Surface Pro 3 will not boot from USB

[mx129]

It appears the problem is not with the SP but rather the file(s) downloaded from Microsoft to re-install the Surface Pro original OS. They are not bootable files, or at least I can not get them to boot. You are instructed to enter your serial # of the unit and it directs you to the proper download. The instructions tell you to save the file to your PC (not a USB drive). Open (not extract) the zip file and copy everything to a FAT32 formatted USB drive. The drive will not boot. I even tried to extract the files first and then copy to USB... does not work. Does anyone know can you just do a clean install of Windows 8 (8.1) on a Surface Pro 2 and Surface Pro 3? For now that will solve it. I must be doing something wrong because the recovery file from Microsoft will not boot from a USB stick.

 

[lparsons21]

I did this on a SP1, but I think it should work on the SP3 and 2 also.

You get the file from ms, unzip it and copy it to a fat32 formatted USB stick. This stick is not bootable, but that shouldn't matter as the booting is into something in the BIOS or firmware on the SP.

Power off the SP completely then hold the volume down button, tap the power button. As soon as the 'surface' splash shows up, release the volume down button.

If you USB stick has the flashy light, you should see it flashing at this time.

Soon you probably will see the language and keyboard prompts.

The next screen is where the work starts.
Tap 'Troubleshoot'
then tap 'reset your PC'
If you get asked for a recovery key, tap 'skip this drive'
Tap the target OS you want to reset, this is what is on the SP at the time.
tap 'yes, repartition the drive'
tap either 'remove my files' or 'fully clean...'
tap 'Reset'

It should start the process then after rebooting.

Note on the SP2 only, it may prompt to clear the TPM. Press F12 or volume up and the process will complete.

This is to reset the SP, not just boot to a USB. If you need to boot a USB stick, you need to create one that is bootable. There are a slew of places that claim to have the process.

On my SP1, I now have an image of the install as it was the day I made the image. I used a WD USB3 HD and the WD version of Acronis to create the image on the USB HD and then used the same tool to create a bootable USB stick to let me re-image my SP1. But even then, I had to disable secure boot to do it.

Hope this helps and works for you.

 

[mx129]

Uggg.. followed the steps but still tells me not a bootable drive (USB). I re-downloaded the recovery file (Surface Pro 2) and followed all the steps again. No luck.... there is no way the file(s) recovery files Microsoft is having me download (all 6.2 GB worth) are bootable. Incidentally I was able to boot from a Win 8.1 DVD so it's not the Surface Pros, it's the recovery file MS is giving us or it's something I'm doing. Again, this happened on a Surface Pro 2 and Surface Pro 3 after installing Win 10 preview.....

 

[mx129]

@lparsons21
"The next screen is where the work starts.
Tap 'Troubleshoot'
then tap 'reset your PC'
If you get asked for a recovery key, tap 'skip this drive'
Tap the target OS you want to reset, this is what is on the SP at the time.
tap 'yes, repartition the drive'
tap either 'remove my files' or 'fully clean...'
tap 'Reset'"

When you target the OS that is currently installed (Win 10) and choose reparation, it simply reboots into ..... you guessed it ... Win 10

 

[alphanumeric]

Just copying files to a formatted USB thumb drive does not make it bootable. I do believe the partition has to be also marked active. The files don't make it bootable, the way its prepared does.
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/15458-uefi-bootable-usb-flash-drive-create-windows.html? > For instance, option 2 using diskpart. And I do believe the other utilities mentioned do the same thing.

 

[lparsons21]

@lparsons21
"The next screen is where the work starts.
Tap 'Troubleshoot'
then tap 'reset your PC'
If you get asked for a recovery key, tap 'skip this drive'
Tap the target OS you want to reset, this is what is on the SP at the time.
tap 'yes, repartition the drive'
tap either 'remove my files' or 'fully clean...'
tap 'Reset'"

When you target the OS that is currently installed (Win 10) and choose reparation, it simply reboots into ..... you guessed it ... Win 10

It didn't on my SP1. Took it back to Win8.0 including redoing the recovery partition.

then of course, the fun began as it wanted to download and install 93 updates before I could bring it back to W8.1. And that's why I'm now using Acronis imaging...

 

[mx129]

One last question for all: Can I just install a clean copy of Win 8 (8.1) on a Surface Pro or were they loaded with a 'special' version? At this point it would be easier to load a new copy (we have them laying around as users refused to use it) Windows 8 on the Surface Pro. I am assuming that will work??

 

[Clintlgm]

One last question for all: Can I just install a clean copy of Win 8 (8.1) on a Surface Pro or were they loaded with a 'special' version? At this point it would be easier to load a new copy (we have them laying around as users refused to use it) Windows 8 on the Surface Pro. I am assuming that will work??

Well if you can't boot a USB thumb drive how do you plan to clean install Win 8.1.1. sorry for butting in but I have no idea whether you can install a straight up version of 8.1.1

 

[CmdrKeene]

The switching between tablet versus desktop interface is coming in an update (dubbed "continuum"). Even before they released the preview, they said that those features (and more) would be missing at first, because they aren't done being built.

 

[ADude]

Had the same problem. Then I created a bootable USB and external hard drive with the MakeWinPEMedia command.
WinPE: Create USB Bootable drive

At least I can boot to WinPE now.

