USB Bluetooth adapter stops working after 10.8.5 upgrade

After patching the file

/System/Library/Extensions/IOBluetoothFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns/BroadcomBluet oothHostControllerUSBTransport.kext/Contents/Info.plist

using TextWrangler by adding the correct product id of my ANYCOM USB-550 Bluetooth adapter it now works again.

Anycom USB-550

idProduct: 8531

idVendor: 2652

I just duplicated a complete key / dict area in this file (I used the Targus one, because it uses 8532 / 2562).

When you use TextWrangler with CLI commands from BareBones (not the version from the AppStore) you can edit system files and the file permissions will not be altered.

After saving the file you will need to delete the kernel extension cache and reboot.

I did this using the Terminal:

sudo rm -R /System/Library/Caches/com.apple.kext.caches

Then you will need to reboot your Mac.

After that your Bluetooth USB Adapter should work again.

I had exactly this problem, but it was fixed by downloading the complete 10.8.5 installer (via the Mac App Store) and reinstalling over the upgraded system using an external USB drive. There were a couple of minor things (I had to reinstall a couple of 3rd party drivers, and re-enable TRIM support for my 3rd-party SSD), but everything is now working perfectly. There must be a problem with the 10.8.5 updater that stomps on the bluetooth configuration that doesn't happen if you do a complete install.

Scott, it seems, that you only disconnected the antenna cables from the internal Bluetooth module, right?

If this is the case, could you then try to remove the entire Apple bluetooth module from the logicboard?

Even, if it is installed on the logicboard, I'm quite sure, that it is also an USB device and I think, that your problem might be, that the internal bluetooth module is recognized on the USB before your external USB dongle becomes active. AFAIK Mac OS X can only handle one Bluetooth host adapter at a time and the internal one might have a higher priority for the OS, so as soon as the internal one becomes active all other Bluetooth adapters simply become inactive.

This might be different in OS X up to 10.8.4.

I removed my Apple CSR module (PN 820-1696-A) from the logicboard and have no problems with 10.8.5 since I patched the Broadcom file as written earlier in this thread.

If your Apple Bluetooth board is CSR based, then it could also be solution to simply remove the CSR drivers from the Bluetooth kext, to disable it as a bluetooth device. (make a backup of the original kext first and get USB keyboard and mouse ready for emergency).

***Edit: The kext file names in the @Peaz2.0 article linked below are outdated for 10.8.5. Use the ones that jf@format.de has in his post above. Pasted here as well: /System/Library/Extensions/IOBluetoothFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns/BroadcomBluet oothHostControllerUSBTransport.kext/Contents/Info.plist ******

Thanks jf@format.de & AwwwPuddin.

I did this a few months ago when I added my Targus Bluetooth 4.0 adapter to my MacPro 3.1 running Mountain Lion. After upgrading to the latest release of ML 910.8.5), my bluetooth adapter stopped working.

Here's my BT adapter details:

BCM20702A0:

Product ID: 0x21e8

Vendor ID: 0x0a5c (Broadcom Corp.)

Version: 1.12

Serial Number: 00190E114898

Speed: Up to 12 Mb/sec

Manufacturer: Broadcom Corp

Location ID: 0xfd310000 / 12

Current Available (mA): 500

Current Required (mA): 0

I used the detailed information here: http://www.atpeaz.com/index.php/2012/using-unsupported-bluetooth-4-0-usb-dongle- with-os-x/, because it matched my setup perfectly - minus a different product ID.

Here's the updated entry that I used to get my Targus up and running again:

<key>BroadcomUSBBluetoothHCIController2 - Targus</key>

<dict>

<key>CFBundleIdentifier</key>

<string>com.apple.iokit.BroadcomBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransport</string>

<key>IOClass</key>

<string>BroadcomBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransport</string>

<key>IOProviderClass</key>

<string>IOUSBDevice</string>

<key>idProduct</key>

<integer>8680</integer>

<key>idVendor</key>

<integer>2652</integer>

</dict>

Note that I already had a BroadcomUSBBluetoothHCIController - Targus in the kext, so I just added the number 2 to differentiate the entries.

All I had to do was use my idProduct Integer value of 8680 and I was good to go after a reboot. I used http://easycalculation.com/hex-converter.php to do my conversion.

I also used the Kext Utility that is referenced in the above link (http://cvad-mac.narod2.ru/Kext_Utility/) and had no issues with the new adapter being recognized after a reboot.

Hi everybody,

I had the same problem on a Macbook Air Mid 2012.

The culprit has been the vodafone USB modem software.

