Can't pair Bluetooth speakers

General Help
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Hi and Welcome,

Using Brave A.I. search engine via Mojeek search engine gives (note Zorin 18 is a fork of Ubuntu 24.04):

" To make Bluetooth speakers stay paired across dual-booting Windows 11 and Ubuntu 24.04, you need to synchronize the Bluetooth link keys between both operating systems, as they store different pairing secrets.

Key Solution: Sync the Link Key

The core issue is that each OS generates its own unique Bluetooth link key. When you pair on one OS, the other loses the connection because it no longer matches the key stored on the device.

Step-by-Step Guide:

  1. Pair the speakers in Ubuntu first :
  • Use bluetoothctl to pair and connect the device.
  • Confirm the link key is stored in:
    /var/lib/bluetooth/<controller-id>/<device-id>/info
  1. Boot into Windows 11 and pair the same speakers.
  • This overwrites the key on the device with Windows’ key.
  1. Reboot into Ubuntu and extract the Windows key :
  • Mount your Windows partition (e.g., /mnt/windows ).
  • Copy the Windows registry file:
    sudo cp /mnt/windows/Windows/System32/config/SYSTEM /tmp/SYSTEM
  • Install chntpw :
    sudo apt install chntpw
  • Use chntpw to access the registry:
    sudo chntpw /tmp/SYSTEM
  • Navigate to:
    ControlSet001\Services\BTHPORT\Parameters\Keys\<controller-id-lowercase-no-colons>
  • List the keys with ls . Find the entry for your speaker’s MAC (e.g., 40ef4cc87693 ) and note the 16-byte binary value (the link key).
  1. Replace the Ubuntu link key :
  • Edit the file:
    /var/lib/bluetooth/<controller-id>/<device-id>/info
  • Replace the Key= value with the Windows-generated key (in uppercase hex).
  • Save and exit.
  1. Reboot into both OSes :
  • The speakers should now stay connected without re-pairing.

:warning: Important Notes :

  • This method relies on the Bluetooth controller MAC being consistent across both OSes.
  • Some devices (e.g., Sony WH-1000XM2/XM3) may only allow one active pairing at a time, so you may need to unpair from one OS before pairing on the other.
  • Use tools like mgedmin/btdualboot (GitHub) for automation and safer key syncing.

Alternative (Simpler) Approach: Use bluetoothctl with Trust

If syncing keys fails, ensure the device is trusted:

bluetoothctl
[bluetooth]# trust <device-mac>
[bluetooth]# connect <device-mac>

This helps maintain connection persistence after reboot.

:white_check_mark: Pro Tip : Use sudo systemctl enable bluetooth to ensure the service starts on boot in Ubuntu.

AI-generated answer. Please verify critical facts."