Windows Jan2018 update bricked my tablet

Rick Bergeron - CPF

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The update to patch hardware security issues (I think) bricked my SurfaceRT tablet. Yes, I know, it's ancient and hasn't been supported for quite some time.

Downloading the Windows recovery file isn't much help since the download only creates an empty zip file.

Some reading indicates that the Jan 2018 update to patch hardware security issues has also bricked some computers containing non-Intel chips due to erroneous specs provided to MSFT by the chip manufacturers and MSFT response has been "not our fault your computer is bricked, talk to AMD or the chip manufacturer"

Sure sux that automatic updates can cause such headache but they cannot test every possible combination but a restore option for dummies would have been nice.
 
The update to patch hardware security issues (I think) bricked my SurfaceRT tablet. Yes, I know, it's ancient and hasn't been supported for quite some time.

Downloading the Windows recovery file isn't much help since the download only creates an empty zip file.

Some reading indicates that the Jan 2018 update to patch hardware security issues has also bricked some computers containing non-Intel chips due to erroneous specs provided to MSFT by the chip manufacturers and MSFT response has been "not our fault your computer is bricked, talk to AMD or the chip manufacturer"

Sure sux that automatic updates can cause such headache but they cannot test every possible combination but a restore option for dummies would have been nice.

Try restarting it a few times.....I found that the first time I started it up, it was messed up big time. Triied restarting it a couple times and it finally came back to life....WORTH A TRY!
 
Been there, done that over a dozen times over a few days. It is so bad that it takes the forsaken 30 second power button press to shutoff and attempt to start.

Starting.... yields the Surface logo for a few seconds and then the black screen forever and ever with the wifi signal strength icon flashing every 5-10 seconds in the middle of the screen; not in the relative location of the task bar. The tablet hardware does sense orientation because the wifi icon does follow the orientation of the screen.

Finally, got a recovery file downloaded. That was a 2+ hour download. I really hate to restore it to factory condition and then wait for a few years worth of updates but at least it will be un-bricked. Not sure it is worth the time and effort for the cost to just replace it with the latest Surface laptop.
 
It won't help now, but when you get a new machine, run some sort of disc imaging program, not just a backup.

I use Macrium Reflect. I totally crashed my system with an office 2010 install that went south. I also wanted to keep office 2003 at the same time. They are not compatible on the same system.

Reflect did a perfect restore of the disc image, and I was back to normal.
 
Not sure it is worth the time and effort for the cost to just replace it with the latest Surface laptop.

Some times I think it is done intentionally so you do buy new.....
 
Yes! My brother in the struggle!

We had an older (Windows 7) computer that kept getting updated until, one day, total black screen and no recovery. I had a spare computer in the back room (Windows 8) which we brought out to use until we get a new computer. Two days later, we get another update package which blew all the drivers. The drivers reinstalled, but it looked like they were going to brick two computers in as many days.

I agree with Gumby. Something's up.
 
Yep, just happened to my mom. She ended up getting a new one.
 
Happened to us a couple weeks ago. Windows had trouble doing uploads, screen went black. Took it to Computer Repair Doctor, Diagnostic, Full physical failure - Motherboard, Monitor, and HDD have experienced critical failure. Diagnosis: Surge Damage. ( They said it was probaly caused by Windows)
The computer was a HP Envy 23 TouchSmart and was a great computer. We replaced it with a Apple iMac, hoping to avoid this type of problem.
 
David,
Respectfully nearly 30 years in the PC and networking industry and I have never seen or even heard of until tonight Windows causing surge damage.
I don't see how that is even feasible.
I have fixed three HP Envy Touch units since Windows 10 1803 came out and although they appeared dead, they were all the same issue.
Essentially the update is trying to patch one of the non-standard, non-used factory loaded partitions that come on some of he HPs instead of the active Windows install like it should be. I am not sure the actual cause, but it is an extremely easy fix.
 
The computers we had were a Lenovo and a Dell, so it isn't just HP's.

I was saying just yesterday that I'm surprised no lawyer has gotten together a class action suit for all the people damaged by all this. It could make Mesothelioma look small by comparison.
 
You might try resetting the machine to its original settings.
This video might help
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You might have to listen twice to understand (translate) is english.
 
My latest problem is it also blew the driver for the SD card reader, so I can't import any photos from my camera. Anyone know the fix for that? I tried to download what I thought was the driver, but it wasn't. It was an optimization program in disguise.
 
O.K. I forgot the latest headache. The updates took four hours to download. The updates started installing. The progress bar showed it was 98% done when a window came up that said it had encountered a problem and it erased all the updates.
 
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