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My Surface Pro 9 does not boot up, need a boot file

Randy Jensen 0 Reputation points
2026-06-01T20:38:35.0166667+00:00

I have a Surface Pro 9, When I turn it on now it comes up with "Couldn't find a bootable operating system. Check the boot configuration to fix." when i go to the next steps.

  1. Surface UEFI comes up then when I select Boot Configuration.
  2. it asks for which type of boot configuration to use. I Do not have a Boot Configuration, can you email me one?
  3. I bought this about 2 years ago and I believe I bought the extended warranty.
  4. the serial number is [Moderator Note: Personal Info Removed]

Can you please help

Surface | Surface Pro | Performance and maintenance
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  1. Clary-N 11,490 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-06-02T08:33:38.6+00:00

    Please note that our forum is a public platform, and we will modify your question to hide your personal information in the description. Kindly ensure that you hide any personal or organizational information the next time you post an error or other details to protect personal data.

    Hi Randy Jensen,

    Thanks for reaching out.

    I recommend first reviewing the AI Answer provided above, as it already covers the full set of troubleshooting steps for the error “Couldn't find a bootable operating system” including recovery options.

    If the issue continues after completing those steps, for example, if the device still cannot boot into Windows or from the USB recovery drive, this may indicate a hardware-level issue or requires further diagnostics.

    In that case, you can submit a repair request if still under warranty or bring your surface to a nearby Microsoft Authorized Service Provider for in-person evaluation and assistance.

    I hope this helps point you in the right direction. Please feel free to keep me posted if you have any other questions, I’ll be happy to assist further.

    Please keep me updated on how it goes.

    If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".  

    Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-06-01T20:39:01.15+00:00

    The boot file cannot be emailed, but the device can be recovered using the built‑in UEFI options and a USB recovery drive.

    Follow these steps in order:

    1. Check UEFI boot configuration
      1. From the UEFI screen, select Boot configuration.
      2. Ensure a valid boot device is selected. By default, Windows Boot Manager, Internal Storage, USB Storage, and PXE Network should all be selected.
      3. Save and exit UEFI, then try to restart.
    2. Force a restart
      1. Press and hold the power button until the Surface restarts and the Windows logo appears (about 20 seconds), then release the power button.
      2. If it still shows “Couldn't find a bootable operating system,” proceed to the next step.
    3. Reset using a USB recovery drive
      1. On another Windows PC, create a Surface USB recovery drive as described in Creating and using a USB recovery drive for Surface.
      2. Insert the USB recovery drive into the Surface Pro 9.
      3. Press and hold the volume‑down button, then press and release the power button.
      4. When the Surface logo appears, release the volume‑down button.
      5. Follow the on‑screen instructions to reset or recover Windows.
    4. If the USB recovery drive does not boot
      1. In Surface UEFI, under Advanced options in the Boot configuration screen, make sure Enable Boot from USB devices is On.
      2. If a custom boot order is configured, ensure Enable alternate boot sequence is On.
      3. If the USB still does not work, recreate it on another USB drive and ensure it is formatted as FAT32 as described in the USB boot article.
    5. If recovery still fails
      1. If the device still will not start after these steps, service is required.
      2. Use the serial number to check warranty and create a service order, or arrange in‑person support, as described in the service options articles.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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