Surface Pro 3 Always booting to UEFI screen

[Spro3_Dude]

We initally got 26 Surface Pro 3's in our first batch for our company. So what I did was fully install all our apps and updates on the first SP3 and then I used the "System Image Backup" feature in the Windows 8.1 File History and saved an image of my machine of a exnternal hard drive. So then on every other SP3, I applied that image using System Image Recovery from a external Windows 8.1 Windows 8.1 Recovery Environment. Worked perfectly for first batch of SP3's.

We orderd 12 more (same hardware specs), and I tried to apply the same image twice and it failed. Now whenever I boot up the first SP3 from this second batch, it always goes to the black UEFI screen, I cant get it to boot into windows, I cant get it to boot off the Windows 8.1 CD (external dvd player)

Need assistance please, thanks.

 

[GreyFox7]

Hmm, that doesn't sound like a supported deployment scenario...
See http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=45292

http://blogs.technet.com/b/askcore/...pro-3-using-microsoft-deployment-toolkit.aspx

http://www.microsoftvirtualacademy.com/training-courses/surface-pro-3-deployment


However in a typical OS deployment you would "Sysprep" the image so they wont all have the same guids and go through hardware detection etc. Sounds like your bypassing all that and I'm curious about what's happening with all the 'i's and 't's.

Do these have the same SSD in them? Are all the drivers included in the image?

 

[Spro3_Dude]

Yes they all of SSD's in them, the first 26 went perfectly fine, all I had to do was re-join the domain to each one of them and active Office and Windows.

I don't mind changing my process for the next 12, but how do I get past this black screen or format this SP3?

 

[GreyFox7]

Do they have the original recovery image still on them... doubtful...
You can download a stock recovery image and build a bootable USB which should let you repartition and reformat. IDK if those tools are on your disk I don't think they would be in firmware but booting from USB is. Note: some have had trouble building a USB that works ... it seems finicky.

You have to hold the volume down button while powering on and release when the Surface logo is presented. If the USB is bootable it should come up to a menu

http://www.microsoft.com/surface/en...ervice-and-recovery/downloadablerecoveryimage

Some have found extracting the Zip file to disk first then copying and verifying it to the USB works better.
I forget where the instructions are for creating the Recovery USB from the download are... perhaps in the download file.

http://www.microsoft.com/surface/en-us/support/warranty-service-and-recovery/usbrecovery

 

[GreyFox7]

Maybe @jnjroach has some insight to what's gong on with the UEFI... I assume its not bootable in the current config and that's why you're there.

 

[Spro3_Dude]

I am currently downloading the SP3 Recovery Image from Microsfot, I am going to follow their instructions and see if I can get it back up and running.

 

[GreyFox7]

I googled your headline and saw a post on Microsoft's forum that this was ... unfixable. not sure its really the same scenario... so how many of these units have this problem?

 

[Spro3_Dude]

Unfixable? Where did you find it?

 

[jnjroach]

You should be able to rescue the machines via the Recovery Image. To be honest, I consult my customers to abandon Imaging Solutions with UEFI Mobile Devices (especially signature builds like the Surface), using Task Sequencers or Automated Application Deployment is a better solution.

If you are required to image, use the link for the MDT Deployment and it will give better results.

 

[Spro3_Dude]

System Image Backup is a feature built into Windows 8.1 and its not one of the recommended solutions for Imageing & restoring? Weird.... My first 26 went so smothly using this feature.

Question for MDT Deployment, Is it a program I install on a server or computer and then create/apply image's from that computer/server? Or is it an application I put on a bootable USB stick and create/apply images that way, the long PDF that microsfot posted is really confusing.

 

[GreyFox7]

Unfixable? Where did you find it?

Like I said, it may not be the same scenario... but something to keep in the back of your mind lest you beat your head against the wall endlessly.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...rd-reset/1ce81cb4-37d5-4c3c-8ac5-9702b53768e1

 

[GreyFox7]

Yes they all of SSD's in them, the first 26 went perfectly fine, all I had to do was re-join the domain to each one of them and active Office and Windows.

I don't mind changing my process for the next 12, but how do I get past this black screen or format this SP3?

I'm not sure you understood what I meant... there are two manufacturers supplying SSDs for the Surface. Samsung and Hynix id assume the drivers are different. There is a driver CAB file in the Windows directory but IDK if both will be in there. If the wrong driver is installed in the image id assume it wont boot if laid onto a different disk as I doubt there would be a hardware detection phase in this scenario. Post boot other devices can be detected and drivers installed but during boot it's trickier. In a traditional image deployment where you've run Sysprep it runs mini setup on first boot to sort that out.

AFAIK there's nothing preventing them from switching to another brand or model at a time of their choosing. All drivers are included in their Driver Download package.