BrcmPatchRAM - Upload firmware into Broadcom Bluetooth USB devices

[Blax]

This is my first build and its 90% completed except the BT isn't working. The BCM94360CS2 is supposed to be working outside the box but isn't. I read your guide and am still having issues with BT. Attached are my files.

Thank you!




Gigabyte Z390 Designare w/Intel i7 9
Gskills 64 GB 3000 MHz DDR4
Radeon RX 580 8 GB
Corsaire Hx850.

 

[gbzygil]

Hi Rehabman\others,

I'm facing the same (BrcmPatchRAM3) BrcmPatchRAM: uploadFirmware could not open the device! error on Catalina .

gbc@Gils-iMac ~ % log show --last boot | grep -i 'brcm'
2020-01-25 03:20:51.840635-0600 0x470      Default     0x0                  0      0    kernel: (BrcmPatchRAM3) BrcmPatchRAM: Version 2.5.1 starting on OS X Darwin 19.2.
2020-01-25 03:20:52.113818-0600 0x219      Error       0x0                  63     0    kextd: (IOKit) [com.apple.kext:kextlog] Kext with invalid signature (-67062) allowed: <OSKext 0x6000033dafa0 [0x7fff908b0090]> { URL = "file:///Library/Extensions/BrcmFirmwareData.kext/", ID = "as.acidanthera.BrcmFirmwareStore" }
2020-01-25 03:20:52.265167-0600 0x470      Default     0x0                  0      0    kernel: (BrcmFirmwareData) BrcmPatchRAM: Loaded compressed embedded firmware for key "BCM20702A1_001.002.014.1502.1764_v5860".
2020-01-25 03:20:52.394313-0600 0x470      Default     0x0                  0      0    kernel: (BrcmFirmwareData) BrcmPatchRAM: Decompressed firmware (30360 bytes --> 71148 bytes).
2020-01-25 03:20:52.404494-0600 0x470      Default     0x0                  0      0    kernel: (BrcmFirmwareData) BrcmPatchRAM: Firmware is valid IntelHex firmware.
2020-01-25 03:20:52.546003-0600 0x470      Default     0x0                  0      0    kernel: (BrcmPatchRAM3) BrcmPatchRAM: uploadFirmware could not open the device!
2020-01-25 03:20:52.550055-0600 0x470      Default     0x0                  0      0    kernel: (BrcmPatchRAM3) BrcmPatchRAM: Processing time 0.135 seconds.

Logs are attached for reference.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[deeveedee]

I'm facing the same (BrcmPatchRAM3) BrcmPatchRAM: uploadFirmware could not open the device! error on Catalina .

...
2020-01-25 03:20:52.546003-0600 0x470      Default     0x0                  0      0    kernel: (BrcmPatchRAM3) BrcmPatchRAM: uploadFirmware could not open the device!
...

@gbzygil - I'm seeing the same "uploadFirmware could not open the device!" error with BrcmPatchRAM3 version 2.5.1 running on Mojave 10.15.3. Specifically, I have found that this only happens if I have turned-off Bluetooth prior to the previous shutdown. If I leave Bluetooth on, I don't have the "uploadFirmware could not open the device!" problem. I have also found that if I sleep my laptop and then wake, firmware loads and Bluetooth functionality is restored. I'm using a combo Wi-Fi / Bluetooth Broadcom BCM 94352HMB (Bluetooth: 0a5c:21fb, Wi-Fi: pci14e4,43b1).

Is your issue happening only at boot, only if your Bluetooth device was turned off prior to the previous shutdown and can you recover by sleeping and waking?

I don't have this problem in High Sierra 10.13.6 or Mojave 10.14.6.

Google 'BrcmPatchRAM2 for 10.15 Catalina (Broadcom bluetooth firmware upload)' for the conversation.

