Some owners of the Microsoft Surface Go device have been experiencing a problem that is causing frustration. You see, whenever the Surface Go computer is turned on, just seconds after the Microsoft Logo comes on the screen, a message appears that states: “No bootable device“.
The question is, what is going on here, and can it be rectified? Well, from our extensive experience, this particular issue may require us to discuss more than a single solution to get things under control. You will then need to test each to see which one turns out to be the correct solution for your particular issue.
How to fix the No Bootable Device error
Fixing issues that cause the No Bootable Device error is easy. Simply follow the steps laid out below, and you’ll be fine:
- Connect the power supply to Surface Go
- Format USB stick
- Download the USB solution file
- Paste files to the USB stick
- Insert USB into Surface Go
1] Connect the power supply to Surface Go
The first solution here, which is known to work, involves using a USB drive to set things right again. Before you begin, please disconnect all USB drives, SD cards, USB accessories, external monitors, and Type Cover from your Surface Go.
Once that is done, you must connect the power supply to the wall outlet and connect it to the Surface Go for at least 15 minutes. We suggest always using the original power supply that came with the product.
2] Format the USB stick
OK, so to fix this problem with a USB stick, you must ensure the stick has at least 8GB of storage space.
Furthermore, it should be formatted in FAT32 over all other options.
- Go to This PC, then right-click on the USB stick icon.
- Select the Format option from the context menu.
- Before formatting, ensure FAT32 is selected, then move forward.
3] Download the USB solution file
Next, please go ahead and download the USB solution .zip file from the Microsoft website to your Surface Go computer.
You should not download the file directly to the USB, so keep that in mind.
Read: Couldn’t find a bootable operating system Surface error
4] Paste files to the USB stick
Go ahead and open the SurfaceGo_FixNoBootableDevice.zip folder from the file you just downloaded.
Select all files and folders from the inside, then copy and paste them to the USB stick you formatted previously.
If everything goes according to plan, you should now have 38 folders and 2 files located on the USB drive.
5] Insert USB into Surface Go
The next step to take here is to insert the USB drive into the Surface Go USB-C port.
- Press and hold the volume-down button located on your device.
- While you’re doing this, please press and release the power button promptly.
- Right away the Microsoft Logo will appear on your screen.
- Do not release the volume down button at no time.
- Wait for the message that reads: “Please wait while we install a system update” before releasing the volume button.
- The Surface Go screen will go blank for a brief period, then the following message will appear again: “Please wait while we install a system update”.
- You will know the process is done when the Surface Go restarts.
- Remove the USB drive from the computer, and that’s it.
READ: Fix Surface Go issues using USB Recovery Disk
Is Surface Go the same as Surface Pro?
A version of Windows powers both devices, but they are not the same. For example, the Surface Go is underpowered when compared to the Surface Pro, and it is more affordable. When we look at the Surface Go, we see a device designed for everyday browsing, while the Pro is for professionals.
Can the Surface Go use a pen?
Yes, it is possible to use a pen with the Surface Go, and the pen in question is called the Surface Pen. If you want to take advantage of the title functionality, don’t worry; all versions of the Surface Go support this.
