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Intel AC 8265: Booting from Linux to Windows results in non-functional Bluetooth

SSven
Novice
9,252 Views

When booting Linux, the Linux drivers upload firmware build 103 to the Bluetooth part of my Intel AC 8265 wireless adapter. Build 103 seems to be the latest one available to Linux users:

https://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/firmware/linux-firmware.git/commit/?id=1dcf7691f623c24762976e2debe05248d627e814 https://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/firmware/linux-firmware.git/commit/?id=1dcf7691f623c24762976e2debe05248d627e814

Then, when rebooting the into Windows, the Windows driver doesn't work. In the device manager, the Intel Bluetooth device is marked with a yellow triangle and STATUS_DEVICE_POWER_FAILURE is shown as an error message when checking the properties of the device.

When booting to Windows first, a subsequent reboot to Linux reports that the firmware of the Bluetooth adapter is build 107. My best guess here is that the Windows driver won't accept build 103 and thus refuses to work with it. It seems like the Windows driver does not or cannot upgrade the device firmware to build 107 if build 103 has already been uploaded. Ideally it would simply reset the device and upload whatever firmware it comes with.

Is this a known issue?

How can this issue be resolved?

How is the Windows driver supposed to behave in a dual boot environment?

54 Replies
Muthu_K_Intel
Employee
1,257 Views

Please PM me if you would like to help me with getting some logs from Windows. I'll provide the tool and the steps.

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Muthu_K_Intel
Employee
1,257 Views

This is suspected to be an issue due to Bluetooth firmware versions mismatch between Linux & Windows installation.

Two options

1. Ensure driver (version) installation are the same on Linux & Windows.

2. Power cycle between OS switch.

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SSven
Novice
1,257 Views

Dear Muthu,

first excuse the stupid question, but who are you? Are you an Intel employee?

As for the firmware version: I'm pretty sure that Windows driver version 19.40 uses firmware build 107 from week 1, 2017. The most recent version of the firmware available for Linux users however is build 103 from week 50, 2016. AFAIK, the firmware is pushed to a GIT repository by Intel employees. For example this commit: https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/firmware/linux-firmware.git/commit/?id=1dcf7691f623c24762976e2debe05248d627e814 kernel/git/firmware/linux-firmware.git - Repository of firmware blobs for use with the Linux kernel

There is no method known to me to extract the firmware from the Windows driver. Also, above I linked a page on intel.com that provides the firmware for the Wifi part of the 8265, but I cannot find any official download links for the Bluetooth firmware. http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/network-and-i-o/wireless-networking/000005511.html Linux* Support for Intel® Wireless Adapters

To make the confusion complete, the above commit mentions the "release version 19.50". But I'm actually using the firmware from the above commit - and it seems older than what is shipping with Windows driver 19.40.

One way to solve this issue (if it's indeed firmware related) would be to publish the Bluetooth firmware that ships with the latest Windows driver on the Linux Support for Intel Wireless Adapters webpage I linked above. However, this will only solve the issue for experienced users who are aware of this issue, e.g. by finding this discussion via Google. The much better solution would be to have the Windows drivers reset the Bluetooth adapter so that the Windows driver can upload whatever firmware it ships with. As discussed above, this seems to be possible, as a reinstallation of the drivers on Windows makes Bluetooth work again without a reboot or power cycle.

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Muthu_K_Intel
Employee
1,257 Views

@skoehler

We have addressed this issue in newer Bluetooth driver releases. Will follow up and confirm which release should work for this issue. We will also look into making

 

the Bluetooth firmware available for Linux.
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AAhma7
Beginner
1,257 Views

km7kumar,

I do not believe you answered skoehler other questions (Intel Employee, etc). In addition, can you provide some additional details around the specific bug we are hitting, and the technical information associated with the Windows driver vs. Linux driver please?

Thanks again for all of your time and help, it is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Asif Ahmad

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Muthu_K_Intel
Employee
1,257 Views

Skoehler/Asif, Yes, I'm an Intel employee. Based on the info you provided, I concluded that you have a different firmware versions on Linux and Windows. So, when you switch to Windows from Linux without power cycling the system, the Windows driver attempts apply configuration data based on the firmware running on the device which is different from what's on the windows file system (system32\drivers) folder. It fails to apply because it could not locate the config data file and resulting in yellow bang.

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AAhma7
Beginner
1,257 Views

Hello km7kumar,

Are there any updates with this issue? Were you able to follow-up with the correct teams / support engineers on this issue?

Thanks,

Asif Ahmad

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AAhma7
Beginner
1,257 Views

Hello km7kumar,

I just wanted to follow-up again as I did not hear anything back yet. Were you able to follow-up with the correct teams / support engineers on this issue and get a resolution?

