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Level 1

4 points

Bluetooth: Not Available

My bluetooth icon in the top car is greyed out with a horizontal lightning bolt looking icon crossed through it. In my system preferences, bluetooth file sharing doesn't appear under Internet & Wireless. When I spotlight bluetooth File Exchange, it says: "No Bluetooth Hardware Found. In order to use this application, you must have a bluetooth module. Pleaser verify that your bluetooth hardware is properly attached to the computer."
Also, Bluetooth Firmware Update says that the firmware is in face up to date. after installing Mac OSX 10.6.3, i thought it would start working again. No such luck

What do I need to do to utilize my bluetooth capability once again?

Thanks

MacBook 2.4GHz 4GB RAM, iPhone 3G 16GB, AppleTV 160GB, Time Capsule 500GB, Mac OSX 10.6.3

Posted on Mar 29, 2010 7:46 PM

Best reply

Jay Bullock

Level 4

3,806 points

Posted on Mar 30, 2010 3:58 AM

You can try resetting the SMC and the PRAM:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3964
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1379

One of those might jog the BT back to life.

View in context

36 replies

bkastan

Level 1

0 points

Jan 21, 2011 4:33 PM in response to RyGuy009

I have a macbook first generation (white 13") and i noticed this problem recently. I ended up needing a new battery and ever since I've replaced the old battery while simultaneously running SMC Fan control to speed up my fan RPM, the bluetooth has worked consistently. Very odd, I know.

Hope this helps,
Ben

WebbWebs

Level 1

10 points

Jan 30, 2011 5:29 PM in response to RyGuy009

Personally, I'm getting **** tired of HAVING to reset it!!!

Mar 6, 2011 3:57 PM in response to Jay Bullock

Thank you, Jay. The SMC reset did the trick for my mom's computer. That was a helpful suggestion.

Mar 13, 2011 11:45 AM in response to Jay Bullock

Reset of the SMC did the trick for me. Thanks!

Mar 15, 2011 5:16 PM in response to barbas

How do you delete the bluetooth preferences. I am afraid that I will delete the wrong thing!

Mar 15, 2011 5:24 PM in response to chicken farmer

I have tried all of these several times, except deleting the BT preferences. It still doesn't work!

vsdani

Level 1

0 points

Mar 18, 2011 11:54 AM in response to RyGuy009

_First of all, sorry about my bad English spelling. I'm from Brasil._

My Bluetooth, obviously, since I bought this Macbook Aluminum 5.1 always worked fine.

Suddenly, although, *the Bluetooth stopped working*; and it show the message: "*Not Available*" in the right-upper-corner of my screen; and simply the Bluetooth doesn't show up anymore in the "System Preferences" pane. =\

_*I've tried just everything!*_
- resetting PRAM;
- resetting SMC;
- reformatting the HD...
*And nothing worked*.

What really makes me sad is that I always sold to my friends the idea of "how great apple's hardware are" and now... the Bluetooth simply stopped working for no reason. Just great hardware, hã?!

Apr 8, 2011 10:18 PM in response to vsdani

2nd time using the Jambox, but for 45 mins, when the Bluetooth just stopped. Wireless keyboard/trackpad all dead!!

Restarted twice, no change.

Reset the SMC following this link

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3964

and after the shut down/reboot Bluetooth was fine!

Bluetooth stopped mysteriously a few months ago and a shut down/reboot fixed it then.

Thanks.

jrui

Level 1

15 points

May 1, 2011 12:36 PM in response to vsdani

I'm having the exact same problem where with my other MPB, it's the 5.1 model.

The 6.1 model that I have is fine.

The thing is:

Suddenly, although, *the Bluetooth stopped working*; and it show the message: "*Not Available*" in the right-upper-corner of my screen; and simply the Bluetooth doesn't show up anymore in the "System Preferences" pane.

(Same has you)

installed Leopard (original DVD that come with the MBP 5.1) and the Bluetooth problem is solved.

Snow Leopard 10.6.0 Is just fine.

Then When I make de combo upgrade to 10.6.7 at some time there it is, Bluetooth - "not avaiable"

Even entering in single user mode "CMD+S", I can see a LOT of bluetooth errors going on

No solution a tthe this time.

Staying in Leopard, until ther's a solution to this

jayceehi

Level 1

5 points

Jul 26, 2011 2:58 PM in response to jrui

Greetings:

I tried the pram reset with no luck

However the SMC resest seemed to do the trick. All is back to 'normal'.

At least for now.

Thanks to the forum for helping.

Cheers

John

Aug 14, 2011 11:31 AM in response to RyGuy009

10.6.8... I just deleted the Bluetooth plist preferences, rebooted, and Bluetooth reappeared.

I also repaired the volume with Disk Utility before deleting the pref file, as it indicated a problem (maybe that corrupted the preferences, however I also just added a UPS which is when the Bluetooth broken icon reappeared in my menu bar that showed me I had a problem)

elv07

Level 1

5 points

Aug 29, 2011 12:26 AM in response to fausttiger

Yep, also experienced the same problem with Bluetooth this morning. From the Apple menu i first did "Restart ..." but that didn't help. But then I did "Shut Down ..." and start using the button and that solved it! So this time I did not need to reset the SMC.

Jan 17, 2012 11:32 AM in response to Jay Bullock

Thanks a lot, running 10.7.2 and the second link worked perfectly 🙂, can use my keyboard and mouse again now!

ExtraO

Level 1

8 points

Jan 27, 2012 1:14 PM in response to RyGuy009

I have a first generation MacBook. Bluetooth always worked flawlessly with my wireless mouse until the last couple of releases of Snow Leopard. It started getting unstable under 10.6.7 and dropping the connection, and with 10.6.8 it finally went completely "unavailable" all the time as described by so many on this and other discussions. I tried all of the resets of PRAM & SMC, etc., suggested and nada, zero, zip, in the end NOTHING worked. The problem is DEFINITELY something about Snow Leopard, and here's the proof:

I have an external hard disk that I have recently connected to my laptop via Firewire. This disk has an installation of Snow Leopard Server on it. When I first booted the MacBook from the external disk after installing S.L.Server, my Bluetooth was back!! Not only that, but after restarting the machine from the internal drive (not Server), the Bluethooth is working again there too. We'll see how long that remains the case, however, something about S.L. screws up the operation of the Bluetooth module, and running S.L. Server fixed it -at least for a while. Re-setting the SMC never had any effect. Maybe some bored Apple engineer might read this and take a look into the clue it provides.

Feb 3, 2012 8:24 PM in response to bechard

My bluetooth wasn't working either so for my intel macbook, I:

1. shut the computer down.

2. removed the power cord.

3. held the power button down for 5 sec.

4. reattached the power cord.

This worked for me as well!!!!! TY

Does anyone know why this happend after our update?

Bluetooth: Not Available