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Issues with Intel® Wireless Bluetooth® for Windows 8.1 Version: 20.60.0 (previous drivers are fine)

krzemien
New Contributor II
6,206 Views

Hello,

Decided to write here after my 3rd and failed attempt to use these updated Bluetooth drivers (v20.60.0).

In short: I do own SONY VAIO (Win 8.1 x64, fully up to date, with Intel AC7260 WiFI/Bluetooth card fitted) laptop with which I have to use MS Foldable Keyboard (connected via Bluetooth) as the fitted one failed at some stage last year.

Up until mid-2018, so until version 20.60.0 of Intel® Wireless Bluetooth® was introduced and released, everything worked fine. The moment new drivers are installed, and without any issues either, I experience connectivity problems, where laptop / OS loses the sight of the keyboard - especially when it was left unused for some time - resulting in no response, lags exceeding minute, simply making the work next to impossible. Very annoying!

Reverting the drivers back to the penultimate version (19.60.0 - quite hard to find! Luckily still had the installation files) resolves the situation immediately - and I have done this thrice in the last 5 months, thinking that the issue might be somewhere else (keyboard low batteries etc.) and always with the same consistent result: newest drivers do not provide or maintain stable connection, older drivers do.

(I am typing using this very laptop & keyboard as we speak)

The above clearly points out to some issue with these latest drivers - so worth looking at it. In the meantime I will continue to use older drivers.

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1 Solution
krzemien
New Contributor II
3,945 Views

Hello,

I had rather busy weekend and only today planned to dedicate some time to get on wit this task.

However, I just found out that new version of these drivers has been released earlier today - v20.9.1

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/28279/Intel-Wireless-Bluetooth-for-Windows-8-1-?v=t Download Intel® Wireless Bluetooth® for Windows 8.1*

Which I decided to try - and have done so literally 15 minutes ago.

So far (and one voluntary restart later for the sake of sanity) I can confirm that this issue has gone away and latest Bluetooth connection to my wireless keyboard whilst using the latest drivers remains stable (I am typing this post on this very keyboard as we speak) and as good as the one when previous drivers were used (v19.x).

So we may have resolved this problem - but I would be quite interested if Intel did identify and fixed a problem based on my feedback? Or this is kind-of accidental resolution? Release notes are a bit vague I'm afraid

https://downloadmirror.intel.com/28279/eng/ReleaseNotes_BT_20.90.1.pdf https://downloadmirror.intel.com/28279/eng/ReleaseNotes_BT_20.90.1.pdf

Please keep this thread open for the next few days until I confirm with 100% certainty that all is well.

View solution in original post

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16 Replies
idata
Employee
3,945 Views

Hello krzemien,

 

 

Thank you for joining this Intel Community.

 

 

We would like to review some system information to better address this issue. Please run the Intel® System Support Utility and attach the report to this thread.

 

 

1.Download the https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/25293/Intel-System-Support-Utility-for-Windows-?product=91600 Intel® System Support Utility and save the application to your system.

 

 

2.Open the application and click Scan to see system and device information. The Intel® System Support Utility defaults to the Summary View on the output screen following the scan. Click the menu where it says summary to change to Detailed View.

 

3.To save your scan, click Next and click Save. You can save the file to any accessible location on your computer.

 

 

To attach a file, you must click "Use Advanced Editor" on the upper right hand corner of the response box, then the "attach" option will appear on the bottom right hand corner of the response box.

 

 

If the system model is not generated, please include it.

 

 

Wanner G.

 

Intel Customer Support Technician

 

Under Contract to Intel Corporation
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krzemien
New Contributor II
3,945 Views

Hey Wanner,

Many thanks for your reply and for following it up.

I did as instructed, detailed report is attached with this response.

(Please note that 7260 replaced the original BCM43142 WiFi card that originally came with this laptop as it was simply too slow / below the expectation. 7260 otherwise performs very well)

Feel free to get back to me as needed.

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idata
Employee
3,945 Views

Hello krzemien,

 

 

Thank you for your response.

 

 

Upgrading wireless hardware may or may not work due to hardware limitations. This may also cause system instability and other issues including connectivity problems. Since older drivers seem to be working on your system, we recommend that you continue using those drivers. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee that new drivers will work.

 

 

Please check out the following support web links below that provide a few recommendations about Intel® Wireless Adapter upgrades.

