Windows 8.1 Fix for Slow Shutdown and Restart

After Windows 8.1 upgrade, PC is slow to shut down and slow to restart.  The PC is slow to wake from sleep.  PC will not wake from sleep.  The solution is sloppy, but works.  Updated 2015.06.

* Update:  2014.02.11 This article solves the slow-restart issue in Windows 8.1, but introduced a new problem where the machine does not wake from sleep.  Read below for details.

Symptoms:

• Even on a fast i7 machine, shut-down and restart times are long - taking approximately 3 to 4 minutes.  Some readers have reported as long as 6 and 7 minutes.
   
•  The PC may not wake from sleep.
 

• You have a Qualcomm Atheros 802.11 b/g/n 2.4Ghz WIFI and Bluetooth adapter or a Dell-branded 1703 Bluetooth and Wireless card.
   
• The machine can be a desktop or laptop

For this document, this problem was seen and resolved on a Dell XPS8700, but has been reported on other platforms and brands.  The issue is with the Bluetooth Wireless card.  On the Dell, it is the Dell-branded 1703 Bluetooth and Wireless card, but this is really a Qualcomm Atheros WIFI adapter and this appears to be the main problem. There is a secondary problem reported with the Intel Management Engine on Intel-branded motherboards. 

Solution 1: Update drivers
Solution 2: Update Intel Management Engine
Solution 3: Disable Bluetooth until a patched driver is released

Author's Note:  It is difficult to decide whether to blame Dell or not.  The XPS 8700 did not ship with Windows 8.1 and I can't blame Dell for not directly solving this problem.  On the other hand, as of this writing, 8.1 had been out for 6 months, and the machine should have shipped with the new OS by now.  Having a Dell-branded wireless card always gives me reason to pause; I'd bet a name-brand card would work without issue.

Solution 1:  Update Drivers:


Do Solution 1 and Solution2
If you still have troubles, consider Solution 3, which I initially used to solve this problems. 

Dell 1703 Wireless Drivers
Update: As of 2015.06
Version 10.0.0.301,A01  2014.12.29
http://downloads.dell.com/FOLDER02746931M/1/XPS-8700_Network_Driver_K19V9_WN32_10.0.0.301_A01.EXE

Formerly:
Version 10.0.0.263,A00  2013.10.08
http://www.dell.com/support/drivers/us/en/19/DriverDetails?driverID=YX1X0



This driver should work on both Dell and non-Dell machines, with this same Qualcomm Atheros card. 


When installing this driver, the status bar reaches 100%, and on my machine, the installation hung (especially if you chose the "repair" option).  Be patient for several minutes; there is no hourglass or other activity.  When you get bored, minimize all windows, looking for a reboot message.

If you can't find the message, do this:  On the Charm menu, select Settings, Power, Restart.  After a moment, the Restart will complain because a setup is still active.  Cancel the restart.  You should then see an installation message: "Setup was configured not to reboot..."; click Ok.  Then reboot manually.  This is sloppy work by Dell.  It gets even sloppier.


The first restart will be slow and will crash, offering to send diagnostics to Microsoft.  On restart, allow it to send the diagnostics, giving Dell and Qualcomm a reason to fix their horrible installation.  Once you restart, all should be well.

Confirm the driver version by opening Control Panel, Device Manager, Network, and checking the driver version.

Issue:
After applying this driver, I now see a problem where the PC will not wake from a deep sleep (say after 12 hours of no activity).  Oddly, it would wake from a sleep after (3 hours).  While in deep sleep, noted the powersupply-fan was active, CD Drive would open close, but no activity on the monitor -- indicating the PC is not really in a sleep or hibernation.  But you could not PING the machine's IP Address.  Ideally, it would be neat to remote-control the PC to see if it were really active, but without an active Network connection, I cannot do this.

All of this points to a weirdity with the network card.

To narrow the problem down, I did the following: In Device Manager, disabled the Dell 1703 Ethernet card, and Bluetooth features (disabling 4 separate devices).  Plugged the PC into a Wired connection.  After two days of testing, the PC wakes from sleep properly.  Something is wrong with the Dell/Qualcomm Wireless card. 

I could disable the power-save features on the network card, but this is non-standard and defeats the purpose of the power-saving modules and would probably mask the real problem.

Although this won't help any readers, the next test is to replace the wireless card with an Intel-branded wireless and test again.  I suspect this will work fine.




Solution 2: Slow Shutdown Times  (Intel Motherboards only)

In my testing, slower shutdown times have been partially traced to the Intel's "ME Management Engine driver for Intel NUC".  The Qualcomm wireless card driver made the most difference, but I also saw improvement here.  This step alone will not fix the slow reboot times. 

This is a good step to perform, regardless of the slowness issue.

Diagnostics:
Open the Control Panel, "Programs and Features".
Locate and highlight Intel Management Engine.
Note the version number.  You need to be at version 9.5.15.1730 (date 2013/10/24) or newer.  My version was 9.0.13.1402.  Intel often changes this software so expect newer version numbers than what is published here.

Upgrading Intel Management Engine:

Intel makes finding their software challenging unless you happen to know the exact name you are looking for.  As of 2014.02, follow these steps:

1.  Browse to www.intel.com.  From top menu, choose Support, choose "Download Center"


2.  In the Search Downloads box, middle of the screen, type "Intel Management Engine"

3.  Narrow the search by Operating System only (Windows 8.1 64-bit); do not filter by Desktop or Software Products or you will get lost.  The screen used to look like this, but has now changed

4.  In the results, look for

"Intel ME 10: Managemetn Engine Driver for Intel NUC

As of 2015.06:
Version 10.0.38.1036
Date: 1/21/2015

"Intel (R) ME 9: Management Engine Driver for Intel(R) NUC" 
version 9.5.15.1730 or newer.

You will likely find two possible hits.  Without knowing the model of your mother board, guess at which one to download.  (If the downloaded version will not install - it won't install on the wrong hardware - then try the other).  As of this date, the download is a Zip file. 

5.  In Windows Explorer, create a temporary folder/directory (any location), name it any name, such as "IntelDriver".

6.  Locate the downloaded ZIP file.  Double-click to open.  Highlight all files, all folders, copy.  Paste the copy in the newly built Temp folder  (here is where you wished Intel would distribute installable .exe)'s.   Do not run the install from within the .ZIP.

7.  In the Temp folder, double-click "Setup.exe" and allow the program to install.  The install will take about a minute and a reboot is likely.  In Control Panel, Programs and Features, confirm the version number.  Delete the Temp folder.


Partially Related - Intel ME FW Recovery Agent:

Intel also installs the Intel Management Engine Firmware Recovery Agent (see Programs and Features).  This is a background process that checks Intel for updates and automatically updates regardless of what your OEM does (Dell, HP, etc.). 

In general, I distrust auto-updates for hardware.  After a short while, vendors get tired of updating hardware drivers and then, years later, you still have this process running and occupying resources when there will probably never be another change.  In the system tray, launch the oddly-named "Firmware Recovery Agent" and let it check one time.  Then, in the Settings link within the program, you can disable automatic checks, if desired.  Manually checking for updates with the search-steps above may be adequate for many.

Results:
The machine should boot, shutdown and wake from sleep at lightning speeds. 


Solution 3:  / Workaround:

Note:  This solution, while solving the immediate problem of slow shutdowns and restarts (before I found a newer driver), I have since discovered a new problem:  The PC is not waking from sleep.  This workaround originally solved the problem, with much faster shutdown and restart times, but later discovered the machine would not wake from sleep.

Steps, now in some doubt, but might be worth exploring:

1.  Disable the Bluetooth feature on the wireless card until Qualcomm releases a fixed driver (as of 2014.02.02 - version 6.3.9600.16384 this has not been fixed).  The Wireless card handles both Ethernet and Bluetooth traffic.  With this workaround, the WIFI remains enabled, while disabling Bluetooth fixes this problem with obvious consequences.

