Intel 8265 Network Adaptor Bluetooth Update

[JoNeri]

I have a 8265 AC Dual Band Network adaptor on my HP Spectre x 360 Convertible 13" running win 10.

I recently up dated the driver to 22.50.1.

The Intel Driver Support Assistant shows the following:-

1. Intel dual band wireless- AC 8265

     --Version 20.70.23.1 dt 3/21/2021

2. Intel Wireless Bluetooth

     ---Verison 22.50.04  dt 4/19/2021

Windows Device Manager shows the Drivers as:-

 1. Intel Dual Band wireless-AC 8265

       ---- Version 20.70.23.1 dt 21 Mar 21

2. Bluetooth Device (Personal Network)

      --- Version 10.0.19041.1 dt 21 Jun 06 from Microsoft.

Both WiFi and Bluetooth are working normally inspite of this anomaly.

So while the Device Manager displays the   Dual Band Wireless driver  the same as the  updated driver  as shown in the Intel Support Assistant, the driver of the Bluetooth as shown in the Device Manager is from Microsoft and differs from what is reflected in the Intel Support Assistant.

I have done every thing possible to make the Bluetooth driver shown in the Device Manager to be the same as that shown in the Intel Support Assistant. That includes the standard "clean install procedure" but the Bluetooth driver continues to remain the Microsoft Stock driver in the Device Manager, where as it reflects as up dated in the Intel Support Assistant. 

Any advice on how to  get the Device Manager to reflect the same updated version as shown by Intel in its support assistant ?

Thankyou

[n_scott_pearson]

Have you tried doing a clean install? The process to use is as follows:

1. If you haven't already, download - but do not install just yet - the latest Bluetooth and WiFi drivers for your adapter. Here are links to these drivers: https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/30434 and https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/30515.
2. Disable Internet access. Unplug Ethernet cable and/or disable wireless. Keep disabled until told to re-enable.
3. From Apps & Features, check for instances of Intel PROSet/Wireless Software and Intel Wireless Bluetooth. If none, skip to step 6.
4. Uninstall each instance of Intel PROSet/Wireless Software and Intel Wireless Bluetooth that is present. When prompted, choose to "Discard Settings".
5. Manually reboot your computer, keeping Internet access disabled.
6. In Device Manager, check Network Adapters for an entry for Intel® Wireless-AC 8265. If none, go to Step 9.
7. Right click on the entry for Intel® Wireless-AC 8265 and uninstall it, choosing to (checkmark) Delete the driver software for this device.
8. Go to Step 5.
9. (Optional but recommended) Clean out all temporary files using the Windows Clean Disk tool. I recommend that you checkmark all categories offered, even if no files currently (so it leaves it set up for next invocation).
10. (Optional but recommended) Clear each of your browsers' cache.
11. Install the Bluetooth driver package (rule: always do Bluetooth first).
12. Install the Wireless driver package.
13. Manually shutdown and reboot your computer.
14. Enable Internet access.
15. Test.

Hope this helps,

…S

[JoNeri]

Thankyou Scott. 

I had already done a clean install before posting my earlier message.

Nevertheless I followed your instructions to the last T.

This did not resolve the issue. I am now wondering if this may be normal.

In the Device Manager, the Bluetooth Device under Network Adaptor continues to have the stock Microsoft Driver.

However in the Bluetooth I find a Intel Wireless Bluetooth which has the update. The Intel Update Assistant shows both Wireless and Bluetooth have been updated. 

I have attached a picture of the screenshots.

Thankyou once again

Joe Neri

[n_scott_pearson · Accepted solution]

Ah, I understand what you are saying now. This is perfectly normal. That PAN driver is a filter driver from Microsoft that allows networking over Bluetooth. It will always be there if Bluetooth support is installed. The important thing is to see drivers for both Wireless and Bluetooth from Intel (which you do) - and that Wireless and Bluetooth both work, of course.
...S

[JoNeri]

Thankyou Scott

[JoNeri]

Dear Scott

I hope you are still around and help me.

I still have my HP x360 Spectre;

A week ago I had to reinstall Win 10 as my laptop ran into difficulties. While Win 10 installed normally with all updates I noticed that my 8265 Wifi and Bluetooth adaptor were running with old drivers.

I ran the Intel DSA and it reports that the drivers are:

Bluetooth: Driver: Microsoft  Version: 10.0.19041.2846 dt 6/21/2006

Wifi  Driver: Intel Version: 20.70.32.1 dt 7/24/2022

The Device Manager reports the driver versions as follows:

Bluetooth Driver: Microsoft  Version: 10.0.19041.2846 dt 21-Jun-06

Wifi  Driver: Intel Version: 20.70.32.1 dt 7/24/2022

I followed your last advice to uninstall and reinstall the Bluetooth and Wifi drivers by first disabling Internet Access, uninstalling the drivers and reinstalling them. Rebooting the system and enabling internet access. But the Bluetooth Driver as reported in the Intel DSA is still the stock Microsoft driver. A  no of attempts has not helped.

Can you please offer a solution ?

Thankyou

Regds

Joe Neri

[n_scott_pearson]

I am just heading to bed after a long day, so any follow-up will be tomorrow.
Please post captures of the Device Manager tree showing contents of the Networking and Bluetooth sections. For the wireless device, please provide a capture of the driver tab in properties. Forget the Bluetooth entry the Networking section; it's not important. In the Bluetooth section, you should see an Intel Bluetooth device. Please provide a capture of the driver tab in this device's properties.
...S

[JoNeri]

Dear Scott

I am attaching the captures from the Device Manager and Intel DSA. I am also including the SSU report.

Please advice me on a way to install a Bluetooth Driver.