Wanner G.

 

Intel Customer Support Technician

 

Under Contract to Intel Corporation
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krzemien
New Contributor II
3,945 Views

Hello Wanner,

Thanks for your response, a poor response, if I may.

7260 is off-the-shelf card that can be installed in any system (also self-build one) that support it hardware-wise. Clearly my system does - and since 2015 - as there were no other issues with it:There is no hardware limitation or no system instability of any sort to date.

The issue is with that with the new Bluetooth drivers this card loses connection with the keyboard - so it's definitely related to the drivers, and your response indirectly admits it.

Can I therefore ask:

1. Why Intel(R) Driver & Support Assistant detects v19.x drivers as obsolete on my system if it's allegedly not compatible with the newer version?

2. Why Intel provides these drivers for Win 8.1 users where clearly there's a problem with them?

3. Most importantly:what exactly has been introduced in v20 (I assume some power saving measures?) that creates this problem?

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krzemien
New Contributor II
3,945 Views

Well, and we have a deaf silence - and somebody (not me) also marked this thread as 'answered' now.

Really?

Checking the release notes - hard to obtain - for 20.40.0 drivers that preceded 20.60.0 release for Windows 8.1 (just few days' difference, I think, if my memory servs me right) I found this:

- Bluetooth Low Energy mouse stability improvement during Wake on Bluetooth.

Is the botched implementation of Bluetooth LE not a culprit here?

Both adapter & keyboard are Bluetooth 4.0 compatible. And both work splendidly well - but only whilst using 19.x (or previous) drivers.

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idata
Employee
3,944 Views

Hello krzemien,

 

 

Your system, SONY VAIO SVF15A1C5E, came with a Broadcom 802.11n Network Adapter preinstalled. It is also a mobile platform which was designed by an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM). Intel is a supplier of laptop components and does not manufacture or sell complete laptop systems. The only retail wireless adapters currently supported by Intel are the Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260 + Bluetooth® for Desktop, and the Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265 Desktop Kit. These retail products are intended to be installed in Desktop PC with the antennas bundled in the box. They are not intended for wireless adapter upgrade in laptop PC.

 

 

1. Why Intel(R) Driver & Support Assistant detects v19.x drivers as obsolete on my system if it's allegedly not compatible with the newer version?

 

 

There are newer drivers for Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260 / for Desktop at our Download Center. Because you are performing hardware upgrades, they may or may not work.

 

 

2. Why Intel provides these drivers for Win 8.1 users where clearly there's a problem with them?

 

 

Issues may occur when performing wireless hardware upgrades.

 

 

3. Most importantly:what exactly has been introduced in v20 (I assume some power saving measures?) that creates this problem?

 

 

Please check out the release notes for more information.

 

 

Having said that, it is important to understand that wireless hardware upgrade may cause issues. We recommend you to continue using the Intel® Wireless Bluetooth® driver that works for your environment.

 

 

Wanner G.

 

Intel Customer Support Technician

 

Under Contract to Intel Corporation
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krzemien
New Contributor II
3,944 Views

Hello Wanner,

Many thanks for taking your time to respond to my query.

If I may: You try to deflect the issue in a wrong, but convenient for you direction by alleging the hardware issue or incompatibility of some sort on my side (so it relieves you from taking any further action), but do so rather incompetently I'm afraid. The issue is with the latest drivers and I will explain yet again my rationale.

My SVF15A1C5E indeed was originally shipped with non-performing Broadcom BCM43142 WiFi & Bluetooth adapter. Having had enough of its WiFi non-performance, as evidences also by others:

https://www.techspot.com/news/53879-widespread-reports-of-sony-vaio-notebook-wi-fi-issues.html https://www.techspot.com/news/53879-widespread-reports-of-sony-vaio-notebook-wi-fi-issues.html

I decided to take a educated action and having considered possible choices and having read others' opinions, upgraded the card myself back in late 2015, ~2.5 years after I got it. I advised you about it in my first response and you can actually read about it in this thread either:

https://community.sony.co.uk/t5/pcs-accessories/sony-vaio-svf1531c5e-bcm43142-wireless-network-adapter-issue/td-p/2032133 Sony VAIO SVF1531C5E - BCM43142 Wireless Network A... - Sony

And card was always working fine.

