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Solved surface pro 3 Stuck on the Perparing automatic Repair

Liam2349

Active Member
Let me expand by saying I did have this issue with SP2.

I updated it, the update got stuck on a percentage for hours, it was frozen. I'm talking 6 hours plus with no progress. I rebooted several times and it always got stuck on that percentage. Things got really bad and it started refusing to boot. The only way I could fix it, was by inserting a bootable USB with Windows 8.1 on it.

Unless you have a Windows key, you can't do this legally without buying another. However, if you talk to Microsoft support and explain your issue, they may provide you with one, but I think they will ask you to send it to them.

So what you need to do it get a bootable USB with Windows on it. Turn off the Surface, plug it into the Surface, hold volume down and press the power button, and release volume down. This will boot to the USB, and try out the new recovery options this gives to you. If they don't work, you should reinstall Windows - I reinstalled Windows to fix my issue. Windows automatically got all the Surface drivers for me so you don't need to worry about that.
 

GreyFox7

Super Moderator
Staff member
Let me expand by saying I did have this issue with SP2.

I updated it, the update got stuck on a percentage for hours, it was frozen. I'm talking 6 hours plus with no progress. I rebooted several times and it always got stuck on that percentage. Things got really bad and it started refusing to boot. The only way I could fix it, was by inserting a bootable USB with Windows 8.1 on it.

Unless you have a Windows key, you can't do this legally without buying another. However, if you talk to Microsoft support and explain your issue, they may provide you with one, but I think they will ask you to send it to them.

So what you need to do it get a bootable USB with Windows on it. Turn off the Surface, plug it into the Surface, hold volume down and press the power button, and release volume down. This will boot to the USB, and try out the new recovery options this gives to you. If they don't work, you should reinstall Windows - I reinstalled Windows to fix my issue. Windows automatically got all the Surface drivers for me so you don't need to worry about that.
The one article I linked includes an installation key. you'll need your own valid key to activate. that you should try to extract from the device booted to USB before wiping it... see tools referenced.

MS may be able to retrieve the key from your Online Account unless there's a way for you to display it I'm not sure. I reinstalled office on mine and when it got to activation it prompted me to select one from my account however the actual key was not displayed it just listed product names.
 
OP
A

ALI IBRAHEM

New Member
Thank you all for help
I worked a copy of Recovery from another surface pro 3 device
my device is returned to the factory setting and without any problem

Thank you again
 

malberttoo

Well-Known Member
When I need to reinstall Windows, I first get the key using KeyFinder.
http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/

Then I create a bootable USB with Windows 8.
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2227-create-bootable-usb-dvd-windows-8-iso.html

Keyfinders don't work on the SP3's, or any Win 8 device I suspect where the product key is embedded in the BIOS. If you buy a machine that comes with Win 8, they intend for the OS to die with the machine and not be able to be re-used on a different piece of hardware.

Anyways I had to use RW-Everything to extract the product key from the BIOS of the machine I was working on. You can Google it, or there's some info here- http://dellwindowsreinstallationgui...slp-product-key-using-rw-everything-oem-only/

It IS a little obnoxious though. If the system came with 8.1, then you have to re-install the exact same OS version that it came with, or the product key won't work. So that means you can't use your Win 8 installer, the 8.1 product key won't work. And vice-versa.

Congrats to the OP, very happy your issue got resolved, sounds like you were sharp enough to pull it off.
 
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