shblet343
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: Bluetooth missing from system preferences?

Hello.

 

I've seached for ideas everywhere but am not having much luck. 

 

I'm running a 27" iMac OSX, 10.8.3 (12D78) Mountain Lion

w/3.2 GHz i3

12 GB 1333 MHz DDR3

 

A few days ago, my magic mouse lost it's scoll, swipe, zoom, and right click abilities.  The batteries were low, so I dismissed it.  I have since replaced the batteries, and then noticed that the bluetooth icon is missing at the top of the screen/staus bar.  I looked in system preferences, and the Bluetooth icon is also missing from there.  Under the Mouse pane, there is no options for the magic mouse, only tracking speed and click speed. 

 

I searched the archives and it appears it's a pretty common occurance.  The difference is my BT mouse still works, only as a regular mouse.  (Single click and pointer tracking).

 

I first tried a timemachine restore, with no luck.

Next, I tried a reboot. No luck.

I tried the SMC reset.  No luck there either. 

 

I know the BT is working somewhat, because after I reboot the system, the mouse pointer doesn't move, but if I click and hold the mouse buttom for a few seconds, I get control over the mouse, but like I said, with no options or extra abilities.  But even with the mouse moving, there is no BT icon either on the staus bar or in system preferences.

 

Any ideas on what to try next?

iMac (27-inch Mid 2010), OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2)

Posted on Apr 12, 2013 11:57 AM

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shblet343

Q: Bluetooth missing from system preferences?

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  • by shblet343,

    shblet343 shblet343 Apr 12, 2013 12:03 PM in response to shblet343
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 12, 2013 12:03 PM in response to shblet343

    I should have mentioned that I'm using the USB numeric keyboard, so the mouse is my only BT devise paired to this computer.

  • by Eustace Mendis,Helpful

    Eustace Mendis Eustace Mendis Apr 12, 2013 12:28 PM in response to shblet343
    Level 7 (25,402 points)
    Apr 12, 2013 12:28 PM in response to shblet343

    Apple Menu / About This Mac / More Info / System Report.

     

    Under Hardware, select Bluetooth (on the left). Do you see any info on the right?

     

    Screen Shot 2013-04-12 at 3.25.45 PM.png

  • by Paul_31,

    Paul_31 Paul_31 Apr 12, 2013 12:32 PM in response to shblet343
    Level 6 (13,825 points)
    Apr 12, 2013 12:32 PM in response to shblet343

    I wonder if somehow the BT preference pane has become hidden. Check System Preferences>View Menu>Customise and make sure Bluetooth is ticked.

  • by shblet343,

    shblet343 shblet343 Apr 12, 2013 12:59 PM in response to Paul_31
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 12, 2013 12:59 PM in response to Paul_31

    There is no BT pane to check mark.  If I go to customize view, it still does not show.

  • by shblet343,

    shblet343 shblet343 Apr 12, 2013 1:01 PM in response to Eustace Mendis
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 12, 2013 1:01 PM in response to Eustace Mendis

    Eustace Mendis, if I look under Hardware>Bluetooth, it says "No information found".

     

    ???

  • by Eustace Mendis,Helpful

    Eustace Mendis Eustace Mendis Apr 12, 2013 1:12 PM in response to shblet343
    Level 7 (25,402 points)
    Apr 12, 2013 1:12 PM in response to shblet343

    In that case don't waste time looking through system preferences. I do not know how or why, but your computer has lost its bluetooth functionality.

     

    I would take it in to an Apple store and tell them what you have learend.

  • by shblet343,

    shblet343 shblet343 Apr 12, 2013 1:27 PM in response to Eustace Mendis
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 12, 2013 1:27 PM in response to Eustace Mendis

    It's just funny, (or at least to me) that the BT mouse still has basic functions, yet everything I check says there is no BT available in this computer.

     

    Road Trip...

     

     

    Thanks for all the help.

  • by Paul_31,

    Paul_31 Paul_31 Apr 12, 2013 1:45 PM in response to shblet343
    Level 6 (13,825 points)
    Apr 12, 2013 1:45 PM in response to shblet343

    As Eustace says, it's likely a hardware fault, although the following suggestion worked for me when I helped my neighbour who lost all BT connectivity on his iMac a while back.

     

    Apart from the Magic Mouse what keyboard do you have - wired or BT?

     

    To do this you might need to use a wired mouse/keyboard just in case you lose your limited BT connectivity and end up not being able to log in. In Macintosh HD>Library>Preferences, do you have this file:

     

    com.apple.Bluetooth.plist

     

    If so, move it to the desktop and restart. If BT does come back to life this is where you might need the wired mouse/keyboard to get your BT devices re-connected. If this works you can dump the file you moved to the desktop.

  • by shblet343,

    shblet343 shblet343 Apr 23, 2013 8:20 PM in response to Paul_31
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 23, 2013 8:20 PM in response to Paul_31

    I now have the wired keyboard and a wired mouse in case needed.

     

    I tried to move the com.apple.Bluetooth.plist to the desktop from Macintosh HD>Library>Preferences, but it won't allow me.  It only gives me the option of making a copy for the desktop. 

  • by Paul_31,

    Paul_31 Paul_31 Apr 23, 2013 9:54 PM in response to shblet343
    Level 6 (13,825 points)
    Apr 23, 2013 9:54 PM in response to shblet343

    Try moving it to the Trash, but don't empty the Trash until you have tested trying to get re-connected. If re-connection is established then you can delete it, if not you may as well return it to its original location.

  • by shblet343,

    shblet343 shblet343 Apr 27, 2013 11:50 AM in response to Paul_31
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 27, 2013 11:50 AM in response to Paul_31

    Moved com.apple.Bluetooth.plist to the trash.  Rebooted, and it still behaves exactly the same.  I tried it again, this time turning off the mouse.  Once it was rooted, the pointer was dead, I turned the mouse on, held down the Button (shell), and it turned the pointer back active.  Still no Bluetooth icon, still no multifunctioning mouse, and no information available within the harware listing under System Report for Bluetooth.  ???

  • by Old Toad,

    Old Toad Old Toad Apr 27, 2013 12:45 PM in response to shblet343
    Level 10 (140,940 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Apr 27, 2013 12:45 PM in response to shblet343

    Look in your HD/System/Library/PreferencePanes folder for the Bluetooth.prefpane file.  Is it there?

     

    Finder001.jpg

     

    If it's not there download and run the OS X Mountain Lion Update v10.8.3 (Combo) updater and then check your System preferences again.

    OT

  • by shblet343,

    shblet343 shblet343 Apr 27, 2013 3:12 PM in response to Old Toad
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 27, 2013 3:12 PM in response to Old Toad

    Yes, the Bluetooth.prefPane is there.  ???

     

    I tried to attach a screen shot using Grab, but it says content not allowed?  Anyway?  It shows being updated as of September, when everything else is June 20.  Strange. 

     

    Since it is there, now what?

  • by Old Toad,

    Old Toad Old Toad Apr 27, 2013 5:10 PM in response to shblet343
    Level 10 (140,940 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Apr 27, 2013 5:10 PM in response to shblet343

    Reset the System preferences to create a jpg or png file for screen grabs.  The forum won't take tiff files.

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