Surface Pro 7+ Recovery Image links are all BMR (Bare Metal Recovery) images — installation media, not recovery images. How can I get the Recovery Image needed?

Question

Surface Pro 7+ Recovery Image links are all BMR (Bare Metal Recovery) images — installation media, not recovery images. How can I get the Recovery Image needed?

Christine Beck 0

When clicking on 22-25H2 image links, they all download as BMR and not recovery images needed for my Surface Pro 7+.

4 answers

Your answer

Answer 1

Barb Bowman 80,545 MVP Volunteer Moderator

Try using the Surface IT toolkit https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/surface-it-toolkit to create the recovery image https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/surface-it-toolkit-usb-recover

(I cannot understand what the source of all the text you posted under "How Surface Recovery Images MUST be structured" above. )

I'm going to download the 25H2 SP7+ BMR for my i5/256 SP7+ and see what is inside.

Answer 2

Barb Bowman 80,545 MVP Volunteer Moderator

Here's screenshots of roots of BMR's for SP7+ and SP10

7+ User's image

10

User's image

Christine Beck 0 Reputation points

2026-01-31T22:35:59.06+00:00
Okay…sounds like because I purchased my surface at Costco…My serial number appears to be mapped to the commercial/enterprise channel and is only returning BMR images, not the OEM consumer recovery image. I really need the OEM consumer recovery image. The download I can access on Microsoft does NOT contain the required Surface recovery files:

resetconfig.xml

recoveryimage.tag

ReAgent.xml

Because these files are missing from the root of the ZIP, the device cannot boot into Surface Recovery Mode and freezes at the spinning dots during USB boot.
Barb Bowman 80,545 Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2026-01-31T22:44:13.33+00:00

Consumer recovery images ARE called BMR. I have both consumer and Business Surface devices. The recovery images are all BMR’s. They wipe your device and set up as “new”. Buying at Costco is not related.
Christine Beck 0 Reputation points

2026-01-31T22:46:24.9166667+00:00

How can I get the OEM consumer recovery image?
Christine Beck 0 Reputation points

2026-01-31T23:14:18.8866667+00:00
I changed my boot order to usb, I formatted a 16gb USB FAT 32, I downloaded all four versions offered for surface pro 7+, and with each try I can’t get my surface pro to boot using volume down. It gets to the login screen and the white dot under the logo freezes. Any suggestions? OpenAI tells me I need these files not included in the BMR downloads

resetconfig.xml

recoveryimage.tag

ReAgent.xml
Thomas4-N 8,135 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-02-01T10:58:00.57+00:00

Hello Christine Beck,

About the freeze issue, make sure the recovery USB is properly created.

Please download and use the Surface IT Toolkit here. It downloads the correct BMR image and formats the USB correctly. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/surface-it-toolkit
Barb Bowman 80,545 Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2026-02-01T13:07:20.0533333+00:00
Christine,

OpenAI is wrong. Please stop using AI chatbots to solve this problem.

Complete instruction and a video are at https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/creating-and-using-a-usb-recovery-drive-for-surface-677852e2-ed34-45cb-40ef-398fc7d62c07 Be sure the USB stick is formatted FAT32 in a Windows pc.

Make sure your Surface is turned off and plugged in, and that no monitors or docks are attached and then insert the USB recovery drive into the USB port.

Press and hold the volume-down button while you press and release the power button.

When the Microsoft or Surface logo appears, release the volume-down button.

When prompted, select the language and keyboard layout you want.

Select Recover from a drive or Troubleshoot > Recover from a drive. If prompted for a recovery key, select Skip this drive at the bottom of the screen.

Choose either Just remove my files or Fully clean the drive. The option to clean the drive is more secure but takes much longer. For example, if you’re recycling your Surface, you should clean the drive. If you’re keeping your Surface, you just need to remove your files.

Select Recover. Surface restarts and displays the Surface logo while the reset process continues. This can take several minutes.

You can also try creating the image with the IT Toolkit https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/surface-it-toolkit -- instructions are here: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/surface-it-toolkit-usb-recover

Answer 3

Barb Bowman 80,545 MVP Volunteer Moderator

The OEM recovery image is the BMR recovery image. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/surface-recovery-image Is where to start. I confirmed my SP7+ boots from the 25H2 image I downloaded today.

Christine Beck 0 Reputation points

2026-02-01T15:14:47.8166667+00:00

I tried the BMR download on aFAT32 formatted 16gb usb. I changed security to Microsoft and third party. I set boot first to usb. It powered back up and for first time the white circle under logo was spinning. I let it go all night and still spinning.

I hard shut it down this morning. I tried to restart but blue error screen. I changed security to none and restart with volume down. Getting blue stop code screen now each time.

Any other suggestions? I really appreciate your help.
Barb Bowman 80,545 Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2026-02-01T15:56:57.0566667+00:00

Christine,

You never explained WHY you needed a recovery image. That is a relevant question, Please provide details.

PLEASE stop making random UEFI changes. Go back into the UEFI and set everything back to where it was initially. The only thing you can change is the boot order, USB on top.

Get a brand new previously unused USB 2.0 stick, 16 or 32GB, format it FAT32 in another Windows machine. You do not want to use a USB-C stick with a USB 2.0 adapter, only a native USB 2.0 stick. Use the IT Toolkit as I previously outlined to create the Surface BMR Recovery image and use that USB stick following the video instructions on the link I provided.

