Tablet initial setup forces me to log in to a microsoft work or school domain.

Question

Recently bought a used tablet and when initiated the setup - it keeps on asking for a Microsoft login - work or school account and does not give me an option to skip it or to use my local account for setup.

Seems like this tablet has been associated to a business/education domain and is constantly asking for a login - when tried to use my own login gives me an error.

Can we please look into this as I need to use this tablet.

Answer 1

Hi, Paras Gupta1

Welcome to the Microsoft Community! Based on your description, the used Surface you bought is not able to set up options using a local account. I would recommend that you reinstall your system via USB-C using a USB drive.

To download the Recovery Image: You'll another working device running on Windows.

1. Visit the page to

https://support.microsoft.com/surfacerecoveryimage

1. Sign in with your Microsoft Account
2. From the list of Surface devices available, select the device that you need a recovery image for
3. Please note that while you will only be presented with devices that are currently registered on your account, you will also be presented with the option to get an image for a different type of device. If you try to use this option, you will be prompted to enter the serial number for that device.
4. Download the recovery image using the button on the page
5. When the download bar pops up at the bottom of your screen,

save the file in a location you will be able to find it.

Note: Formatting a recovery drive will erase anything that is already stored on your USB drive. Make sure to transfer any important data from your USB drive to another storage device before using it to create a Surface USB recovery drive.

 Format USB Drive:

1. Insert your USB drive into the USB port of your PC.
2. From the desktop, open File Explorer
3. Tap and hold or right-click on the USB drive and choose Format.
4. Select FAT32 as the file system and enter a Volume label to name the USB drive, such as RECOVERY, and then tap or click Start
5. Tap or click OK to erase the contents of the USB drive
6. Tap or click OK when the format is complete

Create a recovery drive:

1. On your Surface or PC, open recovery image that you downloaded by double-clicking it or right click then select Extract and then Extract all.
2. Select the USB drive you formatted earlier for the location and click Extract.

Use a USB recovery drive to reset your Surface:

1. Shutdown the Surface
2. Insert the USB recovery drive into the USB port
3. Press and hold the volume-down (-) rocker
4. Press and release the power button
5. When the Surface logo appears, release the volume-down (-) rocker
6. Surface will start the recovery software on the USB recovery drive
7. When prompted, choose your language options and keyboard layout.
8. Select Troubleshoot
9. Select Recover from a Drive. Choose Remove Everything and Fully Clean the Drive. Recovering this PC.
10. If prompted, select Repartition the drives
11. If prompted for BitLocker Key, tap Skip this Drive.

If you can’t boot from your USB recovery drive, you may need to ensure that the boot-from-USB function in the Surface BIOS is enabled or configure the boot order, so the USB drive is the first option. For more info, see 

https://support.microsoft.com/surface/fe7a7323-8d1d-823d-be17-9aec89c4f9f5

I hope to hear back from you.

 Huon | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

Answer 2

If it was provisioned using tools that are provided to business and education, it may be "locked" to that business/school. If reimaging does not work, if the seller cannot/will not clear this, then you should return it.

Answer 3

HI Huon

Thanks for sending this through.

Did everything step by step but still the same outcome - still forcing me to login via a work or school account.

Is there anything else that can be done?

Thanks

Answer 4

Reimaging did not work, might try it again.

if nothing works out will have to then return it to the sender. :(

Answer 5

Hi, Paras Gupta1

Sorry to bother you again.

If image recovery still doesn't work, we recommend that you return your used Surface.

Huon | Microsoft Community Support Specialist