Ghost Apple Bluetooth UART Device in Hackintosh System Information

[AlfredoM]

Ghost Apple Bluetooth UART Device in Hackintosh System Information.

 

in macOS Sequoia 15.7.4

 

This is how it appears in the system report for Bluetooth.

 

Bluetooth-Controller: Adresse: NULL Status:

Aus

Chipsatz: BCM_4350C2 Sichtbar:

Aus

Firmwareversion: v0 c0

Unterstützte Dienste: 0x392039 < HFP AVRCP A2DP HID Braille LEA AACP GATT SerialPort > Transport: UART

Hersteller-ID: 0x004C (Apple)

 

In my newly set up Hackintosh (see signature), I'm unable to install any Bluetooth USB devices from various manufacturers,

some with Broadcom chips and others with Realtek chips.

 

Whether I use an SMBIOS like MacPro7,1, iMac 19,2, or iMac19,1, an Apple UART Device always appears in the system information.

It's set to "off" and isn't related to any Bluetooth hardware, which my motherboard doesn't have.

 

This ghost Bluetooth device blocks all attempts to install a Bluetooth USB stick, and USB is correctly mapped using a 100% working USPPorts.kext.

 

Does anyone here have the same motherboard running with Bluetooth working?

 

I would greatly appreciate any information on this.

 

Regards, AlfredoM

Edited March 4 by AlfredoM

[LockDown]

Are you using Intel Wifi with BT &

installed IntelBluetoothFirmware?

[AlfredoM]

No, I wanted to use a Bluetooth 4.0 USB dongle.

 

The name is:

 

Bluetooth Dual Mode Dongle
FCC ID: PANBT400
BCM20702A0

[LockDown]

BrcmPatchRAM + BluetoolFixup

bluetoothExternalDongleFailed DATA 00 
bluetoothInternalControllerInfo DATA 0000000000000000000000000000

 

Edited March 4 by LockDown

[AlfredoM]

Here is a answer from ChatGPT for your  tip:

 

In short:

**No.**
These two NVRAM variables **cannot** remove the ghost UART entry, nor do they "activate" a USB Bluetooth adapter.

---

## 🔎 What these variables really are

### `bluetoothExternalDongleFailed`

→ Just a status flag.

macOS uses it to remember if an external dongle failed to initialize.

This **does not create a BCM_4350C2 controller**.

---

### `bluetoothInternalControllerInfo`

→ Memory area for internal Bluetooth controller information.

If it contains zeros, it simply means: "No internal controller initialized."

However:

This does not delete any existing UART entry in the IORegistry/System Report.

---

# 🧠 Why the BCM_4350C2 Ghost is There

This entry:

* Chipset: **BCM_4350C2**
* Transport: **UART**
* Manufacturer ID: **0x004C (Apple)**
* Address: **NULL**

means:

macOS thinks there is an **internal Apple UART Bluetooth controller**.

This typically comes from:

* an old SMBIOS (e.g., MacPro7,1)
* leftover NVRAM
* an incorrect USB port type
* or IORegistry cache

It has **nothing to do with the two variables**.

---

# 🎯 What really removes the ghost

To ensure your USB Bluetooth dongle works smoothly, you need:

---

## 1️⃣ Completely clear the NVRAM

Not just a reset in the Picker, but:

```bash
`sudo nvram -c`
```

Restart.

## 2️⃣ Clear the Bluetooth preferences

bash
`sudo rm /Library/Preferences/com.apple.Bluetooth.plist`
`sudo rm /Library/Preferences/com.apple.Bluetooth.plist.lockfile`

Restart.

## 3️⃣ Correctly Mapping the USB Port

The port your PANBT400 is connected to must:

* Be included in USBPorts.kext
* And be **set as Internal (Type 255)**

If it's defined as "External," you'll experience exactly the same issue:

→ Bluetooth activates
→ After ~10 seconds, it deactivates again

---

# 🔥 Very Important

These two variables:

```
bluetoothExternalDongleFailed
bluetoothInternalControllerInfo

```

are **symptoms**, not the cause.

Deleting or changing them won't help,

because macOS determines the internal controller via IORegistry/ACPI/USB—not via these flags.

--

# 💡 Reassuring Estimate

You're very close.

The ghosting is not caused by:

* iMac19,1
* OpenCore 1.0.6
* the NVRAM Bluetooth flags

But almost certainly by the **USB port type or cache**.

---

[Slice]

I also have this ghost although I never had bluetooth and my history is clear as the conscience of a newborn baby. As well as any type of cache.

 

[AlfredoM]

Thanks, good friend Scheibe, and how can I solve this problem? I've already tried three different SMBIOS versions: Mac Pro 7.1.1, iMac 19.1, and iMac Pro 1.1.1. This Bluetooth entry simply won't disappear and is now blocking my Intel A210 PCI Express card.

 

What kind of motherboard do you have?

Edited March 24 by AlfredoM

[deeveedee]

@AlfredoM Maybe if you post your EFI and your IORegistryExplorer dump, someone can help.

[AlfredoM]

@deeveedeeWhat exactly from the iOReg should I show you?