Steps to Disable the Bluetooth:

a.  Login to Windows 8.1 with an administrative account (likely, you are already logged in as a local admin).

b.  Open Control Panel, choose "Device Manager"

c.  In Network Adapters, locate:

Bluetooth Device (Personal Area Network)
Bluetooth Device (RFCOMM Protocol TDI)

Highlight each choice, other-mouse-click and choose "Disable";  do not uninstall.

d.  Scroll to, and expand, "System Devices". Disable Bluetooth in a third location:

Locate "Qualcomm Atheros Bluetooth Bus"
Other-mouse-click and choose "Disable"; do not uninstall

e.  Close Device Manager.  Gracefully reboot the workstation.
Once back online, reboot a second time for the final test.  Restart times should be *much* faster.


Related links:
 
Qualcomm Drivers - This page will not be useful, but is documented here, anyway.  Drivers are .Rar and I cannot tell which driver I should be downloading and cannot tell by product description.

Windows 8.1 - You need an account with Admin rights to install

Issue:  You need to use an account with Administrator Privileges in order to install. 
When installing the Windows 8.1 Update from the Windows App Store, you may be prompted with a message "use an account with Administrator privileges in order to install."  This article has a definitive solution to this problem and is an excerpt from a longer Keyliner article:  Windows 8.1 Not in App Store.

When installing the Windows 8.1 Update from the Windows App Store, you may be prompted with a message "use an account with Administrator privileges in order to install."

Solution 1:
Confirm your User Account has Administrator rights.

Likely, the machine has multiple users who can login to the workstation.  By default new user accounts created after the first Windows install are "standard," not administrator accounts.

1.  From the top-right of the Start Menu, click your account name and change the login to the person with administrative rights, typically the person who first booted or installed the machine.  Use this account to open the Windows Store and Install Windows 8.1.

Note:  If your account is already an Administrative account, see Solution 2, below.

Alternately, if your account is not an administrator, use these steps to promote your account:

1.  Open the Control Panel*, select "User Accounts".

2.  In your account, click "Change your account type"  (a shield-icon-menu); you will be prompted for the administrator's credentials, the next step.

 
3. On the security screen, choose the administrator account (typically the account used when the workstation was first booted or first installed).  Type the credentials; this will promote your standard user-id to an administrator.



4.  Important: After typing the administrator's password and setting Administrative rights, gracefully reboot the workstation before attempting to run the Windows App Store install.  The promoted account does not take effect until that user logs out and back in again and a reset seems to give better results.

Next Steps:
Once your account has been promoted to Administrator, or once you have logged in with an Administrator's login, open the Windows App Store and launch the Windows 8.1 upgrade again.

*Opening the Control Panel
Open the right-edge Charms menu, choose "Settings, Control Panel", or follow these steps to place the Control Panel on the Start Menu.

In Windows 8.0, go to the Start Screen.  In an area below the tiles, "other-mouse-click" the background" and choose "All Apps".  Type the word "control".   Other-mouse-click the Control Panel tile and choose "Pin to Start".  The Control Panel is now on your Start Menu.  Press Esc to dismiss the All Programs Icon screen.

In Windows 8.1, go to the Start Screen; Click on the background.  In the lower-left, click the down-arrow to expose all icons.  Type the word "control".  Other-mouse-click the Control Panel tile and choose "Pin to Start"

Note:  If a non-Windows Live account is promoted to Administrator, it will still fail to install the Windows 8.1 upgrade.  See Solution 2.


Solution 2:

Use this solution if Solution 1 does not work.  The issue:  Only Microsoft Live Accounts can use the Windows App Store.  Secondly, the computer must be registered as a "Trusted Computer" from Windows Live.  Details, below.

Background:  If the PC's login account is a "local account" (and not a Microsoft/Microsoft Live account), you will not be able to use the AppStore and you will not be able to download and install Windows 8.1.  To see if your PC is a Local account, open the Charms menu, select "Change PC Settings" (bottom), select Accounts, then "Your Account".  Look under your UserName.  If it says "Disconnect" -- this is a Windows Live account; otherwise, it is a Local account.

Many People, when starting up a new PC, create a Windows Live account without realizing it and Solution 1 will have worked.  But if you created a "fake" Windows Live account (with a bad phone number and fake email), or never created a Windows Live account, you will not be able to install from the App Store.  These steps will work around this issue.

