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Marcelo NS Author

Level 1

45 points

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

Top-ranking reply

Marcelo NS Author

Level 1

45 points

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

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117 replies

Marcelo NS Author

Level 1

45 points

Jan 2, 2013 1:38 PM in response to pratnala

Windows 8x64 bits UPDATE

I was doing some research and testing. In MAC models using the broadcom chip BCM2707 (Macbook air mid2011, pro 2011, iMAC 2011) this should apply:

1.- Remove any bluetooth software you may have instaled and bluetooth devices (except for Apple mouse/keyboards)

2.- Install bootcamp dirvers (install/repair bootcamp if you have already installed it)

3.- By now the microsoft bluetooth stack should be able to handle simple protocols HID, FTP, A2DP.

4.- For a full bluetooth experience (including OBEX, advanced profiles, remote android control, etc) this worked for me:

4.1 - downolad acer driver: Select Windows 8 Pro and download de Broadcom driver:

http://support.acer.com/us/en/product/default.aspx?modelId=3636

4.2 - Unzip the file and do not run setup (it will not recognize the chip). Navigate to Win64 folder and run "Inst.exe".

4.3 - Let it install the software and then Restart (important do not shut down and up use RESTART)

You can access your bluetooth devices form the metro UI

Click on your device and you will have access to the bluetooth configuration profile. Here you can connect-disconnect and adjust the settings:

Finnaly some comments to Apple: Dear company, as a loyal customer I kindly ask you to provide me with proper drivers and support for the hardware i have paid a good ammount of money for. I am getting tired of having to test every possible driver from 3th party fabricants in order to get my computer working properly.

pratnala

Level 1

5 points

Jan 7, 2013 1:55 AM in response to Marcelo NS

FTP doesn't work on default for me. That's why I used the Aspire drivers (from your original post but the Windows 8 version)

Jan 17, 2013 9:34 AM in response to Marcelo NS

I have tried everything on this website including downloading the drivers from Acer.. but my bluetooth still doesn't work!! It can pair with devices but nothing connects with it from a Magic Mouse to my Android phone..

I have a brand new 2012 MacBookPro 15 inch with quad core processor and 1 TB of storage and 8GM of RAM. It's a top spec model - the fact it cost me GBP 2600 doesn't help my comfort level..

So much has disappointed me since I took the plunge and bought a Mac (using Bootcamp for Windows 7).. battery time *****, notebook heats up like an oven, speakers were faulty (had to be changed under warranty) and now.. Bluetooth doesn't work.

HELP PLEASE?? I am not impressed thus far with my first Apple computer....

pratnala

Level 1

5 points

Jan 17, 2013 9:54 AM in response to Titillator

Hey

The third point in the original post works for Windows 7 (now, I'm on Windows 8). It worked for me. I have the same Mac as yours. But, I don't get how you have a 1TB hard disk? You upgraded? Mine is the 750 gigs one, rest all same (8 gigs RAM, i7, 15 inch, 1 gig graphics card blah blah).

Battery you get 3-3.5 hours. The problem is Apple didn't show up the Intel integrated GPU in the BIOS emulator on which Windows runs. So Windows thinks Nvidia is the only GPU. That explains the poor battery life.

Heat is only an issue when it is charging. On battery use, it doesn't heat up too much. See, you should understand Apple didn't make the laptop to run Windows on it. It is to run OS X. I'm living with these faults - a poor battery life and some heating issues (CPU is at around 76-80 degrees celsius for me) - and running Windows 8 like a boss. And, oh consider getting this driver called Trackpad++ from http://trackpad.powerplan7.com. It improves the trackpad on windows by leaps and bounds.

Csound1

Level 9

60,033 points

Jan 17, 2013 9:57 AM in response to Titillator

Titillator wrote:

snip

So much has disappointed me since I took the plunge and bought a Mac (using Bootcamp for Windows 7).. battery time *****, notebook heats up like an oven, speakers were faulty (had to be changed under warranty) and now.. Bluetooth doesn't work.

HELP PLEASE?? I am not impressed thus far with my first Apple computer....

You are using a Windows computer now.

pratnala

Level 1

5 points

Jan 17, 2013 9:59 AM in response to Csound1

Excuse me. Those issues are because of Apple giving below par drivers. Don't blame Windows

Csound1

Level 9

60,033 points

Jan 17, 2013 10:02 AM in response to pratnala

pratnala wrote:

Excuse me. Those issues are because of Apple giving below par drivers. Don't blame Windows

Good luck with that approach to the problem.

pratnala

Level 1

5 points

Jan 17, 2013 10:06 AM in response to Csound1

Can't help if you want to live in denial. See anywhere on the web. These issues (low battery life due to Apple not showing Intel in the BIOS emulator; and heating issues because of AHCI; and the bluetooth issue as is evident in this forum) are well documented on the Internet.

Csound1

Level 9

60,033 points

Jan 17, 2013 10:11 AM in response to pratnala

You chose to use a Mac for Windows, in spite of all those things you have pointed out. How do you feel about your choice?

