Anonymous

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.

0 comments

Answer accepted by question author

Anonymous

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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78 additional answers

Anonymous

2018-01-24T12:30:11+00:00
Hi Andreas,

It’s normal for your Surface to take several seconds to start up. Sometimes the Surface screen remains dark while Surface updates are installing. Large updates may take up to 20 minutes, so you may need to wait while they install. However, if your Surface device still does not boot in to Windows, you may need to charge your Surface device for about 30 minutes to 1 hour then try to start your device.

You might be able to wake your Surface using a special keyboard shortcut.
- If you have a keyboard connected, simultaneously press the Windows logo key +Ctrl+Shift+B.
- If you are in tablet mode, simultaneously press both the volume-up and volume-down buttons three times in quick succession (within two seconds).
If none of the solutions worked, you can bring your device to a Microsoft Store near you and have it checked by one of our personnel. If you're outside the US, refer to the Global Customer Service phone numbers to get in touch with our Customer Support in your region.

Let us know if you need further assistance.
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Anonymous

2018-01-24T12:33:40+00:00

Thanks, but as I already mentioned, I waited until the battery ran out - approx. 6 hours.

Nothing happened.

The battery is fully charged.

The Charger is attached the whole time.

As metioned in the attached link in my post, there are other users facing this issue.

So Microsoft has to fix this task on their side as our Surfaces did work before.
Was this answer helpful?

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Anonymous

2018-01-24T21:30:52+00:00
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?
Was this answer helpful?

6 people found this answer helpful.

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