If your Surface Pro is experiencing issues and you can’t start Windows, don’t panic. There are several ways to repair your device and get it back up and running. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to repair Windows on your Surface Pro, whether you can start the device or not.
Repairing Windows on Your Surface Pro
To repair Windows on your Surface Pro, you have a few options depending on the severity of the issue and whether you can start the device.
Using the Windows Recovery Environment
If you can start your Surface Pro, you can use the Windows Recovery Environment to troubleshoot and repair issues. Here’s how:
- Press and hold the volume-down button while pressing the power button to start your Surface Pro.
- When the Surface logo appears, release the volume-down button.
- Select “Troubleshoot” from the Choose an option screen.
- Select “Advanced Options”.
- Select “System Restore”.
- Choose a restore point and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.
Using a USB Recovery Drive
If you can’t start Windows on your Surface Pro, you can use a USB recovery drive to access the recovery tools and solve problems. Here’s how to create and use a USB recovery drive:
- Create a USB recovery drive using a USB drive with at least 16GB of storage.
- Boot your Surface Pro from the USB recovery drive by pressing and holding the volume-down button while pressing the power button.
- When the Surface logo appears, release the volume-down button.
- Select “Troubleshoot” from the Choose an option screen.
- Select “Reset your PC” to reinstall Windows and keep your personal files, or “Remove everything” to completely reset your device.
Note that resetting your device will remove all your personal files, apps, and settings, so make sure to back up important data before proceeding.
Refreshing Your Surface Pro
If your Surface Pro is running slowly or having issues, you can try refreshing it to reinstall Windows while keeping your personal files, settings, and apps. Here’s how:
- Open the Settings app and go to “Update & Security”.
- Select “Recovery” from the left-hand menu.
- Under “Refresh your PC without affecting your files”, click “Get started”.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the refresh process.
Note that refreshing your device will remove any desktop apps you’ve installed, so you’ll need to reinstall them after the process is complete.
Preventing Future Issues
To prevent future issues with your Surface Pro, it’s important to keep your device updated with the latest security patches and software updates. You can do this by enabling automatic updates in the Settings app or by manually checking for updates regularly.
It’s also a good idea to regularly back up your important data to an external hard drive or cloud storage service to protect against data loss in the event of a hardware failure or other issue.
By following these steps and taking preventative measures, you can keep your Surface Pro running smoothly and minimize the risk of future issues.