MacBook not recognizing Bluetooth?

Hello e:

WElcome to Apple discussions.

Try trashing the preference file (com.apple.bluetooth.plist) and restarting.

Then reset the PRAM:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1379

Barry

Don't expect the PRAM reset to solve the problem.

Which MacBook do you own?

Check out this thread here:

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1234817&tstart=0

It seems to becoming to light that the reason lots of people are having problems with the bluetooth is because of a design flaw in the 2007 model. Someone put the wi-fi transmission line too near to the bluetooth, and they may be cross coupling and causing interference, which is giving rise to a number of problems.

Hello e:

Try what I suggested. It may or may not help, but the other poster apparently has some issue that is based on supposition and rumor.

Barry

Supposition and rumour is still a step closer to solving the problem that a lot of people seem to be having with bluetooth. In the absence of any solid explanation from Apple it's better than nothing, and as a microwave engineer myself it does seem plausible that it could be the cause.

By all means, try the PRAM reset. The problem might go away, but don't be surprised if it comes back again in a few hours/days.

If this does turn out to be the cause, least said i will not be very happy that I've been fobbed off with excuse after excuse for the past year. If there has been an oversight in the design Apple should own up to it.

Message was edited by: STU9000

Barry, this will sound stupid, but where do I find the preference file you refer to?

I've been going crazy trying to solve this Bluetooth issue. Took my MacBook into the Madison, WI Apple store, and they found a crack in the case. They replaced the case (very cool), and told me that the Bluetooth was working fine, and they examined it. They "reset" it, apparently, making sure it was seated properly. They had the option of simply charging me for a new Bluetooth antenna, but told me that it was fine, and working, after the did in-store testing...

So, three weeks after the visit, I'm getting the same problem. The Bluetooth konks out after a few minutes after I turn on. I'm using a wi-fi at home, and a cellular modem at work with this MacBook. It konks out at both locations.

I'm anxious to try the preference dump, and PRAM restart.... But where do I look?

Thanks

Eric

Hello Eric:

There are no stupid questions - answers, yes, but not questions.

The Bluetooth preference file is in Macintosh HD>library>preferences.

Reset the PRAM here:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1379

Barry

P.S. If that does not work, take it back to the store.

Worked great.

Thanks for the tip. The challenge with this has been that it works for a while, then quits. I've done just the PRAM, I've shut the computer off, taken out the battery, then held the power button for 10 seconds, and I've dressed in woman's clothing, put on lipstick, walked backward through doorways, and changed "mea copa," 100 times.

Only when I trashed the preference file, then did the PRAM reset, did it work right away.

I'll check back in a week or so, just to let you know.

Thanks again Barry


Eric

You are welcome, Eric.

(I enjoyed your description of your "fixes." You missed one thing that I noticed right away, however. Step two is to throw dried bat wings over your left shoulder in the dark of the moon.)

I hope things stay OK!

Barry

What is this about a preference file, I've not tried that.

Do i trash the whole directory, or just the bluetooth file?

Hello stu:

The preference file is located as I indicated above. Occasionally (not often, but it happens), preference files become corrupted. When you trash one, OS X rebuilds it after a restart.

Barry

Thank you!

Trashing Macintosh HD>Library>Preferences>com.apple.bluetooth.plist followed by resetting PRAM (shut down computer; then power up computer with power button while holding down command option+PR keys until another restart chime, ref. <http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1379>) worked.

When my wireless keyboard stopped working on my PowerBook G4, Bluetooth was missing from System Preferences and from System Profiler (Apple menu > About this Mac > More info... > Hardware, USB sections) until i found your solution. I don't know if trashing the preference file (com.apple.bluetooth.plist) would have worked by itself, but a PRAM reset alone did not work. In addition to resetting PRAM, i had already tried multiple shut-downs and restarts, clearing caches, even resetting the CMU to no avail. (I'm stuffing all this in here in hope someoneelse's search will land them here even if they don't have a Macbook 🙂

I just looked for that preference file and it's not there. i think I deleted it previously, but it hasn't recreated a new one.

My button wont scroll up on my mouse anymore. I've tried cleaning it, and I just tried a PRAM reset. Still the same problem.

It's just one thing after another with my mac, I wish I hadn't bothered going with apple now, complete waste of money...

I did that but, after rebooting, my laptop now has no recognised Bluetooth device. There's no longer a Bluetooth option in Preferences and I get the pop-up message

"The Bluetooth Tab of Keyboard & Mouse preferences is hidden because you don't have a Bluetooth module installed or attached to your computer."

This is on a brand new MacBook.

Thank you for helping me to break it. 😟

I had the same problem myself.

Followed Barry's suggestions and it fixed the problem right away.

Thank-you for the tips

Tishyn