Questions about reformatting a Surface Pro 3 and WiFi issues

[amodoko]

Hi, I just bought an open box Surface Pro 3 with an Intel Atom processor, 64gb hard drive, Windows 10 Pro, etc. I figured I should just reformat it since it has been opened. I have read online that installing Windows 10 Pro on a Surface Pro 3 is a bit different, does anyone here have any tips and suggestions for reformatting this and reinstalling the necessary drivers, etc. before I attempt this? Or if you have a link to any good directions online to do this please let me know. Thanks in advance for any help

 

[spirit]

Hi, I believe you have a Surface 3, not a Pro 3.

You can download the official recovery media from Microsoft. Having had a few years of experience with reinstalling Surfaces my advice is to use the official recovery image and not regular Windows installation media if you want the best experience.

To download the recovery media, go here https://www.microsoft.com/surface/e...ervice-and-recovery/downloadablerecoveryimage and simply type in the serial number of your Surface (it's printed on the Surface itself underneath the kickstand). Then you can download the correct recovery image in a ZIP archive. Extract the ZIP archive onto a USB drive formatted in FAT32, boot off the USB drive and you are away. Depending which Surface you have, the method for booting from the USB drive will vary, please see: https://www.microsoft.com/surface/e...urface-from-usb-recovery-device?os=windows-10

The recovery image will have all of the correct drivers and software installed.

 

[amodoko]

Oh thanks so much! That made my life a lot easier and I appreciate it. I will go ahead and do this once I get a 16GB flash drive (I have an 8GB flash drive, but apparently for Surface 3s it needs to be 16GB so I will just run to the store tomorrow and get one) and will message you back to let you know how it went. Thank you so much!

P.S. And you are right, I believe I do have a Surface 3 and not a Surface 3 Pro. My mistakeThanks for the correction!

 

[spirit]

Oh thanks so much! That made my life a lot easier and I appreciate it. I will go ahead and do this once I get a 16GB flash drive (I have an 8GB flash drive, but apparently for Surface 3s it needs to be 16GB so I will just run to the store tomorrow and get one) and will message you back to let you know how it went. Thank you so much!

P.S. And you are right, I believe I do have a Surface 3 and not a Surface 3 Pro. My mistakeThanks for the correction!

No problem! Hopefully it works OK!

Upon booting from the USB drive, select:

- Troubleshooting
- Use a device
- USB Drive
- Wait for Surface to reboot, no need to hold down keys to boot off the USB Drive, it will automatically boot from the USB drive. When it's back up select the following:
- Troubleshooting
- Reset my device
- Full reset
- Re-partition drives

(I've typed that from the top of my head, so the order and button names may not be quite correct).

If it doesn't work then try just removing files instead of fully resetting the device and also leave the drive partitions as they are.

 

[beers]

will message you back to let you know how it went.

Please do but I imagine it should sort out your issues. Spirit is our resident Microsoft/surface expert

 

[amodoko]

Just wanted to give you guys an update, I followed the instructions and it worked! You are a genius! Thanks so much for making my life easier These things are so cool, I am thinking about getting one for my parents as a gift, they are awesome!

 

[Intel_man]

Spirit is our resident Microsoft/surface expert

I wonder why*...


*See below

Yeah dude you should check out my desk at work. My ThinkPad is at the far end plugged into that old monitor.









There are more Surfaces to set up soon. I finished doing these ones today. But I have well over 100 more to do.

At the moment this desk is also covered in bits of paper from my guillotine and double-sided sticky tape because I'm doing some other stuff too. I've guillotined 197 sheets of A3 on all 4 edges and there's 8 bits of tape per page so you can imagine the mess.

 

[spirit]

Just wanted to give you guys an update, I followed the instructions and it worked! You are a genius! Thanks so much for making my life easier These things are so cool, I am thinking about getting one for my parents as a gift, they are awesome!

So pleased it worked for you!

I wonder why*...


*See below

Hahaha. Just finished two years as a Worldwide Microsoft Student Ambassador too. I still have loads of Surfaces that need sorting. Not got the time at the moment though.