Windows 8.1 RT pulled from Store

[Jubei700]

I tried getting the 8.1 update last night and after some windows and firmware updates it was in the store, but clicking download didn't seem to do anything. This morning I could find no sign of it no matter what I did. Eventually I contacted Surface support chat and this is what they said:

"Andy the update has been removed from the store for RT devices as it is causing to [sic] much problems."

"A lot of customers are downloading the update and it causing [sic] issues that need the Surface to be replaced."

"We are working to fix those issues and as soon as that is done 8.1 will be available again."

Not sure if I'm annoyed or relieved I didn't get it.

 

[afgzee]

I don't know whats happening with them lately, their quality control has gone right out of the window.

 

[WanderingTraveler]

Well, this is annoying.

8.1 is more important for RT, especially because of improvements on the Metro side.

Well, here's to hoping it'll be back soon.

 

[azcruz]

I have a fully configured Surface RT 8.1 ISO but you can build it from wzor leak if you really need to.

Sent from my LT25i using Tapatalk 4

 

[xFalk]

I tried getting the 8.1 update last night and after some windows and firmware updates it was in the store, but clicking download didn't seem to do anything. This morning I could find no sign of it no matter what I did. Eventually I contacted Surface support chat and this is what they said:

"Andy the update has been removed from the store for RT devices as it is causing to [sic] much problems."

"A lot of customers are downloading the update and it causing [sic] issues that need the Surface to be replaced."

"We are working to fix those issues and as soon as that is done 8.1 will be available again."

Not sure if I'm annoyed or relieved I didn't get it.

Thanks for the update. I updated my desktop and laptop but haven't been able to update my Surface RT. Was pulling my hair out.

 

[inteller]

I call BS

 

[accasey]

I updated my RT, and haven't had any problems.. Either with or since the update

 

[WillysJeepMan]

I call BS

What exactly are you calling BS? The original poster? The story from Microsoft? The situation itself?

I noticed that last night there were about 8 updates for 8.1 RT that were automatically installed. It was right in the middle of watching a live streaming event. I need to disable the auto-updating feature. There must've been some critical patches to roll them out so quickly after making 8.1 available.

 

[Jubei700]

I call BS

BS on what? Because it's still not showing up in the Store for me on my Surface RT and that's what Aidan from Surface Support told me this morning in a Live Chat. When I asked him what the timeframe for it being available was, he said they didn't know and it was only taken down late last night or early this morning. TBH, I was surprised how seemingly honest he was. I didn't expect them to say yeah, we've taken it down because it's killing Surfaces...

 

[prlundberg]

I don't know whats happening with them lately, their quality control has gone right out of the window.

I agree. And it's not just on the consumer side of things. IT departments around the world are pulling out their hair due to broken patches.

The update never did show up in the store for me. I had to go to their website. Then when I clicked on it it did nothing. Yet 30 minutes later a dialog box came up so it had actually done something. Then it took another long while with no feedback before it shut down and started updating. That process took over an hour. After it was "done" updating, it almost completely drained my battery overnight so it evidently wasn't really done. And now I am having similar flakey IE behavior that I experienced with the preview. I had to type this reply out 3 times because IE evidently now likes to go back a page when I use touch and the keyboard to navigate a text box. Not sure what it's doing there.

A complete joke compared to Android and iOS updates.

I've about had enough. I really like Microsoft's vision, they just haven't been able to execute properly on ANYTHING since the release on Win7.

 

[rdubmu]

I upgraded just fine on the Surface Pro, maybe "prlundberg" you did something wrong?

Sent from my RM-820_nam_att_100 using Tapatalk

 

[HarisA1]

I got 8.1 RT on release date, no problems. I think the actual problem is not the 8.1 update itself its the downloading process that's killing the rt's I've heard from multiple people their RT got ruined WHILE installing RT.no problems for me thankfully

 

[prlundberg]

I upgraded just fine on the Surface Pro, maybe "prlundberg" you did something wrong?

Sent from my RM-820_nam_att_100 using Tapatalk

I have an RT, not a Pro. Different OS. Installing isn't rocket science, if you have any ideas of what I "did wrong", by all means I'd like to hear them. I believe I clicked the install and then hit "OK" on two dialog boxes, but I don't remember exactly,

I was running the preview, which was a buggy mess from day one. Many people here ended up uninstalling it.

 

[Jubei700]

...they just haven't been able to execute properly on ANYTHING since the release on Win7.

To be fair the Windows 7 to Windows 8 upgrade process on my PC was quick, easy, and seeing as I took advantage of the ?24.99 deal, really pretty cheap for me. It just seems like anything Surface RT related has been a joke. I've had so many calls to Surface Support over the past year, who have always been helpful, polite and sympathetic, but it shouldn't have been such a hassle. And the fact that I could buy a new one for almost half what I paid when I bought mine is pretty galling. Ultimately, I think the Surface RT just doesn't quite deliver on the promise. I wouldn't rather have an android tab or an ipad, but I would rather have a better Surface. I guess maybe the Surface 2 will be what the Surface RT should always have been.

 

[prlundberg]

I wouldn't rather have an android tab or an ipad, but I would rather have a better Surface. I guess maybe the Surface 2 will be what the Surface RT should always have been.

I agree with this. I would rather have a Surface 2 than an iPad or Android tablet if I were to buy another 10" tablet if and only if it is much improved. And at this point I would not want a 6-8" RT device over Android or iOS. Maybe that will change over the next year.

 

[HarisA1]

Just called Microsoft and have been confirmed with the fact that it isn't the update that is killing the RT its been the process of installing that has caused blue screens, etc. He also notified me that this is happening most likely because of a manufacturing defect.

 

[Jubei700]

Just called Microsoft and have been confirmed with the fact that it isn't the update that is killing the RT its been the process of installing that has caused blue screens, etc. He also notified me that this is happening most likely because of a manufacturing defect.

Hmm, if it's a manufacturing defect it may not be something they can easily work around. At least we know the reason I guess.

 

[HarisA1]

Well the faulty units will be replaced I guess..

 

[Jubei700]

I'm happy to make this easy for them and have a Surface 2 as a replacement

As an aside, does anyone know if it's possible to see a log of your support calls that you've had with Microsoft? I didn't get this one emailed to me like I have before, and I might need the reference number.

 

[Guzzler3]

I got 8.1 RT on release date, no problems. I think the actual problem is not the 8.1 update itself its the downloading process that's killing the rt's I've heard from multiple people their RT got ruined WHILE installing RT.no problems for me thankfully

My RT went smoothly, where-as my Asus Zenbook had issues (it got stuck in the middle of the update and I had to reboot. It eventually made it through, but had weird things going on after. Eventually I reinstalled 8.0 with UEFI turned on this time, and ran the update again, this time it went through clean).