Bluetooth errors on MacBook Pro 2019 16"

[incurma]

I am constantly seeing the following error in the Console window:

Process: Kernel
Message: Sandbox: bluetoothd(151) deny(1) mach-lookup com.apple.server.bluetooth

This error appears quite frequently (especially when CPU has high load), with or without bluetooth enabled. For cases where bluetooth is enabled, I do notice that the errors sometimes (but not always) correlate with a momentary mouse jitter while using the Magic Trackpad 2.

Any explanation or interpretation about what this error is actually saying, or what might be causing it?

And is anyone else seeing this on their machine?

I appreciate any insights!

 

[incurma]

Additional info --

I am able to trigger the error by doing the following:

1. Enable bluetooth and configure the icon to appear in the Mac menu bar
2. Select the bluetooth icon in the menu bar and select "Open bluetooth preferences"

With Console.app open and running (filtering by "Errors and Faults" for convenience), you can see the kernel error messages. (See original post, and screen shot.)

Is anyone else able to reproduce this on their MacBook Pro 2019 16"?

 

[HDFan]

Are you having any actual problems with bluetooth?

 

[incurma]

Are you having any actual problems with bluetooth?

I have the following peripherals connected via Bluetooth:

- Magic Keyboard
- Magic Trackpad 2

The Magic Trackpad 2 very frequently gets jumpy, i.e. it will disappear for a second or two and then re-appear in a new location. This behavior tends to correlate with the timing of the errors listed in Console.app. The Magic Keyboard also sometimes exhibits laggy typing behavior in all apps, also correlated with the timing of the bluetooth errors listed in Console.app.

I have killed most if not all non-system applications (Chrome, Sararia, Note apps, etc) but the error continues to log.

Incidentally, I noticed that the errors are also triggered when using Airdrop to send images from my iPhone to the MacBook. I can of course disable Airdrop, but the bluetooth errors continue to log (presumably triggered by something else altogether). Same result when disabling Handoff.

Seems crazy to think that I am the only one seeing this on the MacBook Pro 16". I previously had no problems on the MacBook Pro 15" 2017...

 

[HDFan]

Ignoring hardware/software issues for the moment, the first thing I would look for would be bluetooth interference:

How To Stop Bluetooth Interference From Messing With Other Devices

Bluetooth technology has fundamentally changed the way we work and play. But Bluetooth Interference from other devices can be frustrating. Here are solutions.

www.goldtouch.com

 

[incurma]

Ignoring hardware/software issues for the moment, the first thing I would look for would be bluetooth interference:

How To Stop Bluetooth Interference From Messing With Other Devices

Bluetooth technology has fundamentally changed the way we work and play. But Bluetooth Interference from other devices can be frustrating. Here are solutions.

www.goldtouch.com

Bluetooth interference was my first suspicion as well, despite the fact that I had no problems with my MacBook Pro 2017 with the exact same peripherals, wireless internet connection (5Ghz), and desk location.

However, the plot just thickened: I get this error even with bluetooth set to disabled!

Steps:

1. Enable bluetooth and configure the icon to appear in the Mac menu bar
2. Select the bluetooth icon in the menu bar and select "Turn Bluetooth Off"
3. Now, select the bluetooth icon in the menu bar and select "Open bluetooth preferences"

With Console.app open and running (filtering by "Errors and Faults" for convenience), I can see the following kernel error message:

Process: Kernel
Message: Sandbox: bluetoothd(151) deny(1) mach-lookup com.apple.server.bluetooth

Note, too, that the error messages seem to appear even when I am doing other unrelated tasks (again, despite the fact that bluetooth is disabled). Seems to trigger, especially, when I open finder and traverse the file system.

 

[jerryk]

My guess is some services probe BT as part of their operations and fails, as expected. Not every message in the console log means something is wrong. J

 

[komki]

I too have this problem where mouse stops moving for ~1 or 2 seconds. MacBook Pro 16".

I also was wondering is this log line related, which brought me to this page.

 

[incurma]

I too have this problem where mouse stops moving for ~1 or 2 seconds. MacBook Pro 16".

I also was wondering is this log line related, which brought me to this page.

I still see the bluetooth errors in Console.app all of the time. However, I was able to eliminate the 1-2 second stutter by disabling automatic graphics switching. See the following thread:

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...sues-video-while-typing.2213028/post-28239888

The bluetooth errors in the Console.app, while very annoying, do not seem to be causing any real problem.

 

[franksvalli]

I have had the microfreezes since day one, and have usually seen a Bluetooth error in the console around the time it happens. But there are errors logged when there weren't any apparent freezes, so it may just be unrelated. But I've been watching this a while and always see the Bluetooth error around the freezes, which is very suspicious...

