Windows 10: My Surface Pro requires that I enter a "recovery key" to get going again? I can't find my...

I am trying to install a windows update to my Surface Pro computer. When the computer restarts, I get the following message: "Enter the recovery key to get going again Keyboard Layout US." I can't find the recovery key. What can I do?

:)

 

Advice required - Post Upgrade - Suspect Pro 2 is Bricked

Before try that, have tried resetting the UEFI options?

To reset the Surface Pro to the default UEFI settings, follow these steps:

• Press the Power button and the Volume Up button at same time while are starting the Surface Pro device.
• Set Trusted Platform Module (TPM) to enabled.
• Set Secure Boot Control to enabled.
• Press Install Default Secure Boot keys.
• Press Exit setup, and then save the changes.

 

make a surface pro recovery USB

Hi

Welcome to Microsoft community.

Creating a recovery USB for your Surface Pro 8 is a straightforward process, but there are a few considerations and steps to keep in mind. Here's how you can create a Surface Pro recovery USB in Windows 11, along with important considerations:

Prerequisites:

1. USB Drive: You'll need a USB drive with at least 16 GB of space. Note that all data on this USB drive will be erased during the process, so make sure to back up any important data beforehand.
   
2. Internet Connection: Ensure you have a stable internet connection to download the recovery image.
   

Considerations:

• Data Loss: The process will erase all data on the USB drive. Ensure you've backed up any important files from the USB drive before proceeding.
  
• Battery Level: If you’re creating this USB from your Surface Pro 8, make sure it's either plugged in or has sufficient battery life to complete the download and creation process.
  
• Correct Recovery Image: Download the recovery image specifically designed for the Surface Pro 8 from Microsoft’s official website to avoid compatibility issues.
  

Steps to Create a Surface Pro 8 Recovery USB:

1. Download Recovery Image:
   
   • Visit the official Microsoft Support website for Surface recovery images.
     
   • Select your Surface model (Surface Pro 8) and enter your serial number if prompted.
     
   • Download the recovery image for your device.
     
2. Format USB Drive:
   
   • Insert your USB drive into your computer.
     
   • Open File Explorer, right-click your USB drive, and select “Format”.
     
   • Choose “FAT32” as the file system, ensure “Quick Format” is selected, and click “Start”.
     
3. Create Recovery USB:
   
   • Once the recovery image has downloaded, unzip the file.
     
   • Copy all the files from the unzipped folder to your USB drive.
     
4. Using the Recovery USB:
   
   • With the USB still inserted, shut down your Surface Pro 8.
     
   • Press and hold the Volume Down button on your Surface, then press and release the Power button.
     
   • Release the Volume Down button once the Surface logo appears. Your Surface will boot from the USB drive into the recovery environment.
     

Additional Tips:

• Secure Your USB: Once created, keep the recovery USB in a safe place. It can be used to access your device if you forget your password or if it needs to be recovered.
  
• Regular Updates: If significant updates or changes are made to your system, consider updating the recovery drive by creating a new one to reflect these changes.
  

Creating a recovery USB for your Surface Pro 8 is a form of insurance against future system failures, ensuring you can restore your device's software to its original state if needed.

Let me know if you need further assistance.

Best regards

Derrick Qian | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

 

Reset Surface Pro without Password or Recovery Key

Hi Beth Barentsen,

Thank you for reaching Microsoft Community.

May I know first the exact model of your Surface Pro since the post was moved under Surface Pro 1stgen by another moderator? See this page for reference: Find out which Surface model you have - Microsoft Support. You may also enter the serial number here to get the Surafce model that you have: Check Warranty Page - ROBO SelfServe Portal (surface.com).

Anyway, to reset the Surface without the recovery key or password, you can do a clean install of Windows on the device using the Surafce Recovery Image through USB Recovery. This option will reimage the entire device and reload Windows including the drivers and firmware. It is the most complete form of Reset and it will wipe out everything on the device. You will need also a 16GB/32GB of flash drive that must be formatted into FAT32 prior to downloading the Recovery Image. See the steps below for guidance.

How to Download, Create and Use a USB recovery drive



To download the Recovery Image:

• You'll another working device running on Windows.
  

1. Visit the page to Download the recovery image for your Surface
   
2. Sign in with your Microsoft Account
   
3. From the list of Surface devices available, select the device that you need a recovery image for
   Please note that while you will only be presented with devices that are currently registered on your account, you will also be presented with the option to get an image for a different type of device. If you try to use this option, you will be prompted to enter the serial number for that device
   
4. Download the recovery image using the button on the page
   
5. When the download bar pops up at the bottom of your screen, save the file in a location you will be able to find it.
   

Format USB Drive:

• Note: Formatting a recovery drive will erase anything that is already stored on your USB drive. Make sure to transfer any important data from your USB drive to another storage device before using it to create a Surface USB recovery drive.
  

1. Insert your USB drive into the USB port of your PC.
   
2. From the desktop, open File Explorer
   
3. Tap and hold or right-click on the USB drive and choose Format
   
4. Select FAT32 as the file system and enter a Volume label to name the USB drive, such as RECOVERY, and then tap or click Start
   
5. Tap or click OK to erase the contents of the USB drive
   
6. Tap or click OK when the format is complete
   

Create a recovery drive:

1. On your Surface or PC, open recovery image that you downloaded by double-clicking it or right click then select Extract and then Extract all.
   
2. Select the USB drive you formatted earlier for the location and click Extract.
   

Use a USB recovery drive to reset your Surface:

1. Shutdown the Surface
   
2. Insert the USB recovery drive into the USB port
   
3. Press and hold the volume-down (-) rocker
   
4. Press and release the power button
   
5. When the Surface logo appears, release the volume-down (-) rocker
   
6. Surface will start the recovery software on the USB recovery drive
   
7. When prompted, choose your language options and keyboard layout
   
8. Select Troubleshoot
   
9. Select Recover from a Drive. Choose Remove Everything and Fully Clean the Drive. Recovering this PC.
   
10. If prompted, select Repartition the drives
    
11. If prompted for BitLocker Key, tap Skip this Drive
    

Kind regards,

Marrion