Atheros AR3011 Bluetooth 3.0 driver for Windows 8

Question

I have a Dell Inspiron Duo that sports an Atheros AR3011 Bluetooth 3.0 module, but the Windows 7 drivers DO NOT WORK (the device shuts down with a Code 43).  Has anyone successfully gotten this device working in Windows 8 yet?

Answer 1

Hi, here it is.

http://zarel.sweb.cz/Atheros_AR3011.ZIP

Here are some intructions that worked for me
1. uninstall any drivers for bluetooth you have installed before
2. install Atheros Bluetooth Suite - i downloaded it form Acer support site
3. unzip the instalation files provided by me

4a. Go to "device manager" and "update driver software" for Bluetooth device:
http://zarel.sweb.cz/driver_update.bmp

Important!!! Manually choose the directory named "Bluetooth adapter driver" for this.

4b. Many Bluetooth peripherals will appear an the device manager but the current driver won't work for them. Use the "Bluetooth Peripheral drivers" directory for updating the drivers for each one of them. You have to do that one by one.

5. Done. Now it should be working:
http://zarel.sweb.cz/working.bmp

Hope this helps. Turn your Bluetooth device on during installation.

If someone wants to know where i got the drivers... well, i actually dont know. I was so desperate to get it working that i downloaded about 7 diferent packages of drivers and tried all of them. The two directories i provided are a blend of two packages.

I dis this in windows 8 and worked a treat. Remember install the suite not just the driver.

Answer 2

I'll just note in passing that the Atheros Bluetooth module that I have seen does not present as a standard Bluetooth USB device.  e.g. class is 'vendor/none' "USB\Class_FF&SubClass_00&Prot_00" and not the standard: "USB\Class_E0&SubClass_01&Prot_01".

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http://www.alanjmcf.me.uk/ Please follow-up in the newsgroup. If I help, please vote and/or mark the question answered. Available for contract programming.

Answer 3

I, too, am running Windows 8 Consumer Preview on a Dell Duo.  Getting same 43 error.  Tried Atheros fix mentioned above.  Device driver update accepts the bluetooth driver from the zip file, but refreshes the Device Manager window after about 15 seconds and shows the driver as not working again.

Answer 4

After doing as you said in my gigabyte T1000P Tablet PC in windows 8 consumer preview , the device manager shows "Atheros Valkyrie BootROM " installed not Bluetooth. what to do ?  In windows 7 the Bluetooth works properly ..

Answer 5

Possibly your best bet would be to submit a bug report, or discuss this on a forum dedicated to the support of the Win 8 previews and beta.

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Gary G. Little NanoTelesis Systems, LLC

Answer 6

Please contact Atheros or the manufacturer who uses their hardware (such as Dell) for win8 support for this device

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d -- This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

Answer 7

An updated was released March 2012.  Try to run Windows Update on the Customer Preview and select optional updates.  This worked for my Dell Duo.

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JeffGWM