Repeated BSOD after firmware update - Surface pro 3, Windows 10

Question

Hey everyone

There was a firmware update for the SP3 I just did and my device now seems completely bricked. When I boot it, I instantaneously get a BSOD with one of those two messages : kernel security check failure or driver unloaded without cancelling pending operations.

The BSOD tells me I have to use a win10 device to boot it from, but when I tell the BIOS to boot with my USB win10 key, it doesn't and keeps telling that the OS can't boot and to use a win10 disc (no CD reader on the SP3). Nothing I've tried works so far. 

I've had my sp3 for just over a year and I really liked it before windows 10, and I really hope I can get it fixed.

Thanks for your help, 

Émile

Answer 1

MODERATOR EDIT (10/5/2015): Steps listed here previously are now updated to the following.  If you receive a blue screen error after installing the 9/29/2015 Surface Firmware Update please start at step 1 to address.

Step 1 – System Restore Point

1.    Boot Surface using USB recovery media.  If you do not have recovery media you can download from here: http://www.microsoft.com/surface/en-us/support/warranty-service-and-recovery/downloadablerecoveryimage.  Once you have recovery media proceed to next steps.  Note:  The USB drive must be formatted to FAT32 (not NTFS) in order to work correctly.

2.    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.

3.    When prompted select the language and keyboard layout you want.

4.    Select Troubleshoot, then Advanced Options, followed by selecting System Restore then select the target operating system.

5.    In System Restore, click Next.

6.    Click on a system restore point that was prior to applying the System Firmware update. Please use a restore point 9/28 or earlier.

7.    Click Next.

8.    Click Finish.

9.    Click Yes when asked if you want to continue.

10.    After moving to an earlier restore point you should boot into Windows.

If you were able to restore to an earlier restore point you should now be able to use your Surface again, no additional steps are needed.  If you were not able restore to an earlier restore point or you did not have a restore point then continue to step 2 below.

Step 2 – Safe Mode

1.    Boot Surface using USB recovery media by pressing and holding the volume-down button while you press and release the power button.  When the Surface logo appears release the volume-down button.

2.    When prompted select the language and keyboard layout you want.

3.    Select Troubleshoot, then Advanced Options, followed by selecting Command Prompt.

4.    Type the following command in the command prompt and then press enter:

               bcdedit /set {bootmgr} displaybootmenu yes

5.    Type the following command in the command prompt and then press enter.

               exit

6.    Press Turn off your PC.

7.    Press the power button on Surface to turn it on.

8.    Press F8 when the Windows Boot Manager screen comes up to go to Startup Settings.

9.    Press “4” to enable Safe Mode.

10.    Surface may do disk checking as well as perform a scan and repair.  Surface will then restart.  If Surface does not do this and instead boots into Safe Mode, go to step 13.

11.    Press F8 when the Windows Boot Manager screen comes up to go to Startup Settings.

12.    Press “4” to enable Safe Mode.

13.    Surface will start in Safe Mode.  Sign into Surface.  Press the Windows Start Menu, press Power and select Restart.

14.    Press Enter when the Windows Boot Manager screen comes up to boot into Windows 10.

15.    Surface will start normally.  Sign into Surface.  Right-click the Windows Start Menu and click Command Prompt (Admin).

16.    Click Yes to allow this app to make changes.

17.    Type the following command in the command prompt and then press enter.

               bcdedit /set {bootmgr} displaybootmenu no

18.    Press the Windows Start Menu, press Power and select Restart.

If you are now able to boot into Windows you should now be able to use your Surface again, no additional steps are needed. If you were not able to boot into Windows then continue to step 3 below.

Step 3 – Reset Surface to factory settings

1.    Follow the steps in the article below to boot Surface using USB recovery media and reset Surface back to factory settings: http://www.microsoft.com/surface/en-us/support/warranty-service-and-recovery/usbrecovery

Please let us know how it goes.

Thanks,

Josh

Answer 2

Hi Doug.

Thanks for those links (and the idea about dropbox)..They are really useful.

It's going to take me days to get up and running again (a lot of my software serial codes are at home and I'm travelling) and I really think we all have better things to do with our time than re-installing software thanks to Microsoft screw-ups.

Ah well....Life goes on.

Max

Answer 3

Hi David,

Thank you for posting your query in Microsoft Community and for your interest in Windows 10.

I can understand, how frustrating it can be, when things don’t work as expected.

We apologize for the inconvenience caused.

I'd be glad to help you.

Please answer these queries, mentioned below:

1. What is the KB article number of the Windows updates?
2. Do you get any error message on the computer?

I would also suggest you to perform Automatic repair on your system.

You may try to boot from the Windows 10 media and try to perform a Startup repair from Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE).

To perform Automatic repair on Windows 10 computer, follow these steps:

a) Insert the media such as (USB or DVD) and restart your computer

b) Press F12 key (typically this is F12, but it can differ between computer manufacturers) and choose the drive that you inserted the installation media into.

Once the Windows Setup window appears, follow these steps:

c) Click Next and select Repair your computer.

d) You will then see a blue screen and an option to choose. Choose the option Troubleshoot and select Advanced options.

e) You may choose Startup Repair from Advanced boot option.

You may refer to the below link to download the ISO file and create the installation media:

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

For more information, kindly refer to the below given article:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-in/windows-10/windows-10-recovery-options

Hope this information helps you. Kindly post back with the updated issue for further assistance.

Thank you.

Answer 4

the problem seems to be related to a bad update for windows 10 this morning, after that it wanted to reboot, so i let it do that, but now it can't reboot, fails with driver_unload_without_cancelling_pending_operations message.

[Moved from Windows 10]

Answer 5

I have Surface pro 3, running 10, have only run defender, no other anti virus