iMac & Bluetooth problems

[Leither]

Fairly recently I've started having problems with my newish iMac. It often doesn't recognise the wireless mouse & keyboard. It will do after a while then sometimes stops recognising them. I can't think of anything I've done or changed which might have led to this.

I've tried the various things here under Bluetooth Mouse/keyboard not working, all except Remove and regenerate the Bluetooth.plist file which I'm reluctant to do -

https://www.macworld.co.uk/how-to/mac/f ... c-3682642/

I'd appreciate any help.

Regards,

Leither.

[madhatter]

Remove and regenerate the Bluetooth.plist file which I'm reluctant to do -

I had a problem once when the vector graphics program Inkscape which I was using started doing “funny things”. One of the standard suggestions for dealing with “funny things” in OS X (after off and back on again or logging out of iCloud and back in), is tossing the appropriate prefs file. I renamed the old file and kept it “just in case” but it did create a new one and did fix the problem.

Some years now since I needed to do it, but I would give it a go again if it looked worth a try, having made sure of the back up of course.

[Leither]

Remove and regenerate the Bluetooth.plist file which I'm reluctant to do -

I had a problem once when the vector graphics program Inkscape which I was using started doing “funny things”. One of the standard suggestions for dealing with “funny things” in OS X (after off and back on again or logging out of iCloud and back in), is tossing the appropriate prefs file. I renamed the old file and kept it “just in case” but it did create a new one and did fix the problem.

Some years now since I needed to do it, but I would give it a go again if it looked worth a try, having made sure of the back up of course.

Thanks Madhatter, my earlier reply seems to have vanished. I'm afraid that "tossing the appropriate prefs file" is Double Dutch to me but I think you're saying that I should try this "Remove and regenerate the Bluetooth.plist file" which obviously I'm reluctant to do. Maybe if all fails I'll try that or I might phone Apple.

Thanks anyway,

Leither.

[Itsallaguess]

I'm afraid that "tossing the appropriate prefs file" is Double Dutch to me but I think you're saying that I should try this "Remove and regenerate the Bluetooth.plist file" which obviously I'm reluctant to do. Maybe if all fails I'll try that or I might phone Apple.

There's some clear instructions here, along with some other bluetooth-troubleshooting-tips, for regenerating you Bluetooth.plist file -

Remove and regenerate the Bluetooth.plist file

There are two ways to remove the plist files - your Mac will regenerate them after you reboot, which can fix the issues -

Using Terminal

• Open Terminal
• Type sudo rm -R /Library/Preferences/com.apple.Bluetooth.plist
• Enter.
• Type in your password.
• Enter.
• Restart your Mac.
• Go to System preferences > Bluetooth.
• Turn Bluetooth On.
• Now try to pair your devices.

Using Finder

• Open Finder.
• Click Go.
• Click Go to Folder.
• Type in: /Library/Preferences
• Click Go.
• Find the com.apple.Bluetooth.plist file.
• Move the plist file to the Trash.
• Click Go > Go to Folder
• Type in: ~/Library/Preferences/ByHost
• Click Go.
• This time find com.apple.Bluetooth.XXX.plist file (this will be made up of some random letters) and move it to the Trash.
• Now restart your Mac - it will automatically generate new Bluetooth plist files the next time you turn Bluetooth off and on again.

https://www.macworld.co.uk/how-to/mac/fix-bluetooth-mac-3682642/

I think the other key tip to take from madhatter's earlier post is that if you were to make sure to create a full back-up of your current configuration, and had a known method to use that back-up if you caused any harm whilst carrying out either of the above processes, then you're at very little risk of giving this a go.

The fact that a new plist file is generated using either of the above methods tell me that this is a low-risk endeavour, but creating a full current back-up removes even that low-risk....

Do you know how to create a full back-up of your Mac, and if you do, have you ever restored a back-up and are happy with the process?

This isn't something you should need to bother Apple about. If any of the above instructions aren't clear, then just ask here and we'll try to help.

Cheers,

Itsallaguess

[madhatter]

I actually had in mind just changing the name of the plist file maybe from Bluetooth to BluetoothOld. Either changing the name or just binning it will need your password as it is system file, though the Terminal method above does that anyway.

It is a fairly low risk operation, but even without that incentive, it would be a jolly good idea to have the system backed up, and the Time Machine built into the OSX is definitely worth setting up if you haven’t already done so.

Other backup methods are available but for ease of use and setting up, TM should be one of them.

[Leither]

I'm afraid that "tossing the appropriate prefs file" is Double Dutch to me but I think you're saying that I should try this "Remove and regenerate the Bluetooth.plist file" which obviously I'm reluctant to do. Maybe if all fails I'll try that or I might phone Apple.

There's some clear instructions here, along with some other bluetooth-troubleshooting-tips, for regenerating you Bluetooth.plist file -

Remove and regenerate the Bluetooth.plist file

There are two ways to remove the plist files - your Mac will regenerate them after you reboot, which can fix the issues -

Using Terminal

• Open Terminal
• Type sudo rm -R /Library/Preferences/com.apple.Bluetooth.plist
• Enter.
• Type in your password.
• Enter.
• Restart your Mac.
• Go to System preferences > Bluetooth.
• Turn Bluetooth On.
• Now try to pair your devices.

Using Finder

• Open Finder.
• Click Go.
• Click Go to Folder.
• Type in: /Library/Preferences
• Click Go.
• Find the com.apple.Bluetooth.plist file.
• Move the plist file to the Trash.
• Click Go > Go to Folder
• Type in: ~/Library/Preferences/ByHost
• Click Go.
• This time find com.apple.Bluetooth.XXX.plist file (this will be made up of some random letters) and move it to the Trash.
• Now restart your Mac - it will automatically generate new Bluetooth plist files the next time you turn Bluetooth off and on again.

https://www.macworld.co.uk/how-to/mac/fix-bluetooth-mac-3682642/

I think the other key tip to take from madhatter's earlier post is that if you were to make sure to create a full back-up of your current configuration, and had a known method to use that back-up if you caused any harm whilst carrying out either of the above processes, then you're at very little risk of giving this a go.

The fact that a new plist file is generated using either of the above methods tell me that this is a low-risk endeavour, but creating a full current back-up removes even that low-risk....

Do you know how to create a full back-up of your Mac, and if you do, have you ever restored a back-up and are happy with the process?

This isn't something you should need to bother Apple about. If any of the above instructions aren't clear, then just ask here and we'll try to help.

Cheers,

Itsallaguess

Thanks itsallaguess, and Madhatter's additional reply. I do have my files backed up by the Time machine thing so hopefully if anything did go wrong I could restart from there. I should have some spare time tomorrow and will look into this further then.

Cheers,

Leither.

[madhatter]

As you have set up Time Machine you will probably know this anyway, but it doesn’t have to be used just take you back to what the whole caboodle was at some point in the past. You can actually go back to a particular file from the past and copy it.

[Leither]

As you have set up Time Machine you will probably know this anyway, but it doesn’t have to be used just take you back to what the whole caboodle was at some point in the past. You can actually go back to a particular file from the past and copy it.

OK, thanks for that Madhatter.

Regards,

Leither.