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Full Bluetooth functionality in Bootcamp (audio, A2DP, FTP, OBEX)

When runing Windows 7 in a native bootcamp partition you may have experienced issues when trying to pair android devices, audio sinks, headsets, etc. For earlier Mac models (2010 and earlier) the workaround consisted in using the broadcom drivers released by Acer or HP. However, the later 2011 models including MBA mid 2011, Macbook Pro and iMac will not allow you to install those drivers. Neither will Broadcom oficial updater recognize your bluetooth built in device.

The good news: after several weeks googling and installing/uninstalling pretty much every available driver on the internet I managed to have all my bluetooth devices wroking on Windows 7 x64 (bootcamp partition) on my MBA MID 2011.


You have at least 3 options


1.- Bluesoleil Stack: Altugh the chip is not offitially supported you can get it "brut force" recognized. This is described here:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3690433?answerId=17611577022#17611577022


2.- Toshiba Stack: The version 8.0 works pretty good specially for Audio devices the audio quality is pretty the best you will get. Same as above you need to force the recognition of your chip

The toshiba stack (30 days trial)

http://aps2.toshiba-tro.de/bluetooth/pages/disclaimer.php?dt=bts&download=3-64bi t


3.- Thank again to Acer (and not to Apple) we can get also a fully functional profile in a hardware we have paid a lot of money for. BUT WARNING! here you SHOULD NOT install the drivers!. Install only the utility suit instead. Pay carefull attention or you will get a blue screen and you will need to uninstall the drivers in safe mode or even have to do a clean Windows install. Uninstall all your paired BT devices (except for Magic Mouse and or keyboard you can leave them paired)


a.- Download the drivers


http://www.pcdrivershop.com/aspire_4830TG_Bluetooth_Atheros_7.4.0.96_W7x64_A.zip


b.- Unzip the file and explore the following folder


\Bluetooth(4.0)_Atheros_7.4.0.96_W7x64\Bluetooth_Suite_win7. Run Win764.exe or Win732 according to your OS.

Let the software install and restart.


c.- Pair your devices and enjoy!!!.


Options 1 and 2 (Bluesoleil and Toshiba Stack) are good options however they are paid-off softwares but what could be more important for many useres is that they completely override the Microsoft bluetooth stack and therefore Apple devices (like magic mouse) will loose some functionality I wasn't able to get the touch scrolling or the gestures working with those stacks. The 3th option however will not completeley override the Microsoft stack (used by Apple's drivers) and therefore Apple Magic mouse will work perfectly. The Atheros bluetooth suit will only add the requiered protocols and make them interact with the Microsoft stack. The disadvantage of the latest is that the audio quality is not even close as the one you are gonna get with the Toshiba stack and not say about configurability...


I hope I will save some of you some time and many headaches.

Windows 7, Bootcamp bluetooth drivers

Posted on Feb 22, 2012 11:18 AM

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Posted on Feb 22, 2012 11:34 AM

How do I install a Toshiba stack?


This worked on my Mackbook air mid - 2011Windows 7 x64. Be aware that you will loose the "magic scrolling" in case you are using a bluetooth magic mouse. Otherwise all bluetooth devices have been working as a chram with the Toshiba stack.


To make it work, follow this steps:

http://linkopia.blogspot.com/2009/05/a2dp-stereo-bluetooth-on-win-xp-boot.html


But instead of downloading the toshiba stack in the above link, download the x64 stack you will find in the link bellow:


http://aps2.toshiba-tro.de/bluetooth/pages/disclaimer.php?dt=bts&download=3-64bi t


once you have "tricked" the stacks restart and run the Toshiba assistant

117 replies

Sep 7, 2012 5:54 AM in response to Yucleto

sorry, I had missed your post due to the way the messages broke from screen to screen.


Yes, I have tried it, but I can't get it to install successfully –when I try, it tells me that "No Bluetooth device was detected. Please make sure that your Bluetooth device is plugged-in properly in order to continue installation."


Do you remember how your Bluetooth device was listed in device manager before installing this? I have one item listed under Bluetooth and 2 under Bluetooth radios…

Sep 7, 2012 12:02 PM in response to JonT2

Please be sure you got an Imac 27 mid 2010, drivers/hardwares changes so if you dont have this specific model seems to look somewhere else. Have you installed Windows ? Which version ? this is for a x64 arquitecture, have you already installed bootcamp on windows ? It seems some how this mantain drivers and with software gives complete functionality.


Good Luck !

Sep 7, 2012 2:18 PM in response to Yucleto

I have a MacBook Pro with Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit installed originally under boot camp 3.1 and now under boot camp four. After getting the Toshiba software installed and then removed after the trial expired, I no longer have any confidence about the drivers I have for my Bluetooth anything.

With Windows 7 Home Premium

Sep 7, 2012 4:34 PM in response to Marcelo NS

Marelo NS,


Thanks!!


Used option 3 for my macbook air mid 2010 with Apple Broadcom Built-in Bluetooth device ID:

USB/VID_05AC&PID_821B

minor correction - the suit is now in one EXE (64 and 32 bit)

Bluetooth_Atheros(4.0)_7.4.0.96_W7x64\Bluetooth_Suite_win7.EXE

just excute it and you get among other things the A2DP working.


Thanks again!

Sep 19, 2012 10:39 PM in response to Marcelo NS

I followed the instructions #3 to install the Acer utility for the Atheros Bluetooth device. I was able to connect to a bluetooth mouse (Logitech V470) and it was fully functional. I had an issue where the mouse would not automatically reconnect after I turned it off and back on (to save batteries) or after a reboot/shutdown/suspend. I have not used any other bluetooth mice, so I am not sure if this is a common fix or specific to this scenario.


I was able to fix the issue in the Microsoft bluetooth settings. This is accessible from the control panel, searching in the start menu, or by running this command:


rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL bthprops.cpl,,1


In the settings, simply select the option to "Allow Bluetooth devices to connect to this computer."


I hope this helps someone. There are a lot of discussions of failed reconnects online and very few answers.

Sep 24, 2012 8:59 PM in response to Marcelo NS

I have similar problems in rMBP(2012) with Windows 8 Enterprise 64 and the newest bootcamp(4.0).

The magic mouse only works in left-right click, no scrolling.


  • In device manager, apple broadcom built-in bluetooth shows yellow exclmation mark. The driver was unloaded.
  • In windows system event log, there are BTHUSB error and alerts with error code 17 and 3.
  • Hardware ID: VID_05AC&PID_8286.
  • There is not bluetooth icon in the task bar.


The SSD has no MAC OSX partion with MBR mode.


I will try some suggestions.

Full Bluetooth functionality in Bootcamp (audio, A2DP, FTP, OBEX)

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