FYI: I've happily used these drivers in the past:

BT_19.11.1639_64_Win8.1.exe

BT_19.60.0_64_Win8.1.exe

And am using 19.60 now as we speak.

However, the moment any of these is installed:

BT_20.30.0_64_Win8.1.exe

BT_20.40.0_64_Win8.1.exe

BT_20.60.0_64_Win8.1.exe

Card starts losing Bluetooth connection with the keyboard.

The above simply proves that this is not a hardware issue.

You claim that 7260 is not intended for laptop PCs - how come then it can be found in Dell laptops (as an example example)?

https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/intel-dual-band-wireless-ac-7260-network-adapter/apd/8tf1d/networking Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260 - network adapter | Dell United States

As it happens, I've been using Dell's Latitude 7440 myself and I know for a fact that exactly the same card is fitted there.

The above proves that this card can also be used in other (laptop) systems as well.

Having eliminated hardware factor it gets us back to my thesis - and subsequent enquiry: Bluetooth 20.x drivers are botched (I remember very well that there's been two releases back in June in a quick succession, separated by few days only) and need looking at.

To your points:

Because you are performing hardware upgrades, they may or may not work.

I am not performing any upgrades, I did perform this upgrade successfully in the past already and all was well until drivers v20.x were released and installed.

Issues may occur when performing wireless hardware upgrades.

See above. Also, I would advise you to deter from issuing broad statements like that: this is nearly equal with saying that this card may not be fit for purpose.

Please check out the release notes for more information.

Can you point me to the link with release notes for all these packages please?

BT_19.11.1639_64_Win8.1.exe

BT_19.60.0_64_Win8.1.exe

BT_20.30.0_64_Win8.1.exe

BT_20.40.0_64_Win8.1.exe

As a general comment: I would have thought any customer's feedback should be treated as an opportunity to check/see what went wrong your end - and possibly rectify this, especially with rather clear-cut situation like mine. But it looks like I may have been mistaken (or even deluded).

Thus: Can you advise if you plan to take any further action based on that information? Or - in line with all other shameful vendors - pretend that all is well and simply bury the case?

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idata
Employee
3,944 Views

Hello krzemien,

These wireless adapters are currently supported by Intel at this moment:

https://ark.intel.com/products/75439/Intel-Dual-Band-Wireless-AC-7260 Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260. Intel supplies these components to OEMs and they install it on their systems and customize drivers for them, too.

https://ark.intel.com/products/78541/Intel-Dual-Band-Wireless-AC-7260-for-Desktop Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260 for Desktop (Retail Wireless Adapter). This is intended to be installed in Desktop Computers and can be purchased.

Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260 Release Notes

 

Intel® Wireless Bluetooth® for Windows 8.1*

 

Version: 20.60.0 (Latest)

 

https://downloadmirror.intel.com/27866/eng/ReleseNotes_BT_20.60.0.pdf Release notes

**If you need the Release Notes for other driver packages, I will forward this request to the proper department to provide you with that information if available.

In addition, please try performing a clean install of the Intel® Wireless Bluetooth® driver for Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260.

Intel® Wireless Bluetooth® for Windows 8.1*

 

Version: https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/27866/Intel-Wireless-Bluetooth-for-Windows-8-1-?product=59484 20.60.0

You may also follow these steps:

 

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000022173/network-and-i-o/wireless-networking.html Clean Installation of Wireless Drivers

Please let us know if you notice any improvement.

Wanner G.

 

Intel Customer Support Technician

 

Under Contract to Intel Corporation
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krzemien
New Contributor II
3,945 Views

Hello Wanner,

Many thanks for your response.

I am under impression that it was the PCIe, not M2 version of 7260 card fitted in the Lattitude 7440, as it can be witnessed on the below link

https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/intel-dual-band-wireless-ac-7260-network-adapter/apd/8tf1d/networking Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260 - network adapter | Dell United States

which contradicts your version. But that's really beside the point: I am adamant that there's no hardware incompatibility of any sort present in my VAIO - both WiFi (latest drivers) and Bluetooth (v19.x) work perfectly well. Other users of this card - see reviews on Amazon and elsewhere - can confirm that as well. Hence my choice when I performed an upgrade.

In either case I will go through the removal / clean re-installation process over this weekend and will keep you posted.

If I am to encounter dropouts / timeouts - is there any tool / place I could use to report what I see? I gather that information in Windows Event Log might be either confusing or not enough.

