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I've got **not one** but 2 tablets Surface : Surface RT 1 (I'm not confident...) & Surface Pro 2 (might be easier).

Why in English: well, most links below will be in English, hence it makes no difference... publishing in French would not make it more relevant (and French people that I know who can help me can read English...).

**Objectives**: get at least Linux to boot and be usable. Afterwards, find other usages for the tablet (drawing device, handwriting recognition...). At worst: restore a working system.

===Install Linux on Surface ===
First some status to follow
~- https://www.reddit.com/r/surfacelinux
~~- https://www.reddit.com/r/SurfaceLinux/comments/7kazwp/current_state_of_surfaceseries_devices/ last updated january 2018 : Surface RT 1 **ko** Surface 2 **ok**
~- https://forum.xda-developers.com/windows-8-rt/rt-development dedicated to Surface RT

Method applied: well, existing doc' first, then apply by priority and secured path to backup each step.

=== Some specs for my devices ===
==Surface RT ==
Bricked, BSOD with some device not working, not even booting

Check if it's error: 0xc000000d

In fact, it's error: 0xc000000f (not found after some research, hardware at fault?)

https://fr.ifixit.com/Device/Microsoft_Surface_2
https://fr.ifixit.com/Wiki/Microsoft_Surface_2_Troubleshooting


== Surface 2 ==
Pro 2 ?
Locked to login screen, of course I do not have the password...


=== Backup the existing file systems ===
Links to backup the content first, in the hop of restoring it later, eventually :-)
~- Bitlocker will surely have been installed, so that the whole disk is encrypted... that's life

With no access to the OS, that's a bit more difficult, at least get ISO images to reinstall from recovery (will lose all data, hell, well...).

~- http://www.microsoft.com/surface/fr-fr/support/warranty-service-and-recovery/downloadablerecoveryimage ISO seem available, will ask for a serial number
~~- Surface 2 - 32GB - Windows RT 8.1
~- https://www.monwindows.com/blog/creer-un-image-recovery-pour-surface-rt-t102200.html prepare an USB-key of 8 GB (or at least 4 GB, format it as fat32 (o_O) you will lose all your data...)
~- https://support.microsoft.com/fr-fr/surfacerecoveryimage directly the recovery image

=== Magic keys ===
Generally, to access special mode, you have to keep the #%Volume up#% button pressed, then push #%power#% button (sometimes it's the #%Volume down#% button, only works once and require to reboot and restart from the beginning to have it taken into account, have the device connected to the computer before or after...)

This is useful for:
~- getting access to the bios (or UEFI)
~- restore to factory/original config (all data lost most of the time): needs an external keyboard (type cover or usb-keyboard), #%Power#% button then #%shift#% key till login screen, then #%Power#% icon
~~- see https://www.isunshare.com/blog/microsoft-surface-hard-reset/
~- booting an external device like an USB-key with another system (live Linux USB...)
~-

Isn't it illegal? Well, check https://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2092158 yes, read it all


https://www.hardreset.info/devices/microsoft/microsoft-surface-pro-2-128gb/hardreset/first-method/

http://www.windows8facile.fr/reset-tablette-android/ magic keys "hard reset" for android 4.4 and many tablets

=== Some pre-requisites ===
I had a Surface 2 but no alimentation, a friend of mine had a Surface RT 1 with alimentation: by chance, they are compatible \o/


=== Hardware, performance, devices ===
Pen available, where is it stored?

Performance:
~- video, supported GPU?
~- screen: HiDPI?
~- touchscreen, multi-touch, pen?
~- CPU/RAM
~- storage


=== Log of actions to get it working ===
~- get an alimentation **ok**, get it to boot:
~~- Surface RT 1: BSOD
~~- Surface 2: get to login screen but I do not have the password, would have preferred admin access to reset it
~-
~-



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