Regds

Joe Neri

[LeonWaksman]

Hi Joe,

From your post I can see that you are looking in wrong place. You are not following my instruction here and you are not following what Scott was asking in his post above.  I'm attaching two images taken on my computer - one showing the BT Driver version in DM and the second, showing BT Drivers version in IDSA. The BT Driver version is not detailed in the SSU report.

Hope this will help

Regards

Leon

[JoNeri]

Dear Leon,

I am sorry but my IDSA does not show a line with "Intel Wireless Bluetooth"

It only shows the Bluetooth Device (Personal Area Network). 

The DM too does not have the Intel(R) Wireless  Bluetooth (R)

I am attaching screen captures of both. 

This is after I have reinstalled both Bluetooth and Wifi.

Regds

Joe Neri

[JoNeri]

Dear Leon

My sincere apologies.  I did not look at the DM properly. It does have a Intel Blue Tooth Entry and I am posting the screen capture.

The IDSA does not have the Intel Blue tooth Line. 

I am a novice and I trust you experts will overlook this error on my part.

Please help

Regds

Joe Neri

[LeonWaksman]

Hi Joe,

So, you have installed the version 21.110.0.3 of the Intel BT Driver.  I don't know why it is not shown in the IDSA. Could be that IDSA is not reading correctly your laptop. If your bluetooth devices are working, I would not worry to much.

Since the OEM is responsible for integrating the Dual Band AC8265 adapter, I suggest that you should ask in HP support what is the latest driver released for your laptop. Any way, if you want to use the latest driver from Intel Download Site, you may download it from here and then run the.exe to install it.  BTW, do you have installed the HP Support Assistant? This application, should help you to download and install the latest drivers.

Wait for Scott's @n_scott_pearson  response as he may have better advice.

Leon

[n_scott_pearson]

Ok, I'm here as requested...

For the Wireless-AC 8260 and Wireless-AC 8265, the final drivers are as follows:

• Wireless: Version 20.70.32.1 from Driver Package 22.200.2. Here is download link for this package: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/download/19351/774319/windows-10-and-windows-11-wi-fi-drivers-for-intel-wireless-adapters.html.
• Bluetooth: Version 22.200.0.2 from Driver Package package 22.200.0. Here is download link for this package: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/download/18649/768309/intel-wireless-bluetooth-for-windows-10-and-windows-11.html.

Now, a couple of comments:

• Since I do not rely on IDSA for driver packages (as I cannot maintain my archive this way), I won't comment on what IDSA is displaying. Suffice it to say, the PAN entry has nothing to do with having the correct Bluetooth driver version installed and I have no idea why information about it would need to be displayed in IDSA. It is the entry for the Intel Wireless Bluetooth device that appears in the Bluetooth devices section that is important.
• Above, I said 'final'. This is according to the Release Notes files that Intel has provided. Since the discontinuance of the 8260/8265 has just happened, it may take a release or two before the INF entries supporting this silicon are removed. I haven't had a chance to check whether this is the case in the latest (22.220.0 Wireless and 22.210.0 Bluetooth) Driver Packages.

Ok, where do we stand? Leon has correctly pointed out that the Wireless driver is up-to-date but that the Bluetooth driver is not the latest. Installing the 22.200.0 package should get you to the latest. Just download the executable and run it.

Honestly, I am completely flabbergasted by how many issues keep coming up with IDSA. Worse, with Intel reactively dropping download support for discontinued devices, I expect that support for these devices will drop off the list at the same time -- but, I have the final driver packages highlighted in my archive and can provide them to anyone who needs them, just as I have been doing for the 3160, 7260 and 7265 (Rev.C) devices.

...S

...S

[JoNeri]

Dear Scott

Thankyou so much for the very detailed advice. If not for me I am sure this will benefit many other 8265 users.

I followed your instructions to the 'T' ( including all earlier instructions on uninstalling and reinstalling with the suggested drivers)  but my BT driver is stuck at 21.110.0.3 instead of 22.210.0  or even the 22.200.0.2 as mentioned in the release note of the link sent by you

As my BT and Wifi are working fine I am resting my case.

Thankyou once again.

Regds

Joe Neri

[JoNeri]

Hi Scott and Leon

I managed to install the latest version of the BT driver. Now the DM is showing it as ver 22.200.0.2 dt 15 Dec 22. 

The IDSA is still not showing an Intel Bluetooth entry.

This is the method I used to update the BT driver.

1. I downloaded a zip file from 
Intel® Wireless Bluetooth® for IT Administrators

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/download/16807/intel-wireless-bluetooth-for-it-administrators.html

and unzipped the contents to a folder.

2. I then uninstalled the intel BT device from the DM.

3. I then ran the Intel Bluetooth.msi from downloaded content.

4. It had a provision for uninstalling the Bluetooth Device. I clicked on it and uninstalled the BT device again. the uninstallation process went through.

5. I then ran the Intel Bluetooth.msi again and this time installed the Bluetooth . the installation process went through.

6. Restarted the computer.

7. Checked the driver in DM. Voila the driver is now ver 22.200.0.2 dt 15 Dec 22. IDSA is still not showing an Intel Bluetooth entry.

I suppose I am good now with the latest Bluetooth driver installed

With this my drivers for the 8265 are now:

Bluetooth: Intel ver 22.200.0.2 dt 15 Dec 22

Wifi: Intel 20.70.32.1 dt 24 Jul 22

For your information please,

Thanks for all the advice

Regds

Jo Neri

[n_scott_pearson]

Yea, we are having a backdoor discussion regarding the Bluetooth PAN entry being displayed by IDSA and confusing people as a result. We'll see if we can get them to fix this...

...S