Last but not least and in absence of possibly better description: with these newest Bluetooth drivers it really did feel like something gets to sleep / disconnects prematurely and cannot be woken up easily / in time when needed.

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idata
Employee
3,945 Views

Hello krzemien,

 

 

Please let us know if performing the clean install of the wireless driver fixes the issues reported. If it does not, please keep us informed so that we can provide further actions.

 

 

Wanner G.

 

Intel Customer Support Technician

 

Under Contract to Intel Corporation
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krzemien
New Contributor II
3,945 Views

I will keep you posted when I get on with that task.

However, is there a tool that allows monitoring Bluetooth connectivity & its performance that I could use in my case?

Neither of these two:

http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/bluetooth_viewer.html Monitor the Bluetooth activity around you

http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/bluetoothcl.html BluetoothCL v1.00

is able to see this keyboard in the device list unfortunately - an I'm guessing it's because it's registered under Intel(R) Wireless Bluetooth(R)/Microsoft Bluetooth LE Enumerator in Device Manager as opposed to other (visible) devices sitting under /Microsoft Bluetooth Enumerator.

Meanwhile and if that's of any help, I can advise that upgrading Wi-Fi drivers to the latest Intel® PROSet/Wireless WiFi Software 20.90.0 (they were released only yesterday) went absolutely fine and WiFI works equally well as before.

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idata
Employee
3,945 Views

Hello krzemien,

 

 

Third-party test and diagnostic tools and software are available online. Intel does not recommend any particular tool, software, or website for checking out Bluetooth activity/devices around you.

 

 

Also, we are glad to hear that the latest Intel® PROSet/Wireless Software and Drivers are working for you. If you encounter any other issue, please report it and we will try to address it as soon as possible.

 

 

Wanner G.

 

Intel Customer Support Technician

 

Under Contract to Intel Corporation
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krzemien
New Contributor II
3,945 Views

Thanks very much for your response - it possibly implies that you actually do not know how to troubleshoot Bluetooth LE connectivity problems that occur between card and device, and with what tool (I have not found any but equally: I've not searched too deep and I'm not a Bluetooth expert either). Pity, as it probably would save some time.

In either case and as promised: I shall perform the re-install over the coming days and will report back here next week.

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krzemien
New Contributor II
3,946 Views

Hello,

I had rather busy weekend and only today planned to dedicate some time to get on wit this task.

However, I just found out that new version of these drivers has been released earlier today - v20.9.1

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/28279/Intel-Wireless-Bluetooth-for-Windows-8-1-?v=t Download Intel® Wireless Bluetooth® for Windows 8.1*

Which I decided to try - and have done so literally 15 minutes ago.

So far (and one voluntary restart later for the sake of sanity) I can confirm that this issue has gone away and latest Bluetooth connection to my wireless keyboard whilst using the latest drivers remains stable (I am typing this post on this very keyboard as we speak) and as good as the one when previous drivers were used (v19.x).

So we may have resolved this problem - but I would be quite interested if Intel did identify and fixed a problem based on my feedback? Or this is kind-of accidental resolution? Release notes are a bit vague I'm afraid

https://downloadmirror.intel.com/28279/eng/ReleaseNotes_BT_20.90.1.pdf https://downloadmirror.intel.com/28279/eng/ReleaseNotes_BT_20.90.1.pdf

Please keep this thread open for the next few days until I confirm with 100% certainty that all is well.

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idata
Employee
3,945 Views

Hello krzemien,

 

 

This probably happened because of the improvements and optimizations implemented on this driver software release.

 

 

Please keep us informed about further performance issues.

 

 

Wanner G.

 

Intel Customer Support Technician

 

Under Contract to Intel Corporation
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krzemien
New Contributor II
3,945 Views

Thanks Wanner.

So this outcome confirms that there was an issue with the previous driver that possibly remained undetected your end - and that it had nothing to do with the alleged hardware incompatibility.

As a general comment: don't you think that instead of writing slightly meaningless response:

This probably happened because of the improvements and optimizations implemented on this driver software release.

it would be far better to:

1. Admit the existence of the bug

2. Possibly provide explanations regarding the root causes

3. Include details of this fix in the release notes?

In either case I shall mark this thread as resolved in the coming days - so far all works as expected.

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