 

[naquaada]

Hello, is it possible to get a Broadcom Bluetooth/WLAN injector which works with Snow Leopard? My Dell Inspiron 7720 17R Special Edition laptop has only USB 3.0 without USB 2.0 fallback mode, so I can't even connect a mouse in 10.6. With working bluetooth this would be possible. The USB 2.0 port for Mini-PCIe, camera and cardreader is detected. WLAN would be optional, but of course it would be useful.

Which files have to be copied to make use of bluetooth devices inside another OS X installation? If I'm pairing a mouse or keyboard in Mojave, it won't work in Mavericks because another ID was entered. I copied some bluetooth.plist files, but this wasn't enough.

 

[Wowfunhappy]

A bit of an edge case, but is it possible to manually force brcmpatchram to work its magic at some arbitrary point after boot time?

For compatibility with some other software, I sometimes need to run sudo kextunload -b com.apple.iokit.BroadcomBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransport. When I later bring it back with sudo kextload -b com.apple.iokit.BroadcomBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransport, OS X says Bluetooth isn't available. I'm not sure if BrcmPatchRam is at fault, but it seems like a plausible theory that I need to tell brcmpatchram to re-run somehow.

 

[UtterDisbelief]

A bit of an edge case, but is it possible to manually force bcrmpatchram to work its magic at some arbitrary point after boot time?

For compatibility with some other software, I sometimes need to run sudo kextunload -b com.apple.iokit.BroadcomBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransport. When I later bring it back with sudo kextload -b com.apple.iokit.BroadcomBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransport, OS X still says Bluetooth isn't available. I'm not sure if BrcmPatchRam is at fault, but it seems like a plausible theory that I need to tell the kext to re-run somehow.

Hi there.

It depends on which model Broadcom wireless/BT chip you are using. Not all need this patching to the firmware as it uploads each boot.

For native BT macOS's own software handles it invisibly. For less common chipsets the process of patching is needed.

 

[Wowfunhappy]

It depends on which model Broadcom wireless/BT chip you are using. Not all need this patching to the firmware as it uploads each boot.

Thank you—I know from experience that mine does need patching! It's an AzureWave AW-CE123H, and it doesn't work at all without bcrmpatchram.

With bcrmpatchram, it works fine, except when I manually unload the broadcomm kext so the adapter can be used by other software. When I later reload the broadcomm kext, the adapter does not start working again as expected—I have to fully reboot my machine to bring it back. I'm hoping that there's a command (or something?) I can run to tell bcrmpatchram to re-perform its magic.

 

[UtterDisbelief]

Thank you—I know from experience that mine does need patching! It's an AzureWave AW-CE123H, and it doesn't work at all without bcrmpatchram.

With bcrmpatchram, it works fine, except when I manually unload the broadcomm kext so the adapter can be used by other software. When I later reload the broadcomm kext, the adapter does not start working again as expected—I have to fully reboot my machine to bring it back. I'm hoping that there's a command (or something?) I can run to tell bcrmpatchram to re-perform its magic.

Fair enough

You clearly have enough tech knowledge to play constructively with Terminal so you've got that angle sorted. The process you are using is a little similar to the new developments in getting Intel wireless to work. The system can't be left to load the necessary kext itself, we have to do that manually from a running desktop.

You don't state which macOS, but maybe you are up against Catalina security blocking the re-loading of the kext?

I believe the Azurewave is the BCM94352HMB mini card. This requires the BrcmPtachRam3.kext to work with Catalina.

Here's a little more information, if it helps. By one of our expert Moderators @CaseySJ .

 

[Wowfunhappy]

You don't state which macOS, but maybe you are up against Catalina security blocking the re-loading of the kext?

I'm actually all the way back on 10.9 (because I like 10.9!), which is also why I'm using the original bcrmpatchram rather than bcrmpatchram2/3.

(The reason I'm unloading the kext in the first place is to get VirtualHere to work—it can't take control of the BT adapter unless the default kext is unloaded first. This is reported to work properly on real Macs.)

I may just need to buy a new wifi/bt card that doesn't require bcrmpatchram...