stuck on setiing things up

If the screen is still on “please wait while we set things up for you” for many hours, it may be stuck rather than still progressing.

Try this:

1. Keep the laptop plugged into power.
2. If it has only been a short time, wait longer first. Some setup and reset steps can take an extended time.
3. If it has been stuck for many hours with no change, press and hold the Power button for about 10 seconds to turn it off.
4. Wait about 30 seconds, then turn it back on.
5. If Windows Recovery appears, select: Troubleshoot > Reset this PC > Remove everything
6. If available, choose Cloud download to restart the reset using fresh system files.
7. Disconnect external devices during the process and avoid closing the lid.

About the Microsoft email question:

• Surface setup includes the option to sign in with or create a Microsoft account.
• If setup is rejecting an account, one documented workaround is to temporarily bypass sign-in by disconnecting from the network, then using Shift + F10, typing start ms-cxh:localonly, and continuing with Create a user for this PC.

If the device continues to stall after retrying the reset, the accepted guidance in similar cases is to restart the reset from Windows Recovery. A hard shutdown during a stalled reset can interrupt the process, so use it only after the screen has been unchanged for a long time.

References:

• "Reset this PC" takes a long time on Surface Studio | Microsoft Support
• Windows 10 stuck at 75% during full reset for two and a half days - Microsoft Q&A
• "Enter valid email address" during setup - Microsoft Q&A
• Set up your Surface