After deinstalling the vodafone software bluetooth was back to its old state.

So all the cool stuff metioned here might be a long way around for some simple issue.

Regards

Alex

This what my System Info looks like when using my BT Adapter with OS X 10.8.4, and an edited Info.plist within IOBluetoothFamily.kext/contents/plugins/Broadcom...kext/contents/

And, BT info:

But when I do the SAME EXACT thing after having installed OS X 10.8.5 update (can be MAS update, Combo update, or Full 10.8.5 Install), then System Profiler doesn't show anything in Bluetooth.

I checked the VendorID and ProductID to assure myself that couldn't have changend (yes I know... 🙂)

The only diffrent thing I can see between 10.8.4 and 10.8.5 is that something changed in my USB config, as the way ports are enumered.

Now, if I try to use the 10.8.4 modified IOBluetoothFamily.kext wiith 10.8.5, System Info DOES show something in Bluetooth, BUT I can't pair any device with it 😟

So the only solution left would be to buy another BT Adapter which is fully supported by OS X Out Of The Box...

I've always been using the CN516 USB Bluetooth adapter from Sitecom, but bluetooth started to break when using 10.8.5. Tampering the info.plist for Cambridge Silicon like previous people here have done didn't work, so I decided to reinstall the combo update 10.8.5 and directly after that the suplemental 10.8.5 update. Then I deleted the com.apple.bluetooth.plist in Preferences. Reboot / Pair bluetooth devices...

Voila, I'm happily navigating with my trackpad and typing this message on my wireless bluetooth keyboard. Seems like things are back to normal...

Not sure yet if these connections will survive a reboot though :-)

YMMV, but a full install solved the problem for me and my IOGear GBU521 dongle / early 2009 Mac Pro. I did a repair permissions beforehand, but there were no obvious BT-related files affected. Did you have your BT dongle plugged in while you installed? I don't know if it would make any difference, but I kept my BT adapter plugged in while I did the install.

My IOGear GBU521 adapter says the chipset is 20702A1, firmware version v14 c4096.

It seems that some Broadcom based Bluetooth USB Adapters stopped to work with 10.8.5.

Up to 10.8.4 I was using an ANYCOM USB-550 without any problem, but since I installed 10.8.5 it is recognized on the USB (as a hub), but not as a Bluetooth device anymore.

I switched back to my old Keyspan USB Bluetooth Adapter which is CSR based, because this USB Adapter works at least with my MagicMouse, but not reliably with Audio anymore, because it is too slow, I guess.

Hopefully Apple will fix this soon.

Your Bluetooth adapter seems to be based on a Cambridge Silicon Radio (CSR) chipset.

So it was not a good idea to patch the Broadcom kext file. You'll need to remove your patch from the Info.plist in the Broadcom kext and then add your device to the CSR kext Info.plist instead. Hope this helps.

Hi all,

got my OSX updated from 10.8.4 to 10.8.5 and i lost Bluetooth - Belkin Dongle F8T012xx1 USB

Vendor=050d ProdID=0121 Rev= 4.13

Thanks to this post, i was able to fix my BT by patching IOBluetoothFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns/BroadcomBluetoothHostControllerUSBTrans port.kext/Contents/Info.plist

<key>BroadcomUSBBluetoothHCIController - Belkin</key>

<dict>

<key>CFBundleIdentifier</key>

<string>com.apple.iokit.BroadcomBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransp ort</string>

<key>IOClass</key>

<string>BroadcomBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransport</string>

<key>IOProviderClass</key>

<string>IOUSBDevice</string>

<key>idProduct</key>

<integer>289</integer>

<key>idVendor</key>

<integer>1293</integer>

</dict>

Thank you 🙂

Don't bother with Full Install, I tried it myself without any much luck regarding Bluetooth...

My BT Adapter is still not recognized by OS X...

No trace of BT in System Info, and no Bluetooth Icon in Menu Bar...

If I rollback IOBluetoothFamily.kext from 10.8.4, I get BT in System Info and in Menu Bar, but my devices cannot pair with the adapter... 😟

I also tried to rollback the following KEXT along with 10.8.4 IOBluetoothFamily.kext:

• IOBluetoothHIDDriver.kext
• IOUSBFamiliy.kext

Why that? Because IOBluetoothHIDDriver also changed with 10.8.5, and because I noticed some slight changes within the USB configuration shown by System Info, so I wanted to clear that out...

I'm getting much frustrated here 😟

BT Adapter: Belkin F8T065bf, Broadcom 2070 Chipset (maybe it's some revision "2A", cause System Info says 20702A...)