Decision:  Do you already have a Windows Live account, perhaps built on another PC?

If yes, do these next steps.  If not, follow the "Live Account Does Not Exist" steps:

Steps: A Live Account Exists:
A Windows Live account, such as one used to install another PC, or as a second account on this PC, can be used to install Windows 8.1. 

Check to see if you have a second login for this machine:
a.  From the main Start Screen, click the Profile-icon in the top-right. 
b. Log out and login as the Windows Live profile (this will show up as a second user who can login and is likely the account used to install and build this PC.  If a second account does not exist, see the next set of steps.
c. If the second account exists, use that account to login, then install Windows 8.1. 

If no second Login, but you have a Windows Live Account from another machine:
If you do not have a second account, but you have a Windows Live account, perhaps used on another PC or laptop, then follow these steps to enable that account on this PC.

- From your Local Administrator's account, open Windows Control Panel, "Users."

- Create a new user account on this PC (steps not detailed here), and use the Windows Live account to establish its credentials.  Note: As you build the account, nothing will happen on the screen; that account will not become active until used at least one time, as documented next.

- Important:  Return to this User's Control Panel settings "Change the account type" in order to 'promote' this user to Administrator.  See the top of this article for illustrated steps.

- Log out from the Local account and Login as the new Windows Live user.  This builds the profile and activates the account.

- Open the Charms, Settings menu.  Choose Change PC Settings" (the link at the bottom of the Settings screen).  On the left-nav, click "Users".  On the detail side, click "Trust this PC" (or if not available, "Verify this user". 

- Once this is done, logout and back in with this account.
 
- Start the Windows 8.1 install.


Steps: A Live Account Does Not Exist:
If a second account does not exist or you do not have a Windows Live account, create one now.

1.  From your current local (non Microsoft account), use Control Panel, Users. 
Create a new user.

Make this a Microsoft Live account, (do not create a local machine account).  When creating the account, you must use a legitimate email address and a legitimate phone.

2.  From the main Windows 8 Tile screen, click the profile-picture in the upper-right and login as the new account.  This creates the profile, but this profile does not have enough rights to install.  

3.  Sadly, you must logout as this user and log back in with the original Local Administrator's account.

4.  Open Control Panel, Users.  "Change Other Account."  Modify the newly-built Windows Live user.  Using the steps from the top of this article, promote this user from a "Standard User" to "Administrator." 

5.  Even more saddness:  Logout and re-Login as the new Windows Live user.

6.  Open the Charms Menu, choose "Settings".  Click the "Change PC Settings" (link, bottom of charm menu).  This will open into a new Metro-style Settings Screen.

6a.  On Left-nav, click "Users"  (user accounts)
 
6b.  On detail side, just under your profile picture, click "Trust this PC".  Notice, you have to "Trust this PC" while using a Windows Live account and the Internet must be active.  This is different than validating your copy of Windows.  If the PC has already been trusted, you may see a "Verify User"; click this instead.

Microsoft will send a text message to your Windows Live registered phone number or will verify with the registered email (this is why you can't fake this).  If it sends a text message, type the last four digits of your phone, when prompted.  Then, from the text message, type the 7-digit authentication number, as sent.  This confirms the trust.

7.  Return to the App Store.  Windows 8.1 should install.

Practically speaking, if you want to update any apps in the app store, you will have to use the Live Account.  Microsoft is forcing you to register and login your desktop.

Related articles:
Windows 8.1 Not in App Store.   Covers other installation errors you might encounter.
Windows 8.1 CD Drive not Visible

Plantronics Voyager Pro HD Review

Plantronics Voyager Pro HD Review

Synopsis:
Buy this headset.  Clear, flawless calls; everyone can understand me and few know I am on a headset.


My previous headset was a cheap, $30 Plantronics Explorer 240.  It was horrible.  Nobody could understand what I was saying and it picked up every ambient noise from paper-shuffling to ants walking on the sidewalk.  In the car it was hopeless.

Lesson learned: Buy a more expensive headset and the Plantronics Voyager Pro HD has been a good -- with just a few problems. 

