Windows 10 back to windows 8.1

[Magdy Samir]

I'm still facing the same problem. Followed every single step, downloaded the specific zip file for the surface pro 3 and inserted the serial number and everything , formatted the USB with the quick format unchecked, inzipped and copied the content to the USB , and all other attempts for reset and image recovery , the same error as if it's permanently stuck with windows 10 . I admit I don't hate the new windows and I can live with it , but man I want the windows 8.1 back .
What's driving me crazy that I even made a recovery USB before installing the preview but also no luck .

 

[t.mehoves]

1.Open the Command Prompt. This can be done by triggering the Run -- Windows Key + R -- feature, and opening "cmd".
2.Type "diskpart" to open the disk partitioning software. Accept the UAC security prompt, if asked.
3.Insert the USB drive.
4.Type "list disk". The program will then show you a list of all the physical drives (HDD, SSD, USB, etc.) that are attached.
5.Identify the disk number of the USB drive (it can be recognized by looking at the size column; it's usually the last listed disk) and type "select disk X", where "X" is the disk number of your USB drive.
6.Type "clean". This will erase the contents of the USB drive, so make sure you have the contents backed-up beforehand.
7.Type "create partition primary". This command will create a primary partition on the USB drive.
8.Type "select partition 1". This command will select the created partition.
9.Type "active". This command will make the selected partition active.
10.Type "format fs=ntfs quick". This command will format the created partition as NTFS.
11.Type "assign". This command will assign a letter to the USB drive, which will make it show under Windows Explorer.
12.Copy the contents (whatever you want to install) on the USB drive.

 

[pippyo03]

It doesn't matter if you do everything correct if the USB is not correct. I am 99% sure its the way you are doing the USB, and perhaps because you are not making it bootable.

Are you checking "Create a DOS startup disk" when formatting it?

How would one check to see if the created a DOS startup disk?

The way I've done it is plug it in, right click, format, put it on FAT32, and uncheck the quick format option. It takes about 10 mins and it says its formatted. Is there somthing in there that I've missed?

 

[pippyo03]

1.Open the Command Prompt. This can be done by triggering the Run -- Windows Key + R -- feature, and opening "cmd".
2.Type "diskpart" to open the disk partitioning software. Accept the UAC security prompt, if asked.
3.Insert the USB drive.
4.Type "list disk". The program will then show you a list of all the physical drives (HDD, SSD, USB, etc.) that are attached.
5.Identify the disk number of the USB drive (it can be recognized by looking at the size column; it's usually the last listed disk) and type "select disk X", where "X" is the disk number of your USB drive.
6.Type "clean". This will erase the contents of the USB drive, so make sure you have the contents backed-up beforehand.
7.Type "create partition primary". This command will create a primary partition on the USB drive.
8.Type "select partition 1". This command will select the created partition.
9.Type "active". This command will make the selected partition active.
10.Type "format fs=ntfs quick". This command will format the created partition as NTFS.
11.Type "assign". This command will assign a letter to the USB drive, which will make it show under Windows Explorer.
12.Copy the contents (whatever you want to install) on the USB drive.

Thank you, ill try this and get back to you

 

[Elezium]

Hi,

I do have the same error while trying to recover my SP2 (The inserted media is not valid).

I am sure my USB key is bootable and I test it on another computer with a more verbose BIOS boot screen...

I've seen people able to recovers their Surface 1 and 3 ... but no SP2 ..

Anyways, I'll give it another shot this evening.

Later ppl.

 

[pippyo03]

1.Open the Command Prompt. This can be done by triggering the Run -- Windows Key + R -- feature, and opening "cmd".
2.Type "diskpart" to open the disk partitioning software. Accept the UAC security prompt, if asked.
3.Insert the USB drive.
4.Type "list disk". The program will then show you a list of all the physical drives (HDD, SSD, USB, etc.) that are attached.
5.Identify the disk number of the USB drive (it can be recognized by looking at the size column; it's usually the last listed disk) and type "select disk X", where "X" is the disk number of your USB drive.
6.Type "clean". This will erase the contents of the USB drive, so make sure you have the contents backed-up beforehand.
7.Type "create partition primary". This command will create a primary partition on the USB drive.
8.Type "select partition 1". This command will select the created partition.
9.Type "active". This command will make the selected partition active.
10.Type "format fs=ntfs quick". This command will format the created partition as NTFS.
11.Type "assign". This command will assign a letter to the USB drive, which will make it show under Windows Explorer.
12.Copy the contents (whatever you want to install) on the USB drive.

Alright, I followed the diskpart process you have posted, and everything thing seemed to run smoothly, but twice it said I had to format the disk, (which I thought was already formatted. I ignored it the first time) and after I finished the process it asked me again, I again ignoring it and trying to use it and I gave me an error message and asked me to format it again. So I'm currently formatting the drive, not a quick formant but a full one. And I was wondering if that was supposed to happen as I'm afraid after all is said and done it will give the the same error message as had been giving to me every single time

 

[lparsons21]

Are you unzipping the zip file on the computer and then copying the contents to the USB stick?

That's all I had to do and do the boot sequence of with volume down.

Sent from my Surface with Windows 8 Pro using Tapatalk

 

[pippyo03]

I can officially say that this is frustrating. I've went through all the command prompt stuff... Failed again... Idk what's up but I am starting to believe Eleziums statement about the Sp 1 and 3 resetting, but not the Sp2

 

[mjrtoo]

You installed an alpha product as your daily driver and you're upset with Microsoft?

