SP3 Bluetooth Vanished?

[BillCo]

Earlier today I was happily listening to an audio podcast on my Bluetooth Jambox speaker from my SP3. Later I attempted to use my BT mouse, but it wouldn't connect. I went to repair it, but all evidence of *any* Bluetooth support seems to have vanished from my machine. I checked and ran the latest "Important Update", but still no joy. I've manually started the 2 BT tasks in system services.

I have no BT icon on the task bar, no menu entry in Settings/PC and Devices/ and nothing in the device tree of Device Manager related to Bluetooth. I've powered down and restarted a couple of times.

So, what happened to Bluetooth on my Surface Pro 3? Any way to get it back?

Thanks in advance.

Bill

 

[nipponham]

So, what happened to Bluetooth on my Surface Pro 3? Any way to get it back?

Are you saying that manually turning on BT from system services didn't help, or that your BT icon is missing?

 

[BillCo]

Both. Turning on services didn't help and there is no BT icon (and no BT menu item in Settings/Change PC Settings/PC & Devices)

 

[sharpuser]

@BillCo ,

From Device Manager, remove your wireless adapter. Windows should put it back upon restart, along with Bluetooth connectivity.

 

[BillCo]

Sharpcolorado
Thanks for the suggestion; however THERE IS NO WIRELESS ADAPTER IN DEVICE MANAGER.

Bill

 

[BillCo]

Aha! Figured out the problem. Because of a networking problem I temporarily disabled the wireless adapter in Network and Sharing Center. Apparently the Bluetooth hardware is somehow tied to the wireless hardware; thus the disappearing act. I just reenabled wireless (having solved the other problem) and the BT icon, device (in device manager), and settings menu magically reappeared.

So, I'm guessing this problem is probably unique to SurfacePro 3 due to the two devices not being independent.

In any case, thanks to all who responded and hopefully nobody else will fall on this particular sword!

Bill

 

[sharpuser]

Bill,

Bluetooth is really a 2.4GHz wireless protocol, so in many (most) portables, the same adapter board/card/module does WiFi and Bluetooth. That's why I suggested cycling your adapter.

Glad you got it sorted.

 

[ynohtna]

I've been having this pretty often within the last couple weeks or so. Scenario would be as follows when the issue occurs:

• Walk away for a bit, monitors are off (I have Hyper-V enabled so screens shut off but no system sleep)
• Come back, shake mouse and sometimes I have no BT Keyboard response.
• The fastest fix is, goto airplane mode, turn off airplane mode
• Goto Change PC Setting, Devices, Turn ON the bluetooth switch.

If when I observe the problem and goto the bluetooth settings in Change PC Settings, it's showing as ON. Turning off and then ON again bluetooth only doesn't fix the issue.

 

[sharpuser]

@ynohtna,
Sounds like 2.4GHz proximity interference.
Move your SP3 at least 50 feet away / different room. Does it happen there, too?

 

[ynohtna]

@ynohtna,
Sounds like 2.4GHz proximity interference.
Move your SP3 at least 50 feet away / different room. Does it happen there, too?

Thanks for your thoughts... there's not much in my office though? Not sure what to walk away from?

Well I do have two cellphones on my desk hooked up to wifi and one was a recently updated one to windows phone 10. hmmmm!

Otherwise I have a logitech mouse with unifying receiver but I've had that forever.

It's so unpredictable, like it hasn't happened yet today.