I recommend this model (Voyager Pro HD) over the newer Voyager Legend.  I believe the Pro HD has a better boom mike and it has a non-proprietary USB charging port.  Amazon reviews tend to agree the Voyager Pro HD has better sound quality.

In summary:

• Clear, flawless voice calls.  Everyone understands me.
• I can hear them
• Noise cancellation is good; wind and road noise works well
• Boom mike "feels" right - you need a boom mike
• Comfortable on left or right ear
   
• Looks bulky but is not noticeable while wearing 
• Easy-to-use volume and call-answer controls
• 6 hour talk time - for real
• Standard Micro-USB charger; unlike newer Plantronic models which use proprietary plugs.
   
• It can theoretically "detect" when you are wearing it and route the call.  This feature is flawed, but survivable.
• Fit on the ear but is a bit too "loose"
• Costs: $70

Related Articles:
Keyliner: Bluetooth Headset does not respond to Voice calls



Hurray for the Dorky Boom Mic:

The overall construction is solid, with quality-feeling materials.  It does not feel cheap or plastic-y.

The boom-mic is the original reason I bought this headset.  I know you think this is dorky but it looks futuristic -- like an airline pilot.  Besides, anyone who thinks they can wear a BlueTooth headset and not look a little weird, is only fooling themselves.  I digress.  With the mic, there is nothing to hide and the device's intent is obvious.  Like flip-phones of yesteryear, the boom-mic seems "right" and you won't subconsciously yell into it.

The mic is one of the main reasons this headset works so well. Technically, it houses two separate microphones.  One picks up your voice while the other listens for outside, ambient sounds.  It compares the two and uses this for background noise cancellation.  In practice, it works well, especially with white-noise. On a windy day, this mic performs far-better than a normal phone.

Most of the people on the other end of the conversation do not know I am wearing a headset.  This speaks volumes about this device.

 
Size and Fit:

Many have complained the headset is bulky and it admittedly looks formidable.  But, despite the size, the headset is light, balances well on the ear.  The back-side has been unnoticeable.

Eye-glass wearers have reported problems, but I wear glasses and have been reasonably happy.

2012.10 Update: With thick plastic-frame glasses, I have had minor but noticeable problems keeping the headset on if I am moving.  When standing still or seated I have not had an issue.  With my thinner, wire-framed glasses, I have not had a problem.


Twists and Turns:

The headset fits on the left or right ear.  It moves "weirdly" with the ear-piece swiveling 180-degrees about the vertical post, and the boom mic rotates up-and-over (see top banner graphic).  In practice, you will pick one ear and will never vary.  But unfolding is a mind-bending exercise and I laugh every-time I do this.  The design is marvelous and confounding, especially when the phone is ringing. But after unfolding the headset about a thousand times, I think I've gotten the hang of it.

 

Problems:  Loose Fit

The vertical post, illustrated above, is a flexible tube (almost floppy).  This means it slips on and off the ear easily, but it also means it applies no pressure against the ear, making the fit seem loose.

The rubber ear-piece does not fit in the ear-canal; it was designed to be on the outside and because of this, it always feels "loose" on the ear.  The center-post, being "floppy" does not help and you will have the distinct feeling it does not feel "snug."  This is probably the only thing really wrong with the headset.  This doesn't mean it will fall off, but it never "feels right."

The ear-piece is replaceable and comes with three separate sizes.  With the smallest, I can wedge it into the ear-canal, where it feels natural and comfortable.  While "in" the ear, the sound and volume are spectacular -- but this is not where it wants to be and it will "pop" out and rest softly against the ear, as designed.  I suppose this is the reason other reviewers have commented the headset volume is too weak.  I can understand the observation but would agree it sounds better when it is "in" the ear.  With hearing aids, you must wear this on the outside.

Problem: On-Ear Sensor

The headset has a sensor that detects when you are wearing it.  While on your ear, new incoming calls are routed automatically to the headset.  If not on your ear, the call routes to the phone, even if Bluetooth is on.  If the headset is removed mid-call, it immediately disconnects and jumps to the phone.  But if I am moving and the headset jiggles, it sometimes "thinks" it has left my head and disconnects.

