Surface Book on Boot loop after update fails to Install.

Question

Split from this thread.

I’m trying to update my Surface Book. It had a few updates backed up, I’m not sure what ones. It said it would restart a couple times so I let it be. It’s stuck in a loop, shows the “Surface” screen, the white loading dots, then flashes a white box outline, then says “Restoring your previous version of Windows” and back to “Surface” page. Tried hard reboot a couple times. Held power & volume up, that menu was useless, exit that was to restart. Let the battery die. Tried holding the power off until it comes back on 3 times but it never came back on (and held for over 30 seconds after it turned off. It is STILL in it’s loop. How do I fix it?

Answer 1

> It had a few updates backed up, I’m not sure what ones. It said it would restart a couple times so I let it be.

Sounds like you've already tried a few things without resolving this. At this

point, you may need to reimage from a downloadable recovery image. Do NOT

specify a WiFi network/connect to the Internet to get updates until after

Windows is up and running. Then connect to WiFi and go to settings, updates, and

check for updates and install until no more are available.

Go to https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/surfacerecoveryimage   (with a

different computer if yours is not working properly)  and download a recovery

image for your Surface. You will need a 16GB USB stick formatted FAT32.

Unzip/extract the recovery zip to the formatted USB stick and then-

To reset your Surface from a USB recovery drive:

Step 1:    Make sure your Surface is turned off and plugged in (hold down the power

button for 30 seconds).

Step 2:     Insert the USB recovery drive into the USB port on your Surface.

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

power button on your Surface.

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

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

Step 6:     Select Troubleshoot > Reset your PC.

If prompted for a recovery key, select Skip this drive at the bottom of

the screen.

Step 7:     Select the target operating system you wish to reset. This

refers to the current operating system installed on your Surface.

Step 8:    Select Yes, repartition the drives, and on the next page, select Next.

Step 9:     Choose Just remove my files.

Step 10:    Select Reset.

Surface restarts and the Surface logo displays while the reset process

continues (this can take a while).

Answer 2

Is there anything else I can try that won’t lose my files? We don’t use it too much but I have one file I didn’t save elsewhere. 

The flashdrive, how do you format it and can it be reformated to use normally again?

Answer 3

you need to use a different Windows computer to format the flash stick FAT 32.

right click the drive, format, specify FAT32. yes, you can reformat it again.

You can try the KEEP MY FILES option (from

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4036297/surface-windows-doesnt-start-on-surface)

the first time you try to use the recovery drive, but if it fails, you may need

to do the complete reimage.

1.Make sure your Surface is turned off and plugged in.

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

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

button on your Surface. When the Surface logo appears, release the volume

button.

4.When prompted, select the language and keyboard layout you want.

5.Select Troubleshoot > Reset this PC.

6.Choose either Keep my files, Remove everything, or Restore factory settings.

Important

The first time you do a reset, we recommend that you choose Keep my files. If

you’re still having problems, reset your Surface again and choose Remove

everything. If that option doesn’t help, reset your Surface again and choose

Restore factory settings, if the option is available.

7.If prompted for a recovery key, select Skip this drive at the bottom of the

screen.

8.Select the target operating system you want to reset (this refers to the

current operating system you have installed on your Surface) and select Reset.

Your Surface restarts and the Surface logo appears while the reset process

continues. This can take several minutes.

>Is there anything else I can try that won’t lose my files? We don’t use it too much but I have one file I didn’t save elsewhere.

>

>The flashdrive, how do you format it and can it be reformated to use normally again?