MS Surface Pro 4 - attempting recovery

[SimonL]

Hi,

 

We have 24 four Surface Pro 4 devices and for various reasons, we want to 'factory reset' all of them.

 

Some will boot into Windows, others are stuck in the "Surface boot loop".

 

I have followed the steps on the MS support pages, downloaded the recovery image, copied to a USB and then (as instructed by MS) overwritten the files on the USB, with recovery files from one of the working Surface Pros (anyone know why the 'raw' recovery image downloaded from the MS site isn't OK ?)

 

Even on the working device, I can't get it to even acknowledge there is a USB inserted, let alone attempt to boot from it. There doesn't seem to be any way for the one in the boot loop to interrupt that process and boot from the USB either.

 

I did attempt MS Live Chat, but the guy just took me through the steps on their web pages and when that didn't work, said he had to go home !

 

Any ideas ?

 

Thanks

[QwertyMash]

Have you got the big red horrible screen you need to allow them to boot off USB?

If I recall you need to hold down some keys and allowed booting off USB?

 

It has been a long time since I done but if I remember correctly while that is active you get a big horrible red screen as they first boot.

[SimonL]

Thanks, but no.

 

I have tried to boot from the USB from the UEFI screen, but nothing happens.

 

Haven't seen a red horrible screen !

[QwertyMash]

That might be a Surface Pro 3 thing the red screen.

I just used a normal Windows 10 ISO to rebuild our Surface Pro 4's

 

Are you sure the USB has been created correctly so it is bootable?

 

are you holding down Vol and power until I think the surface logo appears then you let go of vol down I think.

[SimonL]

I have also tried a normal Windows 10 image from a bootable USB that is known to work elsewhere, but no good.

 

Tried changing the boot sequence, but it ignores that as well. Yes, have tried the various power button and volume control options and can get into UEFI on the one that boots, but then no further.

 

I'm going to try some of the other 24 tomorrow when I'm on the school premises. It is just possible that I have managed to randomly pick two duff ones and the others may be OK.