Hi All: I sincerely apologize if my specific problem has been solved already. As the title indicates, when I open Orb -> Devices and printers it always shows up empty. I have tried every bluetooth related post including upgrading drivers, verifying the BT services (both) are running, the suggestion to use the IE8 registry cmd script etc. Virtually all the posts were point at BT, so I disabled, uninstalled all drivers, re-enabled it, re-installed, etc. At each step I tried the Devices and Printers with the same results. Adding some details: My printers installed works prefectly My scanner installed and works perfectly 2 Phones with BT installed work perfectly including :make a call, transfer files (both ways), listen to/control music player, internet browsing via BT modem As with Devices and Printers, the Devices and Printers -> Bluetooth Devices is also empty (even while using BT successfully) This is my 4th W7HP install but my first with BT. The others have no issues in this area at all This is a brand new Asus 1201N, BT built-in, all drivers were pre-installed, Broadcom BT model, 2GB, 25GB HD, Atom 330. Drivers and Printers was empty from the first point at which the OS was configured after first power up. All of my machines have a C: for the OS and a separate D: partition labeled USERDATA. Never had a problem with this under Vista or W7. Very convenient for restoring (see below). I AM PULLING MY HAIR OUT looking for a solution to no avail. I use Paragon Disk Backup so I don't mind hacking my registry or other configs and am brave enough (fool hardy?) to try just about any suggestions since I can always do a full restore of the OS Partition. Truly appreciate any feedback. Please, no "check your BT services". Been there, done that. Regards, Jeff

Go to task manager and end printer spooling service. it works for me.

Worked... but why? Why is a non functioning Bluetooth service hang up Devices and Printers. If I knew why, I might next wonder if it could affect other devices in different scenarios unrelated to Bluetooth. Does anyone have a good idea why/how this phenomena occurs? My laptop was working perfectly ever since I "upgraded" to Win 10 from 8.1, and then, all of a sudden Excel wouldn't open because it couldn't find a printer. Then I discovered that NO program could find the printer, and "Devices and Printers" would hang when I opened it. So I found these links, went through the process and, lo and behold, everything seems to work again. But whatever it is that is buried in the operating system that first modified the Bluetooth setting, and was then corrected by changing it back, seems absolutely absurd. Even more absurd is that Bluetooth Support Service has anything at all to do with my printer, which is connected either through WiFi or USB! I will certainly listen with renewed interest to my Mac-head friends and relatives who say that I should switch to their holy grail of computing technology the next time I upgrade my laptop.

Issue : Printers and device window empty Resolution : Please perform windows profile reset What are the consequences? You will lose all your personal settings Cache and History Macros and signature from Ms Outlook NOTE: Please do not delete the old profile

'Devices and Printers' is blank, hangs, empty

Anonymous

Hi All:

I sincerely apologize if my specific problem has been solved already. As the title indicates, when I open Orb -> Devices and printers it always shows up empty. I have tried every bluetooth related post including upgrading drivers, verifying the BT services (both) are running, the suggestion to use the IE8 registry cmd script etc. Virtually all the posts were point at BT, so I disabled, uninstalled all drivers, re-enabled it, re-installed, etc. At each step I tried the Devices and Printers with the same results.

Adding some details:

My printers installed works prefectly
My scanner installed and works perfectly
2 Phones with BT installed work perfectly including :make a call, transfer files (both ways), listen to/control music player, internet browsing via BT modem
As with Devices and Printers, the Devices and Printers -> Bluetooth Devices is also empty (even while using BT successfully)
This is my 4th W7HP install but my first with BT. The others have no issues in this area at all
This is a brand new Asus 1201N, BT built-in, all drivers were pre-installed, Broadcom BT model, 2GB, 25GB HD, Atom 330.
Drivers and Printers was empty from the first point at which the OS was configured after first power up.
All of my machines have a C: for the OS and a separate D: partition labeled USERDATA. Never had a problem with this under Vista or W7. Very convenient for restoring (see below).

I AM PULLING MY HAIR OUT looking for a solution to no avail. I use Paragon Disk Backup so I don't mind hacking my registry or other configs and am brave enough (fool hardy?) to try just about any suggestions since I can always do a full restore of the OS Partition.

Truly appreciate any feedback. Please, no "check your BT services". Been there, done that.

Regards,

Jeff

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments

Answer accepted by question author

Anonymous

***** FIXED ********

I finally stumbled upon this thread:

http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/w7hardware/thread/8d873bb6-4fd3-49ae-9ee2-1509d87ed9ab/

and ran the System File Checke r. It found and fixed problems. I have no idea what the log means, but...

My Devices and Printers is now fully populated.

Regards,

Jeff

0 comments

Answer accepted by question author

Anonymous

I just tried this and this FIX works ..

Click Start button, type "services" into the search program and files box. This brings up a list in the menu, select Services. This should open a list of local services on your system.., Find 'Bluetooth Service" and make sure it has started, right click and set to 'automatic' (mine was already set), Select "Bluetooth Support Service" and start, set to automatic (mine was set on manual) --

Really wierd. Debleena, can you please explain.

Regards,

Rakesh

0 comments

43 additional answers

Anonymous

2017-01-02T05:00:17+00:00

Go to task manager and end printer spooling service. it works for me.
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Anonymous

2015-10-08T03:34:32+00:00

Worked... but why?

Why is a non functioning Bluetooth service hang up Devices and Printers.

If I knew why, I might next wonder if it could affect other devices in different scenarios unrelated to Bluetooth.

Does anyone have a good idea why/how this phenomena occurs?

My laptop was working perfectly ever since I "upgraded" to Win 10 from 8.1, and then, all of a sudden Excel wouldn't open because it couldn't find a printer. Then I discovered that NO program could find the printer, and "Devices and Printers" would hang when I opened it. So I found these links, went through the process and, lo and behold, everything seems to work again. But whatever it is that is buried in the operating system that first modified the Bluetooth setting, and was then corrected by changing it back, seems absolutely absurd. Even more absurd is that Bluetooth Support Service has anything at all to do with my printer, which is connected either through WiFi or USB! I will certainly listen with renewed interest to my Mac-head friends and relatives who say that I should switch to their holy grail of computing technology the next time I upgrade my laptop.
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Anonymous

2015-05-27T11:03:18+00:00
Issue: Printers and device window empty

Resolution: Please perform windows profile reset

What are the consequences?
- You will lose all your personal settings
- Cache and History
- Macros and signature from Ms Outlook
NOTE: Please do not delete the old profile
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments