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Fixing Bluetooth on a Toshiba with Ubuntu

27 Comments

I’ve been running Ubuntu Linux on my Toshiba laptop. One of the few things that did not work initially was the internal Bluetooth adapter. Ubuntu knew it was there: it shows in Device Manager as “Platform Device (bluetooth)”. But all the utilities behaved as if no Bluetooth adapter was available.

It looked like a driver problem so I ferreted around looking for a driver. That wasn’t it though. The problem is simply that by default the Bluetooth adapter is turned off. It can only be turned on in software using a Toshiba utility. Toshiba does not provide this for Linux, but fortunately it has been reverse engineered. So the solution is to install toshset, which you can do easily from Synaptic Package Manager. Then you open a terminal and type:

sudo toshset -bluetooth on

and it all starts working. I installed gnome-bluetooth and successfully sent files to and from my mobile phone (Samsung i600).

Not difficult once you know; but it wasn’t obvious what to do after the initial install failed to give working Bluetooth. The pain of being in the minority.

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27 thoughts on “Fixing Bluetooth on a Toshiba with Ubuntu”

  1. How do you get toshset to initialize each time you boot up? I’m trying to get it to work with my Bluetooth mouse.

  2. Here is a step-by-step for making this start on boot. Note that you need toshset installed.

    Open a terminal window
    cd /etc/init.d
    sudo nano tosh-bluetooth

    Now paste the following script:

    #! /bin/bash

# script to start/stop Toshiba Bluetooth adapter
# requires toshset

case "$1" in
 start)
 /usr/bin/toshset -bluetooth on
 ;;
 stop)
 /usr/bin/toshset -bluetooth off
 ;;
 *)
 echo "Usage: /etc/init.d/tosh-bluetooth {start|stop}" >&2
 exit 1
 ;;

esac

exit 0

    In Nano, type Ctrl-O to save the script. Ctrl-X to exit Nano.

    Make the script executable:

    sudo chmod 755 tosh-bluetooth

    Add it to the startup scripts:

    sudo update-rc.d tosh-bluetooth defaults

    You’re done.

    Troubleshooting:

    Test the script by typing:

    sudo ./tosh-bluetooth start

    sudo ./tosh-bluetooth stop

    These should turn the Bluetooth adapter on/off respectively.

    Tim

  3. Wow, thanks. That worked!!!!!

    Just a small correction in the last line:

    sudo update-rc.d tosh-bluetooth defaults

  7. i installed toshset but when i put sudo toshset -bluetooth on in the terminal it give me the following:
    required kernel toshiba support not enabled

  10. This works for Ubuntu 8.10 on a Toshiba Tecra S5 (14R) (date: 23-01-2009)

    Install toshset:
    $ sudo apt-get install toshset

    toshset did not work previously, but I guess recent kernel updates fixed the problem. Check your kernel version as follows:
    Command line:
    $ uname -mrs
    Output:
    Linux 2.6.27-11-generic i686

    $ sudo toshset -bluetooth on

    should work.

    Thanks Tim!

  11. No matter what I try I cannot get Bluetooth to work.

    I have a Toshiba Satelite P105-S9337 with a Bluetooth chip set.

    I am running Ubuntu 8.1

    Not a programmer, so the fix has to be something a non-geek can do.

  12. I know this is like 915 years old…

    But I gotta say, THANX A LOT TIM!

    My fan would never startup by itself, so I replaced “bluetooth” for “fan”, and now everything works GREAT!

  13. Im using Ubuntu 9.04 and I have this problem. I cant solve the problem with all explanations above. After I write $ sudo toshset -bluetooth on the terminal answers with “required kernel toshiba support not enabled”.

    My Kernel is: Linux 2.6.28-13-generic i686

    Can u help me with this? I’ve got a toshiba portégé m700-103.

    Regards
    Helder

  14. im using linux mint and i have this problem . i cant enable the bluetooth . i have what the bluetooth model on dell vostro a860 laptop plz help me ..

  15. I also have the same problem. I have toshiba a100-599 with bluetooth embedded. Kernel version is: Linux 2.6.31-15-generic i686.
    I use ubuntu 9.10.

    I did everything written above but still get “required kernel toshiba support not enabled”. Please help

  16. I got the same problem with my bluetooth.
    I have a Toshiba P300-1BB.
    I’m using ubuntu 9.10:
    Linux 2.6.31-16-generic i686
    The answer to the command: sudo toshset -bluetooth on
    is: required kernel toshiba support not enabled
    Please could you help me. I’m a novice with Linux.
    Many thanks in advance for your cooperation/
    Best Regards

  17. Who got
    >> “required kernel toshiba support not enabled”
    in the terminal after
    >> $ sudo toshset -bluetooth on
    should recompile kernel with Toshiba Laptop Support

  18. Hi, i have ubuntu 10.04 and the same message, “required kernel toshiba support not enables” … how can i make work bluetooth?
    i have a toshiva qosmio f50-134. thanks.

  20. I have Ubuntu 10.04 on a Toshiba U400 and bluetooth now works thanks to Tim Richardson’s advice and Rik extra bit about the line using options omnibook ectype=14.

    Note that omnibook is now included in the Ubuntu kernel modules so no need to download it.

    Thanks very much Tim and Rik. The instructions are (see Tim Richardson’s comments, not the article’s main body) are at

    http://rik.rikva.nl/cms/index.php?itemid=5

    Good luck 🙂

  21. Hi Michael and everyone else!

    I have the same type of computer that you have, and I was able to follow Tim and Rik’s instructions and get the Bluetooth to work once, but after I rebooted my computer, I haven’t been able to get it running again. Do you have any advice? Thank you so much for your help.

    Best,
    Kristina

  22. “should recompile kernel with Toshiba Laptop Support”
    Yeah, right, coz we’re all just linux gurus like you !
    Naff off if you’re not going to help the non-gurus.

  23. I’m a completely new Ubuntu-user, but so far I am very impressed – everything seems so much more user-friendly than I expected – however, I do have the same problem as a few others in this thread

    – and it would be really great if someone can elaborate this:
    “recompile kernel with Toshiba Laptop Support”

    I followed the link above: http://www.mail-archive.com/debian-qa-packages@lists.debian.org/msg23714.html
    that offers a patch – if this is the way to go, please just quickly hint how a newbie would apply this patch

    Thank you in advance!

  24. I’ve troubles, I’m not speak english but i try
    when i write the script and save i have no problem, but when i write “sudo update-rc.d tosh-bluetooth defaults” begins troubles xD
    the machine say me “update-rc.d: /etc/init.d/tosh-bluetooth: file does not exist”
    and if i try write “sudo ./tosh-bluetooth start” the machine say me “required kernel toshiba support not enabled.”
    What i’ll have to do?

  25. yeah, you all give (i think pretty good infos) for toshibas BT but i dont have any idea what you mean! kernel???? command line?????? hey guys we are in 2011 now and it should be done with mouse! so please tell me how it can be done or i still say that linux newer can be most used UI
    and yes i dont still have toshiba BT working 🙁 i haveto use BTusb 🙁 🙁
    we need info line by line not something “look there, thre is new kernel.. use it, it should be working” shit! if you guys want windowspeople to even try or move to use linux you have make HELP usable like M$
    shit i hate wise people.

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