BrcmPatchRAM - Upload firmware into Broadcom Bluetooth USB devices

[CoBrA2168]

Disabling native BT:

cd /System/Library/Extensions
sudo mv IOBluetoothFamily.kext IOBluetoothFamily.kext.bak

Well after a few days of playing around with and doing some testing on my end, I finally figured out the cause of the problem. You'll never guess what it was.

Google Chrome.

I noticed that when the firmware would attempt to upload after a wake from sleep, it would eventually timeout at 3 minutes or 4 minutes. One time, I just so happened to kill the Chrome application while it was attempting to upload. I noticed that all of the sudden, Bluetooth started working. So I did some more testing. It doesn't always happen, but if Chrome is open when I sleep the computer, there is a pretty good chance that it will cause the BT firmware upload to fail when I wake. As soon as I right click on the Chrome application and kill it, the firmware upload succeeds. Every single time.

The solution: stop using Google Chrome. I attempted to disable the USB capabilities in chrome://flags, but I still noticed that BT would fail from time to time. So I'm just going to start using Safari for now.

I'll close the issue I opened on Github. Thanks for all of your help throughout this process, and making me learn a lot more about USB/EHCI/XHCI.

 

[RehabMan]

Well after a few days of playing around with and doing some testing on my end, I finally figured out the cause of the problem. You'll never guess what it was.

Google Chrome.

I noticed that when the firmware would attempt to upload after a wake from sleep, it would eventually timeout at 3 minutes or 4 minutes. One time, I just so happened to kill the Chrome application while it was attempting to upload. I noticed that all of the sudden, Bluetooth started working. So I did some more testing. It doesn't always happen, but if Chrome is open when I sleep the computer, there is a pretty good chance that it will cause the BT firmware upload to fail when I wake. As soon as I right click on the Chrome application and kill it, the firmware upload succeeds. Every single time.

The solution: stop using Google Chrome. I attempted to disable the USB capabilities in chrome://flags, but I still noticed that BT would fail from time to time. So I'm just going to start using Safari for now.

I'll close the issue I opened on Github. Thanks for all of your help throughout this process, and making me learn a lot more about USB/EHCI/XHCI.

I've always thought it strange that Chrome would connect to all the USB ports. I've disabled WebUSB in Chrome as I just don't think it is a good idea for an app to be doing this sort of thing...

 

[CoBrA2168]

I've always thought it strange that Chrome would connect to all the USB ports. I've disabled WebUSB in Chrome as I just don't think it is a good idea for an app to be doing this sort of thing...

Yeah, that's what I disabled in chrome://flags but I was still having issues with BT after wake from sleep. So I'm just gonna go back to Safari for this machine.

That was the last thing I thought that would have been causing all of my issues...

 

[menace47]

Disabling native BT:

cd /System/Library/Extensions
sudo mv IOBluetoothFamily.kext IOBluetoothFamily.kext.bak

Is there a reason for disabling native BT?
I'm currently loading BrcmPathRam2.kext and BrcmFirmwareData.kext to EFI/Clover/kexts/Other/ and bluetooth is not being recognized.

I've attached my iogreg and system info screenshot which shows the card under USB.

 

[menace47]

UEFI on my Gigabyte mobo is set to

XHCI switching = auto (not smart auto)
XHCI = enabled
EHCI = enabled

 

[RehabMan]

Is there a reason for disabling native BT?

The suggestion was to someone else for a special test.
You should read the entire conversation if you're interested in why.

I'm currently loading BrcmPathRam2.kext and BrcmFirmwareData.kext to EFI/Clover/kexts/Other/ and bluetooth is not being recognized.

I've attached my iogreg and system info screenshot which shows the card under USB.

Your BT controller is 0a5c_4500. It is not supported by BrcmPatchRAM. But I think that is just the hub. Actual device is 0a5c_820a, which is also not supported by BrcmPatchRAM.

 

[zev23]

I have a USB bluetooth which is detected as below:

BCM20702A0:
Product ID: 0x21ec
Vendor ID: 0x0a5c (Broadcom Corp.)
Version: 1.12
Serial Number: 001986001B7F
Speed: Up to 12 Mb/sec
Manufacturer: Broadcom Corp
Location ID: 0x3a100000 / 1
Current Available (mA): 500
Extra Operating Current (mA): 0

After installed BrcmPatchRAM on Sierra it is still not working.

I saw a supported 0a5c:21ec Inatek bluetooth but it is for BCM20702A1.

Is it possible to make my usb bluetooth working?

 

[RehabMan]

I have a USB bluetooth which is detected as below:

BCM20702A0:
Product ID: 0x21ec
Vendor ID: 0x0a5c (Broadcom Corp.)
Version: 1.12
Serial Number: 001986001B7F
Speed: Up to 12 Mb/sec
Manufacturer: Broadcom Corp
Location ID: 0x3a100000 / 1
Current Available (mA): 500
Extra Operating Current (mA): 0

After installed BrcmPatchRAM on Sierra it is still not working.

I saw a supported 0a5c:21ec Inatek bluetooth but it is for BCM20702A1.

Is it possible to make my usb bluetooth working?

Attach ioreg as ZIP: http://www.tonymacx86.com/audio/58368-guide-how-make-copy-ioreg.html. Please, use the IORegistryExplorer v2.1 attached to the post! DO NOT reply with an ioreg from any other version of IORegistryExplorer.app.

Provide output (in Terminal):

kextstat|grep -y acpiplat
kextstat|grep -y appleintelcpu
kextstat|grep -y applelpc
kextstat|grep -y applehda

Attach EFI/Clover folder as ZIP (press F4 at main Clover screen before collecting). Please eliminate 'themes' directory. Provide only EFI/Clover, not the entire EFI folder.

Attach output of (in Terminal):

sudo touch /System/Library/Extensions && sudo kextcache -u /

Compress all files as ZIP. Do not use external links. Attach all files using site attachments only.

 

[zev23]

Attach ioreg as ZIP: http://www.tonymacx86.com/audio/58368-guide-how-make-copy-ioreg.html. Please, use the IORegistryExplorer v2.1 attached to the post! DO NOT reply with an ioreg from any other version of IORegistryExplorer.app.

Provide output (in Terminal):

kextstat|grep -y acpiplat
kextstat|grep -y appleintelcpu
kextstat|grep -y applelpc
kextstat|grep -y applehda

Attach EFI/Clover folder as ZIP (press F4 at main Clover screen before collecting). Please eliminate 'themes' directory. Provide only EFI/Clover, not the entire EFI folder.

Attach output of (in Terminal):

sudo touch /System/Library/Extensions && sudo kextcache -u /

Compress all files as ZIP. Do not use external links. Attach all files using site attachments only.

Hi RehabMan, please check the attachment as requested.

 

[RehabMan]

Hi RehabMan, please check the attachment as requested.

Some sort of USB problem. You can see that BrcmPatchRAM2 is hanging, no doubt due to failure during firmware upload.

I notice some unusual USB software:
- Virtualbox
- com.eltima.kext.eveusb

Also, I notice the device is connected to a USB1 controller (AppleUSBUHCIPCI). Really old hardware here?