Marcelo NS Author

Level 1

45 points

Jan 17, 2013 10:37 AM in response to Titillator

@Titillator: Hi there. Bluetooth is expected to wrok out of the box in Windows 7 in a bootcamp partition with apple HID devices (magic mouse, keyboard, etc). If that is not the case then you have an issue there and you should avoid installing other drivers if your magic mouse doesnt work with a fresh bootcamp installation.

Since Apple provides only a half cooked driver for windows that is not able to handle A2DP, obex and other protocols, I have provided a work arownd to sum up protocols to the incomplete Apple Bluetooth stack. By definition this methods requieres a previous Apple driver working properly (i.e. proper pairing and funcitionality of apple bluetooth HID deveices) .

@Csound1: Me and many of the folks arownd this bootcamp forums bought a Mac because was widely advertised as being able to run Windows. I was naive and belived in that propaganda:

http://www.apple.com/nl/why-mac/its-compatible/#windows

You have made a good point and anybody buying a Mac and needing/wanting to run Windows on it, should be aware that Windows under bootcamp is far of being good supported, the provided drivers are suboptimal and the user experience may be extremely frustrating.

pratnala

Level 1

5 points

Jan 17, 2013 6:32 PM in response to Csound1

I would differ with Marcelo NS. I bought a Mac because I wanted to use OS X, Windows and Ubuntu. Yes, mine is a triple boot setup

pratnala

Level 1

5 points

Jan 17, 2013 7:04 PM in response to Marcelo NS

Marcelo NS wrote:

Windows 8x64 bits UPDATE

I was doing some research and testing. In MAC models using the broadcom chip BCM2707 (Macbook air mid2011, pro 2011, iMAC 2011) this should apply:

1.- Remove any bluetooth software you may have instaled and bluetooth devices (except for Apple mouse/keyboards)

2.- Install bootcamp dirvers (install/repair bootcamp if you have already installed it)

3.- By now the microsoft bluetooth stack should be able to handle simple protocols HID, FTP, A2DP.

4.- For a full bluetooth experience (including OBEX, advanced profiles, remote android control, etc) this worked for me:

4.1 - downolad acer driver: Select Windows 8 Pro and download de Broadcom driver:

http://support.acer.com/us/en/product/default.aspx?modelId=3636

4.2 - Unzip the file and do not run setup (it will not recognize the chip). Navigate to Win64 folder and run "Inst.exe".

4.3 - Let it install the software and then Restart (important do not shut down and up use RESTART)

You can access your bluetooth devices form the metro UI

Click on your device and you will have access to the bluetooth configuration profile. Here you can connect-disconnect and adjust the settings:

Finnaly some comments to Apple: Dear company, as a loyal customer I kindly ask you to provide me with proper drivers and support for the hardware i have paid a good ammount of money for. I am getting tired of having to test every possible driver from 3th party fabricants in order to get my computer working properly.

Just checked, this driver doesn't work on my mid 2012 MacBook Pro

Jan 17, 2013 7:46 PM in response to pratnala

Thanks guys - appreciate the constructive feedback above!!

But none of the comments really solves my problem with Bluetooth (as this is a post about Bluetooth problems with Bootcamp using Windows 7/8)..

Pratnala - I did use your original Option 3 and downloaded the Atheros driver from Acer but it has made zero difference (other than some additional options for "settings").. why does it not work for me? Also, why did you recommend Atheros rather than Broadcom when the chip in my Mac is Broadcom??

Marcelo - any other suggestions? I did try downloading your Broadcom driver but my Mac wouldn't open any of the files (even if I unzipped them).. and Pratnala says that the Windows 8 driver doesn't work for him..

Awaiting your kind response

ps: I DID download all the drivers from Apple onto a disc at the Bootcamp installation phase and then ran this disc on Windows - so all drivers should be properly installed!

pratnala

Level 1

5 points

Jan 17, 2013 10:08 PM in response to Titillator

I recommended Atheros because that's what worked for the OP on Windows 7 and worked for me too. And what do you mean Mac wouldn't open any of the files? Did you open the file in OS X?

Message was edited by: pratnala Made a grammatical correction

pratnala

Level 1

5 points

Jan 17, 2013 10:14 PM in response to Titillator

Titillator wrote:

Thanks guys - appreciate the constructive feedback above!!

But none of the comments really solves my problem with Bluetooth (as this is a post about Bluetooth problems with Bootcamp using Windows 7/8)..

Pratnala - I did use your original Option 3 and downloaded the Atheros driver from Acer but it has made zero difference (other than some additional options for "settings").. why does it not work for me? Also, why did you recommend Atheros rather than Broadcom when the chip in my Mac is Broadcom??

Marcelo - any other suggestions? I did try downloading your Broadcom driver but my Mac wouldn't open any of the files (even if I unzipped them).. and Pratnala says that the Windows 8 driver doesn't work for him..

Awaiting your kind response

ps: I DID download all the drivers from Apple onto a disc at the Bootcamp installation phase and then ran this disc on Windows - so all drivers should be properly installed!

Anyways, you're using Windows 7 right? So, just ignore my comment about Windows 8 drivers 😝

It should work on Windows 7. Yours is a mid 2012 MacBook Pro right? That's the same one I have

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