Intel Drivers break Windows 10 Bluetooth every time

[Wayfinder]

Every time MIcrosoft performs an update to Windows 10, it installs Intel Bluetooth drivers... and every time it winds up with my Bluetooth devices ceasing to function (no matter what brand).  Yellow "broke" box in the device manager. 

THE FIX (temporary) is to completely delete the Intel driver and specific Bluetooth device driver and reboot my computer, which automatically installs the specific device driver for my Bluetooth dongle. 

HOWEVER... the next Windows update, that defective Intel driver will be installed again and mess everything up again, and I'll have to go through that same process all over again.

I have tried to different Bluetooth dongles, and Intel does the same thing to both of them.  They work fine on their own if I completely eliminate the Intel Bluetooth driver... but I don't know how to keep that Intel driver from re-installing itself every Microsoft driver update.  And every time the Intel software installs, it breaks my Bluetooth service and I have to go through that software / device deletion and reinstall all over again. 

Left to themselves without interference from the Intel Bluetooth drivers, both Bluetooth dongles work fine (one was a standard mini-dongle, the other an extended-range antennae).  But the moment Microsoft re-installs that Intel driver, my Bluetooth system ceases working again and it throws up device failure errors.

I'd like to find a way to either get the Intel driver to work or... not install at all.  Because I have drivers that do the job, and they don't need the Intel driver trying to override what they do and breaking my Bluetooth in the process... every time.

Thanks for any assistance anyone can offer.

[ShunMnzed]

Your temporary fix of deleting the Intel driver and specific Bluetooth device driver seems to work, but it's understandably tedious having to repeat the process with each update.

To prevent the Intel driver from reinstalling itself, you might want to try disabling automatic driver updates in Windows 10. Here's how you can do it:

1. Go to "Settings" by pressing Win + I.
2. Select "Update & Security."
3. Choose "Windows Update" from the left pane.
4. Click on "Advanced options."
5. Under "Choose how updates are installed," select "Notify to schedule restart" or "Never install driver software from Windows Update" to prevent Windows from automatically reinstalling drivers.

Additionally, you can try blocking specific driver updates using the "Show or hide updates" troubleshooter tool provided by Microsoft. This tool allows you to hide specific updates, including driver updates. You can download it from the Microsoft website and use it to prevent the Intel Bluetooth driver from being installed automatically. Lastly, could you please share the Intel SSU so that we can accurately identify the specific driver you're referring to?

Hopefully, these steps will help you avoid the hassle of dealing with the problematic Intel Bluetooth drivers after each Windows update.

Tyler

[Wayfinder]

This seemed to go fine right up to "Choose how updates are installed".  I find no such option anywhere on the screen.

[ShunMnzed]

I think for option "Choose how updates are installed" might not be available in all versions of Windows 10. Instead, you can try another approach to prevent automatic driver updates. 

Here's an alternative method:

1. Press Win + X and select "Device Manager" from the menu
2. In the Device Manager window, locate the problematic Intel Bluetooth device under the "Bluetooth" or "Network adapters" category
3. Right-click on the Intel Bluetooth device and select "Properties."
4. Go to the "Driver" tab.
5. Click on the "Roll Back Driver" button if it's available. This will revert to the previously installed driver version, which might be more stable.
6. If the "Roll Back Driver" option is not available or doesn't solve the problem, you can try updating the driver manually. To do this, click on the "Update Driver" button and choose "Browse my computer for driver software." Then select "Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer" and choose a driver that worked well in the past, if available.

This method allows you to manage drivers manually without relying on Windows Update

Tyler

[Wayfinder]

Follow-up.  I downloaded the Show or HIde Updates tool.  Found it to be non-intuitive as to what exactly it is doing.  I checked the Intel Bluetooth box, but the instructions didn't state whether that was indicating to show or hide the update.  Rather poor tool design. 

I'm sure at one time your suggestions were very valid, but one seems to be no longer part of Windows 10, and the other is "iffy" in performance.  I'll have to see if it blocks the Intel Bluetooth updates.  Thanks for your reply.

[AllStars]

hi there,

If the methods @Tyler suggested don't fully address the issue with the Intel Bluetooth updates, try to Roll Back to Older Drivers.

• Open Device Manager (you can press Windows key + X and choose “Device Manager”).
• Expand the Bluetooth driver section.
• Right-click on your Intel Bluetooth driver and select “Update driver.”
• Choose “Browse my computer for drivers” and then “Let me pick from a list of drivers.”
• Select an older Bluetooth driver and restart your PC to see if it helps.

You can try these steps also:

1. Open Device Manager.
2. Expand the Network Adapters category.
3. Right-click your Intel Bluetooth and choose to uninstall it.
4. Make sure to select the option to “Delete the driver software for this device.”
5. Repeat until the option to delete the driver software is grayed out.
6. Restart your computer.

hope the suggestions provided prove helpful in addressing your concerns

[Wayfinder]

As already stated above, the logical solution is to block the Intel Bluetooth Driver install... which I hope will work.  What is really needed is for Microsoft to fix this problem.  Why repeatedly install an Intel Bluetooth driver for a non-Intel device?