Bluetooth devices disappeared / not working on Samsung laptop

Hi all,

A few days ago, bluetooth devices stopped being recognised on my Windows 7 Samsung NP300V5A-A05UK laptop. There have been no windows updates since then, and I have tried numerous suggestions I have found online without any success. Bluetooth is not showing in Control Panel or Device Manager. If I use msconfig it says bluetooth is running. I have reinstalled drivers. I have used the 'Services' option to ensure that the Bluetooth Support Service is running. There is no bluetooth icon showing in the 'notification area' and if I click customize, Windows Host Process Rundll32 (bluetooth) is showing but says 'this notification icon is not currently active'.

I use bluetooth to connect my hifi to my laptop - normally when I go into the 'Sound Playback' menu it lists my laptop speakers and also lists 'bluetooth headphones' which is my hifi. But this does not show any more.

**Further info - looking in Device Manager it lists Bluetooth Auxilliary (with Bluetooth Server nested below that) and also lists Bluetooth Radio with 'Intel Centrino Wireless Bluetooth and 3.0 and high speed adapter' and 'Microsoft Bluetooth Enumerator' nested below. All of these are enabled, and when I go to properties, say they are working properly. Also, I thought that it was an Atheros Bluetooth Client that my laptop used - if I go to 'add/remove programs' then I can see the 'Atheros Client Installation Program' is there.

After a few days of frustration, any advice gratefully received.


Thanks

Tried a System Restore to a prior date before the issue?

I see there are 2 Bluetooth downloads in laptop page, did you install both (if applicable)?

Did you check "Samsung Control Center" - wireless network page?

Thanks for your answer. A system restore resolved the issue, but the next time I rebooted, a windows update (critical update) had happened and the problem was back. I think it's an update for Microsoft Security Essentials that is causing this. Any suggestions? Should I do another System Restore and prevent this update from ever occurring?

Disconnect from Internet before you start System Restore.

After restore, set Windows Update to "Check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them".

Connect to the net now and hide the problem update (right click - hide).

It is now working again. Very strange. If it reoccurs, how would I find out which update was causing the problem?

Hmm, I guess you would have to install them one by one and see if it causes any problems. If ok, install the next one and so on..