If you still cannot succeed, suggest you consider Microsoft's Advanced Service Partner for Consumers https://www.ubreakifix.com/repairs
Christine Beck 0 Reputation points

2026-02-01T16:40:36.4166667+00:00

Thank you. I will buy another new usb today and use the IT Toolkit.

This started after my surface updated windows 11. It restarted one time after and then after each restart stopped with the blue screen error code.

Again, so appreciate your help and will plan to complete your most recent recommendations this morning.
Barb Bowman 80,545 Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2026-02-01T16:42:33.9633333+00:00

it would be helpful to know the EXACT blue screen error code

Answer 4

Thomas4-N 8,135 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hello Christine Beck, thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A forum.

Actually, BMR (Bare Metal Recovery) images is the official Microsoft term for the exact recovery image you need. It's not installation media only — it includes the pre-installed drivers and factory state.

Christine Beck 0 Reputation points

2026-01-31T16:17:44.9733333+00:00
Great — this is the key detail that explains everything:

👉 Your resetconfig file is located inside the /sources folder, NOT in the root of the USB — and NOT in the root of the extracted recovery package.

That tells me this with 100% confidence:

❌ This ZIP is NOT a Surface Recovery Image.

Even though it contains a “ResetConfig” file, its location proves it’s an Azure BMR structure, not a Surface recovery structure.

Let me explain clearly so there’s no more confusion:

✅ How Surface Recovery Images MUST be structured

A real Surface Pro 7+ recovery image has a root folder layout exactly like:

boot EFI Sources resetconfig.xml recoveryimage.tag ReAgent.xml

All three of these MUST be in the root:

resetconfig.xml

recoveryimage.tag

ReAgent.xml

These are what the Surface UEFI looks for. If any of them are missing → the Surface will freeze at the spinning dots (just like your photo).

❌ Your structure is wrong

Your screenshot shows this in Sources:

boot.wim install.swm install2.swm install3.swm ... ResetConfig (HTML document)

Problems:

❌ “ResetConfig” is wrong file type

It must be resetconfig.xml, not an HTML document.

❌ It is inside /Sources, not in root

Surface recovery requires it at the top level.

❌ Missing:

recoveryimage.tag

ReAgent.xml

✔ This is the confirmation:

You have Windows installation media disguised as BMR, NOT a Surface Recovery Image.

🔥 WHY MICROSOFT SUPPORT SAID “BMR is correct”

They're right only if you receive the Surface Recovery BMR package, which is a different type of BMR.

You are receiving the Back-end Azure BMR package, which is NOT Surface-compatible.

Microsoft’s servers sometimes push the wrong file type, especially for older Surface devices and enterprise-flagged serial numbers.

This exact mismatch is a known issue.Great — this is the key detail that explains everything:

👉 Your resetconfig file is located inside the /sources folder,
NOT in the root of the USB — and
NOT in the root of the extracted recovery package.

That tells me this with 100% confidence:

❌ This ZIP is NOT a Surface Recovery Image.

Even though it contains a “ResetConfig” file, its location proves it’s an Azure BMR structure, not a Surface recovery structure.

Let me explain clearly so there’s no more confusion:

✅ How Surface Recovery Images MUST be structured

A real Surface Pro 7+ recovery image has a root folder layout exactly like:

boot EFI Sources resetconfig.xml recoveryimage.tag ReAgent.xml

All three of these MUST be in the root:

resetconfig.xml

recoveryimage.tag

ReAgent.xml

These are what the Surface UEFI looks for.
If any of them are missing → the Surface will freeze at the spinning dots
(just like your photo).

❌ Your structure is wrong

Your screenshot shows this in Sources:

boot.wim install.swm install2.swm install3.swm

Problems:

❌ “ResetConfig” is wrong file type

It must be resetconfig.xml, not an HTML document.

❌ It is inside /Sources, not in root

Surface recovery requires it at the top level.

❌ Missing:

recoveryimage.tag

ReAgent.xml

✔ This is the confirmation:

You have Windows installation media disguised as BMR,
NOT a Surface Recovery Image.

🔥 WHY MICROSOFT SUPPORT SAID “BMR is correct”

They're right only if you receive the Surface Recovery BMR package,
which is a different type of BMR.

You are receiving the Back-end Azure BMR package, which is NOT Surface-compatible.

Microsoft’s servers sometimes push the wrong file type, especially for older Surface devices and enterprise-flagged serial numbers.

This exact mismatch is a known issue.

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Surface Pro 7+ Recovery Image links are all BMR (Bare Metal Recovery) images — installation media, not recovery images. How can I get the Recovery Image needed?

4 answers

❌ This ZIP is NOT a Surface Recovery Image.

✅ How Surface Recovery Images MUST be structured

❌ Your structure is wrong

❌ “ResetConfig” is wrong file type

❌ It is inside /Sources, not in root

❌ Missing:

✔ This is the confirmation:

🔥 WHY MICROSOFT SUPPORT SAID “BMR is correct”

❌ This ZIP is NOT a Surface Recovery Image.

✅ How Surface Recovery Images MUST be structured

❌ Your structure is wrong

❌ “ResetConfig” is wrong file type

❌ It is inside /Sources, not in root

❌ Missing:

✔ This is the confirmation:

🔥 WHY MICROSOFT SUPPORT SAID “BMR is correct”

Your answer