[phoebe_s78]

So I updated to Windows 10 a couple of weeks ago and previously, I've never been someone to use a lot of Bluetooth, if any. But I got some new toys for Christmas and wanted to use them with my laptop but after doing a little searching, I realized that my bluetooth doesn't work on my computer and I know this is a common problem for many people after installing Windows 10. 

 

First, there's no toggle to turn the bluetooth on/off. The bluetooth on my computer doesn't find the other bluetooth devices when I ask it to search for them. Bluetooth is also missing from my programs and features from the control panel and also from my device manager, but there are bluetooth features under my settings. 

 

I know that many people have fixed their problems by uninstalling and then letting windows reinstall bluetooth, but I can't even uninstall it because I can't find it. 

 

Any help would be much appreciated!

 

Oh and sorry for not leaving any tags, there were no other tag options for this topic. 

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Hello phoebe_s78,

 

Please provide information about your computer, this includes is it a notebook or desktop, is it a custom build or brand name such as Dell or HP, if a brand name, provide the model name or series number (not serial).

[phillpower2]

Hello phoebe_s78,

 

Please provide information about your computer, this includes is it a notebook or desktop, is it a custom build or brand name such as Dell or HP, if a brand name, provide the model name or series number (not serial).

[phoebe_s78]

Sure! I have a Satellite TOSHIBA laptop (desktop) and it's the Skullcandy version. And the serial number is ZEO99142C. 

[phillpower2]

You may have misread my reply #2 as we need the series and not the serial number please (note what is in brackets). 

 

Edit to add;

 

See examples of series numbers here CL45-C4330, CL45-C4332 etc

Edited by phillpower2, 27 December 2015 - 03:30 PM.
As per the above.

[phoebe_s78]

Yep, I had skimmed your reply and got my words mixed up. My apologizes. The series number is L55-B5338.

[britechguy]

The Toshiba Support page for the Satellite L55-B5338 lists a wide array of updated drivers from just this month.  Many issues under Windows 10 have been due to driver incompatibility.

 

I would first take a full system image backup and set a restore point on your system.  Then systematically download each and every driver from the support site that has been recently updated for anything that is not working, at a minimum, and preferably all of them and install them.

 

This is almost certain to cure your problem.

[phoebe_s78]

Very much appreciated, thank you!! Could you just give me some quick pointers and a little direction on what to download? I just took a look and there's so much and I'm not quite sure which one to download under the Bluetooth section in the "Drivers and Updates" tab.

[britechguy]

You need to determine which Bluetooth hardware you have on your machine.  It looks like they've used Atheros, Intel, and Broadcom bluetooth on this series and there is a very recent update for the Atheros.  I'd definitely try the Toshiba System update from 11/02 first, and then add on the Bluetooth Link from 9/23 if the Toshiba System update doesn't solve the problem.  If you have Atheros hardware then you should also apply that update.

 

If you go to Control Panel->Device Manager and then expand the entry for Bluetooth devices to determine what hardware you have.  If nothing is shown for Bluetooth then the first thing I'd do is click the "Scan for new hardware" icon (looks like the monitor with a magnifying glass on it) at the top and see if that finds your Bluetooth devices and installs functioning drivers.

[phoebe_s78]

That was actually part of the problem, the Bluetooth devices didn't show up on my device manager. I did click the "scan for new hardware" icon to see if it would pull anything up, but still nothing. Is there other way for me to see what kind of bluetooth hardware I'm supposed to have?

Edited by phoebe_s78, 28 December 2015 - 05:58 PM.

[britechguy]

Best Answer

phoebe_s78,

 

           Not that I'm aware of, since this sort of hardware should be "plug n play" (even if it's internal, it should be picked up by the OS as soon as it's hooked up).

 

           I ask the following with no snark intended:  Are you absolutely certain your computer has Bluetooth hardware?  It's often an option and if you never used it in the past and never checked for it in device manager pre-upgrade it may very well have never been there.  The detailed specs for your model do not even show Bluetooth as an option.

Edited by britechguy, 28 December 2015 - 06:07 PM.

[phoebe_s78]

No worries, no snark has been detected!

I was wondering the same thing myself, but there is a Bluetooth Suport (or Service, I can't remember but I can look it up if you need me to) System that I was checking on my computer yesterday. I was following some steps to make sure that it was on automatic and that it was running. I figured since that was installed on my laptop, that meant that Bluetooth has to be built in. But I'm also very new at this so I could be mistaken.

Is there a way to install Bluetooth if it turns out I don't have it?

[britechguy]

Oh, yes, adding WiFi or Bluetooth is a matter of buying a simple USB dongle (and it's usually micro sized) and plugging that in (at least that's it in the vast majority of cases).

 

For a selection of very inexpensive ones you can get from Asia see this search at dx.com.  [Disclaimer:  I have no financial or other interest in dx.com.  I've simply purchased this sort of thing from them in the past.  There are myriad sources for these devices.]

[phoebe_s78]

Thanks for the info! 

 

What would you recommend at this point? Should I try and download some of the updated Bluetooth drivers on the TOSHIBA website, or does it seem like my laptop has no bluetooth and instead, I should buy a BT adapter? 

[britechguy]

Given the lack of expense, and the relative ease of acquisition of a bluetooth dongle I'd go that route.  Particularly if you want to get this done relatively quickly and with a minimum of fuss.

[phoebe_s78]

Thanks for the input, I think I will go down that route, it seems much easier. 

 

Thank you for all the help! Much appreciated!