 

[pippyo03]

You installed an alpha product as your daily driver and you're upset with Microsoft?

You have a very valid point. I do deserve this. Sorry for complaining

I got it to reset but it reset and went back to windows 10...

 

[Elezium]

Wait... Pippyo03 says it's frustrating .. he, as far as I know, never put the blame on Microsoft, but mostly on himself.

Give him a break...

 

[pippyo03]

I just got heated because I somehow got it to reset, got kinda excited but its still stuck on windows 10. So I lost all my files in that reset, and still stuck with windows 10. I tried it again, and I'm still getting the error message of, "the media inserted is not valid"

I do admit and accept that I am very very stupid and completely got ahead of myself by downloading this unfinished preview meant for a secondary devise not used for primary touch oriented devise. So as a warning to all those people throwing caution to the wing, STOP, and think about what your doing. Just because I messed up my PC completely doesn't mean you should. As Mythbusters would say, "don't try this at home!" Well, you get my point

 

[lparsons21]

I feel your pain. Even though I was able to take my SP1 back to W8.1 it took the best part of a day to get it done.

Now I've got W10 32-bit running in a VM using VMware Player and it works fine.

Sent from my Surface with Windows 8 Pro using Tapatalk

 

[pippyo03]

Im about to try the Rufus program and see if that works... I'll let yall know.

 

[pippyo03]

When trying to format my USB through Rufus I realized that I have no clue where the ISO file is... Where can I find the ISO file in the recovery image I downloaded?

 

[Rafael Yousuf]

You can build an ISO of the recovery files, extract the files then use ' free ISO maker' to build it and use it with Rufus.

Trust me guys, surface needs a UEFI bootable USB to work just like the new windows 8 computers and laptops. With the computers you can always turnoff the safe boot and enable the legacy mode in bios or just make a uefi USB to format it, however in surface you can't do that so you have to use uefi USB.

I am pretty sure that you are missing a tiny bit of details. I will look into this later but keep updating this thread.

 

[pippyo03]

You can build an ISO of the recovery files, extract the files then use ' free ISO maker' to build it and use it with Rufus.

Trust me guys, surface needs a UEFI bootable USB to work just like the new windows 8 computers and laptops. With the computers you can always turnoff the safe boot and enable the legacy mode in bios or just make a uefi USB to format it, however in surface you can't do that so you have to use uefi USB.

I am pretty sure that you are missing a tiny bit of details. I will look into this later but keep updating this thread.

I downloaded ISO software, make a ISO file, but when adding it to Rufus it gives me an error message of, "this version of Rufus only supports bootabl ISOs based on bootmgr/winpe, isolinux or EFI"

since idk what's up, I just used Rufus and unchecked the create a bootable disk... And copied the files on the old fashion way...

 

[pippyo03]

Alright, here's where I'm at, I've got a USB loaded with an ISO recovery image formatted through Rufus, and when it comes to power and volume down time, it boots up on the USB, but when I like reset, it doesn't give me an option to choose a target system, or anything like that and just says reset, (which I did last time and it reset back to windows 10).

And I boot it up without the USB in, click reset, it does give me the option to choose a target system, (I choose windows 10) and then reparation (yes) and inset media recovery drive (I insert my USB) and ERROR!

The problem not that its not UEFI bootable, because it is. In my opinion, the recovery is just simple broken, or not usable with windows 10. To back up this theory, I haven't meet another surface pro 2 user that has been successful in reverting it back to windows 10. I even remember a user early in this thread that said he created a recovery USB before trying out windows 10, his recovery still failed! Are there anymore thoughts on the mystery of the surface pro 2 recovery failure?

 

[Rafael Yousuf]

I think it is an issue with the Windows 10 recovery software in this case.
I have a crazy idea but maybe you would like to try it in order to destroy the Windows ten recovery partition. If your surface is the pro edition, then download a Windows 8.1 ISO image then boot it and format your surface with it by deleting all partitions and recreating only one (or in case of uefi it will create 4 partitions). Complete the installation then try again with the recovery files downloaded from Microsoft.

The theory in this is that you will be deleting all partitions manually and recreating them using Windows 8 setup, so when you run the recovery you might be able to skip this "BUG" in Windows 10 tech prev

Please keep updating us...

Good luck

 

[pippyo03]

I think it is an issue with the Windows 10 recovery software in this case.
I have a crazy idea but maybe you would like to try it in order to destroy the Windows ten recovery partition. If your surface is the pro edition, then download a Windows 8.1 ISO image then boot it and format your surface with it by deleting all partitions and recreating only one (or in case of uefi it will create 4 partitions). Complete the installation then try again with the recovery files downloaded from Microsoft.

The theory in this is that you will be deleting all partitions manually and recreating them using Windows 8 setup, so when you run the recovery you might be able to skip this "BUG" in Windows 10 tech prev

Please keep updating us...

Good luck

Im up for trying anything. When you say download a windows 8.1 ISO image what do you mean? The recovery image that I've downloaded from the surface site?

Please understand that even though I'm not technology challenged, I have no idea how to tackle the process you have just mentioned. Which looks promising compared to the dilly dalling I've been doing. So might there be a website or a how to do video I could follow and learn? Or instruction to get me going?