Surface RT bricked?

[Onager1286]

Hey guys, I want to ask your opinion on this.

After installing the 8.1 preview on my Surface RT, I decided it'd be best to go back to 8.0. I was prepared to do this, and so had made a recovery flash drive of 8.0. It didn't go well apparently and I saw this:

https://skydrive.live.com/pagenotfounderror

When I turn it on and hold the volume down button, I can get these screens (with a wired keyboard attached):

https://skydrive.live.com/pagenotfounderror
https://skydrive.live.com/pagenotfounderror

However, when I choose the option to "Repair Your Computer" the screen just goes blank and will stay that way.
.
I went to the Microsoft Store today, a kiosk one, and the guy said that I could exchange it, but it carried a $50 deductible with the extended warranty. I didn't do it yet, because I don't think I'm really responsible for the reinstall operation screwing up. Obviously I installed prerelease software, but the problem wasn't so much with that as it was with reinstalling 8.0 with a recovery flash drive, which they recommend on their site. I dunno, not trying to be a cheapskate complainer either... what do you guys think?

 

[DBDev]

I think you should exchange it, but you could contact the Microsoft Support and see what they say, maybe you can get it exchanged for free there :smile:

 

[Guzzler3]

First off, disconnect the wired keyboard. Second, take the USB drive to another computer and run a chkdsk on it (make sure there aren't any errors on it). Third, follow this video to refresh from USB

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tShKxTNgoO8
(yea, it's from a PRO, but it's still the same steps for RT)

 

[Onager1286]

First off, disconnect the wired keyboard. Second, take the USB drive to another computer and run a chkdsk on it (make sure there aren't any errors on it). Third, follow this video to refresh from USB

Surface Pro Restore from USB recovery drive - YouTube
(yea, it's from a PRO, but it's still the same steps for RT)

I followed your directions: did a checkdisk on the recovery flash drive and found no errors. I then followed the steps in the video. It got as far as restarting the Surface after resetting, and this is where mine differs from the video. Whereas it should boot up into Windows, mine simply spits out the same screen to me

https://skydrive.live.com/pagenotfounderror

At this point I'm feeling more and more like I shouldn't have to pay for a replacement, since I'm following all the normal procedures to reset my Surface. Thanks so much for that video though; even though it didn't work, at least I have some reproducible steps that I can show the store rep. Unless you have any other ideas?

 

[Guzzler3]

Check your PM.

Also, make sure the tablet is turned off before booting off the USB. Also hold in that volume button till you know for sure it's booting off the USB drive (it seems like an eternity).

If any of this doesn't work, you will need to send it in for replacement IMHO, you shouldn't be charged for replacement. Get it to a real MS store (not a KIOSK) or via the web support page: https://myservice.surface.com/en-US/Pages/Welcome.aspx

 

[loribinca]

My first one bricked about six months ago after I (foolishly) decided to actually install the updates MS was telling me I needed.

Took it into the local MS store and they swapped it there and then (of course I lost the decal I had on the back of my bricked one, which sucked) but at least they were cool about the exchange.

 

[kamikazimunkey]

I bricked mine with 8.1 and called support. They are sending me a new one for free.

 

[dtk31883]

Does anyone have a EN-US Recovery Drive? Over at XDA (Recovery Image Info - xda-developers) they have a UK image that will restore your Surface to Windows RT 8.0. If you could create an image of the EN-US version we can help others restore their Surface RT tablets.

 

[StarLog]

Does anyone have a EN-US Recovery Drive? Over at XDA (Recovery Image Info - xda-developers) they have a UK image that will restore your Surface to Windows RT 8.0. If you could create an image of the EN-US version we can help others restore their Surface RT tablets.

Check your PM, I gave you a link to my en-us-RT 8.0

 

[Leo Hein]

Probably your USB rescue drive was not ok. This is possible when your tablet felt asleep while creating the recovery drive. This happened to me, and the only solution was to download a recovery image from another person and create a new USB recovery stick.