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

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!?

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. **************************** 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. garym123 Your steps do not resolve the issue. The black login screen comes up right after installing KB3097667. I NEVER had this black screen issue before. Something changed. Surface turns on,screen goes blank. There is no keyboard, no way to enter anything.

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. **************************** 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. garym123 Your steps do not resolve the issue. The black login screen comes up right after installing KB3097667. I NEVER had this black screen issue before. Something changed.

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.

0 comments

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

0 comments

78 additional answers

Anonymous

2018-02-09T16:24:44+00:00

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!?
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1 person found this answer helpful.

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Anonymous

2018-02-07T02:49:49+00:00

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.

****************************

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.

garym123

Your steps do not resolve the issue. The black login screen comes up right after installing KB3097667.

I NEVER had this black screen issue before. Something changed.

Surface turns on,screen goes blank. There is no keyboard, no way to enter anything.
Was this answer helpful?

1 person found this answer helpful.

0 comments No comments
Anonymous

2018-02-07T02:25:27+00:00

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.

****************************

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.

garym123

Your steps do not resolve the issue. The black login screen comes up right after installing KB3097667.

I NEVER had this black screen issue before. Something changed.
Was this answer helpful?

1 person found this answer helpful.

0 comments No comments