Windows 8.1 RT update 'bricking' tablets and laptops

Roll-out began last Thursday but reports over the weekend have forced Microsoft to pull the downlaod from their site.

Microsoft’s roll-out of Windows 8.1 has faltered after reports of the RT version of the software ‘bricking’ devices have surfaced.

“Microsoft is investigating a situation affecting a limited number of users updating their Windows RT devices to Windows RT 8.1,” said a member of the company’s support team. “As a result, we have temporarily removed the Windows RT 8.1 update from the Windows Store.”

Users who reported errors said that after installing Windows 8.1 RT and restarting their devices they found that they were completely inoperable.

The issue is only affecting Windows RT tablets and laptops – those that run the low-powered version of Microsoft’s operating system – and it is unknown how many devices have been damaged.

For those that have been affected by the download, Windows RT user Scott Williams has posted a fix on his blog. Creating a start-up drive with a USB stick allows users to bypass their corrupted hard-drives and successfully complete the update with all personal data left intact.

Microsoft have yet to offer any timeline on when the Windows RT 8.1 update might be back online.