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Surface Pro 2 says "Please wait while we install a system update", hours later ...

Anonymous
2014-10-11T16:23:25+00:00

Came in this morning, Surface Pro 2 says "Please wait while we install a system update".  I waited 4 hours and nothing happened.  I turned it off, back on and beat my way around that screen to my desktop only to find that the WiFi and BlueTooth were no longer detected.  There is now no way to install or update anything.  When I try to reinstall or refresh Win8, from the recovery screens, it takes me back to the same "Please wait while we install a system update" screen.  This Surface Pro 2 looks like a $600.00 brick. 

Before I curse Microsoft forever and switch to Apple, is there anything i can do to save this device ?

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  1. Anonymous
    2014-10-20T02:15:44+00:00

    Just to be clear:

    You are recommending that I wipe my machine, lose everything I've done for 6 months and pretend that this device will never have a problem again.  I do not find that an acceptable answer, that is just another version of Bricking the device.  I have unmarked this as an answer.   

    A good solution path would be to find a way to fix the machine so it was useable and trusted again, 

    Three things I need to mention here: (1) The average person will not be able to recover their files, afterall the machine always boots up to "Please wait while we install a system update".  I know how to get around this.  (2)  I had already implemented cloud back and therefore could recover my data from that location.  (3) The recovery procedures to not suggest that the person use a 16 or 32 gig USB drive, that should be mentioned. 

    Anyway, if this recover procedure works, I will still have an untrusted machine just waiting to break again.

    Since there is no coherent recovery process, this is still a brick.  Fortunately I have the resources to buy a real replacement computer that is less likely to break.  Most people are not as lucky as me.

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-10-14T17:45:06+00:00

    Hi  rwgreene-itt,

    Thank you for reaching out to us on the community. We are sorry to hear that your device keeps updating and you are not able to refresh in Windows. We are here to guide you in the right direction.

    We suggest trying Refresh from USB recovery media :

    To learn how to create a USB recovery drive, see Create a USB recovery drive or Download a recovery image for your Surface.

    Refresh your Surface from a USB recovery drive by following these steps:

    Step 1:  Shutdown Surface and plug it in so that you don’t run out of power during the refresh.

    Step 2:  Insert the USB recovery drive into the USB port.

    Step 3:  Press and hold the volume-down button while you press and release the power button.

    Step 4:  When the Surface logo appears, release the volume-down button.

    Step 5:  When prompted, select the language and keyboard layout you want.

    Step 6:  Tap or click Troubleshoot, tap or click Refresh your PC, then tap or click the target operating system you wish to refresh.

    Step 7:  On the Refresh your PC screen, tap or click Next, then tap or click Refresh.

    Step 8:  Surface restarts and the Surface logo displays while the refresh process completes.

     (This can take several minutes.)

    If you are not comfortable doing the above steps, please contact our assisted support for further assistance.

    Kind Regards,

    Clare

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  3. Anonymous
    2014-10-11T17:16:31+00:00

    You bought your Surface Pro 2 less than a year ago, and it has a one-year warranty. So why not call support and see if they have a suggested fix or will replace/repair under warranty?

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