 

[gambino]

Short story: BIOS says boot order is network > USB > SSD, but won't boot from any USB stick.
Tried using Windows recovery options and choosing "use USB", and also the volume down + power to boot.
Tried switching BIOS to boot only from SSD, saving/rebooting, then back to "USB", and save/reboot.

Story:
So I have a Surface Pro 3 and installed the Windows 10 Technical Preview. Wanted to go back to Windows 8.1 and start clean (all my files are in OneDrive or another PC, so this tablet could be wiped clean). I tried my Recovery Stick and it wouldn't boot from it, so I downloaded Windows 8.1 Pro from MSDN and ran setup.exe. I thought I would use it to create yet another USB install stick, but it actually let me choose to "keep nothing" and install it without creating secondary media. It's running perfectly fine, but I still can't boot from USB.

I can read/write files to any USB drive just fine.

I noticed this when I tried to create a Windows To Go drive, I could create it but not boot from it. Now I'm trying to use it to launch Windows 10 Setup and install it into another partition (I like Windows 8.1 too much to go solo 10 even on this secondary device). But nothing so far has let it boot from USB and I am out of ideas.

I figured out a way to re-install windows 8.1 after the tech preview was installed. I booted into the recovery partition, then went to the command prompt with a normal Windows 8.1 install usb plugged in. I switched to the drive (the command 'D:') then manually ran setup.exe (just type in 'setup.exe') and it installed just fine. It doesn't have any of the drivers but I'm assuming that the driver pack from the MS website will work just fine. Good luck.

Edit: After I did this, the MS provided surface recovery drive worked, and 'resetting' windows gave me a clean install with all the drivers, basically as the surface was out of the box.

 

[aftershock]

I have exactly the same problem as the OP on my surface pro 2, after installing win 10 technical preview. Cannot boot from usb all all. I can reinstall Win 8 by the method provided by gambino but that still doesn't restore my ability to boot from a recovery usb and restore back to a factory state.

@gambino, did you have to restore any driver pack specifically to get the boot from usb functionality back?

 

[alphanumeric]

Boot from USB is a BIOS function, its not dependent on a driver. Boot from USB happens before the OS is loaded.

 

[aftershock]

Boot from USB is a BIOS function, its not dependent on a driver. Boot from USB happens before the OS is loaded.

Makes sense, still doesn't help my situation unfortunately

 

[alphanumeric]

I wish I had an answer? I don't get how installing Windows 10 could affect that? I installed 10 on my desktop and laptop, both ASUS, and went back to 8.1 on both. All but 1 install was done with bootable USB thumb drives. Windows 10 would not install on my desktop PC from USB. I had to burn a DVD and do it that way.

 

[aftershock]

A quick update. I restored an OEM copy of windows 8.1 by the method outlined by gambino. I let all the updates install one of which was a firmware update.


Only then was I able to boot from a recovery usb by holding the volume down while powering on. Got there in the end but I'll be staying away from Win 10 previews on the surface going forward.

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there

You need to DISABLE the protected / secure boot then it all works fine -- you can even run Linux on the SP3.

(Sent using Konquror browser on OPENSUSE 13.1 so it definitely works).

Here's a link to an earlier post I made about this.

http://www.eightforums.com/tablet-touch/47948-surface-pro-3-secure-boot-can-disabled.html

Cheers
jimbo

 

[aftershock]

Hi there

You need to DISABLE the protected / secure boot then it all works fine -- you can even run Linux on the SP3.

(Sent using Konquror browser on OPENSUSE 13.1 so it definitely works).

Here's a link to an earlier post I made about this.

http://www.eightforums.com/tablet-touch/47948-surface-pro-3-secure-boot-can-disabled.html

Cheers
jimbo

This particular issue after installing Win 10 Preview is not related to Secure boot Jimbo, I tried that previously. This problem only manifests itself after a Win 10 preview install. After which the system will not boot from usb even with secure boot disabled. Only fix as far as I'm aware is to get back to Win 8 by running setup from a command prompt, then allowing Win 8 to do all its updates including a firmware update. You can then boot from usb again. I know it sounds far fetched and convoluted because it bloody is, had me pulling what little hair I have left out for 2 evenings. Your advice is sound but this particular problem is not a typical secure boot issue.

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there.

Thanks -- I'm running W10 as a VM on an SP3 so the issue hasn't cropped up yet -- but I'll certainly take note of your advice here.

Normally things like not being able to boot from an external device are usually related to secure boot and sometimes UEFI issues.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[alphanumeric]

Windows 10 must be doing something to the firmware on the Surface. Updating it or patching or something. Microsoft make it so I guess they could do that. Still, I would want to know that before they do it. Do you get firmware updates for the Surface though Windows Update? If yes, maybe one of those firmware updates did it? Boot from USB is BIOS function and should be independent of the OS installed. You can do it with a blank hard drive (no OS). Assuming Windows 10 isn't changing BIOS settings. Boot from USB happens before the OS is loaded. Unless UEFI changes that somehow? My laptop has UEFI and I've gone from 8.1 to 10 to 8.1 to 10 to 8.1 all done with bootable thumb drives. I didn't have to turn off secure boot, I didn't change any BIOS settings at all. I just used the quick boot menu to select the thumb drive as boot device for that one boot when doing the install.