Any update you could provide would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Asif Ahmad

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Muthu_K_Intel
Employee
1,257 Views

Sorry about the delay. Will confirm Monday.

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AAhma7
Beginner
1,257 Views

Thank you km7kumar!

Thanks,

Asif Ahmad

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Muthu_K_Intel
Employee
1,257 Views

Asif - I responded to you via email.

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SSven
Novice
1,257 Views

Would you mind sending me the same email?

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AAhma7
Beginner
1,257 Views

Hello Everyone,

I have requested that km7kumar also post the same instructions to this discussion thread so everyone can see the update and do some testing.

km7kumar - Please update this discussion thread with the latest updates.

Thanks,

Asif Ahmad

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Muthu_K_Intel
Employee
1,257 Views

Here is our latest version. https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/26667/Intel-Wireless-Bluetooth-Software-for-Windows-10 https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/26667/Intel-Wireless-Bluetooth-Software-for-Windows-10

  1. Disconnect your computer from Internet to prevent drivers getting installed via Windows update
  2. Uninstall your current driver on Windows through Uninstall programs
  3. From admin command prompt, type shutdown /p
  4. You should see "Unknown device" in device manager on reboot
  5. Install the latest driver
  6. Boot to Linux
  7. Boot to Windows
  8. Dump the content of HKLM\System\Software\Intel\Bluetooth key contents to a text file immediately after any issue (such as YB) occurred
  9. Share the text file
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SSven
Novice
1,257 Views

I have upgraded the Windows drivers to version 19.50.1. I observe the following behaviour:

- Powercycling the machine, booting to Linux, then rebooting to Windows, and rebooting to Linux again, Bluetooth seems to work in all cases. The firmware uploaded by Linux to the card is build 103 from week 50 2016. This firmware seems to work fine with the Windows driver 19.50.1

- Powercycling the machine, booting to Windows, then rebooting to Linux, and rebooting to Windows again, Bluetooth seems to work in all cases. The firmware uploaded by the Windows drivers seems to be build 122 from week 9 2017. This firmware seems to work fine with Linux 4.10.9.

It's all very confusing. Why are the build numbers and the dates so different?

I forgot to write down the version numbers reported by the Windows drivers. I will add them here when I have the time.

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Muthu_K_Intel
Employee
1,257 Views

@skoehler - Versions are different between Linux and Windows releases if that's what you are referring to. Do you still face issues with BT between OS switch?

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AAhma7
Beginner
1,257 Views

Hello km7kumar,

I just wanted to follow-up since I finally had a chance to do some testing on my end with the new updated Intel BT Driver (19.50.1). I have completed multiple tests (booting into Linux then Windows, vice versa, etc.) and with the new driver I have NOT been able to reproduce the issue. At least for me, it appears that the latest Intel Bluetooth Driver (19.50.1) has fixed the issue between switching OS's from Linux to Windows and using Bluetooth successfully.

Thank you again for your assistance and timely response with this issue. It is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Asif Ahmad

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SSven
Novice
1,257 Views

@Muthu: I do not see the issue when switching OS anymore. That's good news.

But will this problem resurface as we update the Windows driver or as the Linux firmware gets updated?

I think I mentioned this before, but the commit message in the git repository (http://https//git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/firmware/linux-firmware.git/commit/intel/ibt-12-16.sfi?id=1dcf7691f623c24762976e2debe05248d627e814 link) where the Intel employee submitted the bluetooth firmware for Linux contains the line "Release Version 19.50". Does this mean that this particular Linux firmware, even though its build number is much lower than the one that comes with the Windows driver, was actually compatible with Windows driver 19.50.x?

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KKleb
Beginner
1,257 Views

Hi, i just found this thread. I have the same issue on my ThinkPad S440 with Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260. I have Windows 10 and Debian Stretch installed. On Windows I use the latest driver https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/26944/Wireless-Intel-Wireless-Bluetooth-for-Windows-10-?v=t Download Intel® Wireless Bluetooth® for Windows® 10*, on Linux I use the latest driver (the only one that works) "iwlwifi-7260-17.ucode": https://github.com/OpenELEC/iwlwifi-firmware/tree/master/firmware iwlwifi-firmware · OpenELEC · GitHub. When I boot from Linux into Windows, my Bluetooth is completely gone. Are you guys planning on updating the windows driver for the 7260 as well so that there are no "compatibility" issues?

Thanks,

Bannix

.

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idata
Employee
1,201 Views

Hello Bannix,

 

 

This issue was fixed for the AC 8265 with the current drivers, we will check on the status of the AC 7260 and will let you know once we have more information.

 

 

Regards,

 

Jonathan B.
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KKleb
Beginner
1,201 Views

Thank you! If you need any information from my side regarding the issue, just let me know.

Regards,

Bannix

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