 

[incurma]

I still see the bluetooth errors in the console all of the time. However, my system is now mostly stable, and I rarely get system stuttering issues now. I attribute this to the following:

1. As I mentioned earlier in this thread, I disabled graphics card switching

2. I switched to using the following peripherals:

- Apple Wireless Keyboard 2011 (Bluetooth 2.0)
- Wireless Trackpad (Bluetooth 2.0)

…as opposed to using the newer versions, namely:

- Magic Keyboard (Bluetooth LE 4.2)
- Magic Trackpad 2 (Bluetooth LE 4.2)

I seem to have better connectivity when using Bluetooth 2.0.

 

[clickerclacker]

I'm getting the same behaviour, and driving myself mad trying to troubleshoot it!

Have you been using Bluetooth Explorer to check the Connection Quality? (available as part of Additional Tools for Xcode 11.4 from https://developer.apple.com/download/more/?=additional Tools with a free developer account)

Please try running it and go to Devices > Connection Quality Monitor. Does the quality drop drastically when you experience the jitters? Mine does.

I too am seeing a lot of the same errors in the console, but am unsure whether these are normal or not. I also see the following bluetoothd errors:

"ScanManager: device doesn't exist for peer: FC403EA6-5A06-465F-A1DC-5FDBB4C676CA"

I was seeing this problem with my Mid-2014 MBP and a Magic Mouse v1. I bought a 16" MBP a month ago, and am seeing the same behaviour, so I bought a new Magic Mouse v2. It's a lot more stable, but I'm still having occasional drops.

I also have a Magic Trackpad v1, which is pretty much rock solid. I notice occasional drops in quality to around 70%, but nowhere near as many, and it doesn't noticeably jitter.

Did you use Migration Assistant when you bought your new 16" MBP as I did, or did you set up as new? I wonder whether a reinstall would help, but it's a massive faff for my DAW setup.

Hope we can fix this, or get Apple to!

 

[leotsem]

I had the same bluetooth errors and lag when switching apps as described here: https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...sues-video-while-typing.2213028/post-28239888

I'm using a 2016 MacBook Pro, and the latest Magic Keyboard and Mouse.

Apparently both issues went away when I replaced the Magic Mouse with a Magic Trackpad 🤔

UPDATE: I tried a different Magic Mouse and I got the same issues again. As soon as I turn on the mouse my Mac is unusable.

 

[clickerclacker]

Update: I'm not getting the ScanManager error anymore. Instead, the error that seems to correlate with the behaviour is:

bluetoothd Apple80211Get(APPLE80211_IOC_BTCOEX_MODE) returned error -3903

Is anyone else noticing the same change? It seems to have happened after installing a recent update to Catalina.

 

[clickerclacker]

Apple have put it down to wireless interference, but I think I've discovered something else that may be causing it.

How many of us are using an LG UltraFine 5k monitor? My problems seem to disappear when I disconnect mine.

This guy is having the same issue. He's posted a video of it on YouTube and it's exactly the same issue that I'm experiencing. I'll be speaking to both Apple and LG about it!

Cursor stutters every 3 sec. when using L… - Apple Community

discussions.apple.com

 

[clickerclacker]

Ooh! Do any of you use the Magnet app? I think quitting that and removing its Accessibility security privileges has fixed the problem for me.

Will keep you posted.

 

[jnbn]

@incurma, unfortunately I'm having the exact same problem and I can not connect to any devices.

 

[11110000]

@clickerclacker have you noticed any improvement?

I have had the same problem (random disconnects of Magic Mouse 2 and general Bluetooth problems). My initial MBP was replaced with a 16 inch MBP. Replaced the Magic Mouse, clean install, debugging with Apple engineers, everything. Nothing works.

Your post s the first new suggestion I have seen. I have Magnet installed. Fingers crossed this is it...

 

[galmiklos]

I am having a very similar problem (one could say exactly the same), and running a troubleshooting "log" at this thread: MBP keeps connecting to mysterious, nameless, not-paired Bluetooth device?, if anyone's interested, or have some idea.

Needless to say, there is no solution still. And I also have a case open with Apple support, but I am just fed up with them, they are pretty much useless. They can only solve problems that had already been solved, and the "senior advisor" can find something in their database about it. And their engineers' first response seems to be avoidance at all cost. They tried to blame the problem on 3rd party software! And it was only the 4th hour long call, when they finally gave in to my begging for taking some system logs from my 2020 16" MBP. They also want me to drive almost an hour just to drop my MBP at an authorized service (all Apple stores appear to be shut down), and the service tells me I can pick it up in a few days.

They keep sending me e-mails for my feedback, I filled one out, but no-one reacted to my complaining. I even filed a complaint at there feedback site, received no response. Terrible customer service!!! I wish I never got into the Mac world... :-(

 

[clickerclacker]

Uninstalling Magnet solved the problem I was having. I do occasionally have different issues with the Magic mouse, trackpad and keyboard though. Keyboard sometimes gets laggy after waking from sleep, where it seems to buffer the presses and release them all at once after a few seconds. Yesterday all three stopped working complete. I had to turn Bluetooth off and on again using the trackpad on the MacBook.