The on-ear-sensor can get confused at other times -- especially if the headset is in your pocket.  And when this happens, it cannot reliably tell when it should pick up the call.  Plantronics has Re-calibration Instructions here.  But I found calibration is a short-term fix and invariably it needs recalibration again and again and I no longer bother.  In my mind, the ear-sensor is unreliable.  But this is not a show-stopper.
 
Consider going to Plantronics site and downloading the BIOS update.  With this, you can disable the ear-sensor, which solves these types of problems.  Now, if Bluetooth is on, and the headset is on, the call routes to the headset, no questions asked. This is how I operate the headset now.  Granted, it is not as convenient, but with a few clicks on the phone, I am back in business and I know it is going to work.   

In practice, it is easier to control manually.  When not using the headset, I turn off the phone's Bluetooth and turn it on when needed.  Both the phone and the headset will engage during an in-progress call.  I can quickly switch to the headset without the other party noticing.

Optional but-needed Accessory: the Carry-Case

When buying the headset, I recommend buying the optional carrying case ($8), especially if you travel for a living.  This headset is valuable enough to protect.

Because this uses a standard micro-USB charger, throw an old cell-phone charger in your suitcase and leave the original at home but be aware the charger that came with the headset has a  lower amperage and charges slower (which can be a plus;  this is easier on the rechargeable battery).  With this said, I have used both and car-chargers.  It is nice having a standard micro-USB port, which  should be a requirement for all headsets and phones.


Day-to-Day Use

I have used this headset for more than a year and most of the time, the people at the other end do not know I am on a headset.  This is a testament to this headset's quality and the sound-quality is the primary concern. 

I have successfully paired with my cell phone, Android tablet and laptop and use it for calls, Skype, and with Google voice recognition.  The headset can pair with multiple devices and can work with two devices simultaneously.  For example, often the phone and the tablet are competing for the same channel and both seem to work properly. While active on the phone, I can turn on the tablet's Bluetooth and the headset immediately switches (you will hear "connected to device 2").  When I turn off the tablet's bluetooth, it automatically flips back to the phone ("connected to device 1").

The range is about 10 meters (30 feet) and works across several rooms in the house.  Distance has been surprisingly good.  When you walk in and out of range, a voice says "device disconnected / connected".  Each time you power it on, a voice tells you the battery status, such as "talk time 6 hours" or "talk time less than 2 hours."

Of all the headsets I have tried, this has been the best and I would buy it again.

Updated 2014.01
It was dropped on a concrete floor, with no obvious damage, but it quit working for a few days while I diagnosed the problem.  See the related article below for instructions on how to force a re-pairing.  After these steps, the headset is working again.

However, during this time I researched a replacement and seriously pondered a newer model, the Voyager Legend.  After reading many reviews, it appears the Voyager Pro HD is probably still the better device (better mic, better USB charging).  I would have stayed with the Pro HD model.


Pairing the Headset

For reference, this is how to pair the headset to your phone or laptop:

1. On the headset, from a powered-off state, press and hold the power button for approximately 10 seconds until the LED flashes red and blue.

2.  Turn on your (phone's) Bluetooth feature.  For most devices, Settings, Connections, Bluetooth.

3.  From the (phone's) Bluetooth menu, you should see "PLT_VoyagerPro".  Select it to begin pairing.

4.  If prompted for a Passkey/PIN, type "0000"

5.  On some phones, you may be prompted with a sub-menu, or there may be an options menu, where you can enable Bluetooth for Phone Audio or Media (music) Audio.  Check the appropriate options; usually both.

If you are having problems pairing, see this article:
Keyliner: Bluetooth Headset does not respond to Voice calls



2014.01.27 Edited for clarity and some embarrassing sentence construction and transitions; added better Re-Pairing instructions and numerous other article improvements.  Originally published 2012.08.15.

Related Articles:
Keyliner: Bluetooth Headset does not respond to Voice Calls

Plantronics Voyager HD Headset no longer working for phone calls

Problem: Plantronics Voyager HD Bluetooth Headset no longer working for phone calls. Bluetooth Headset will not connect during voice calls.

Symptoms:
Headset announces "Phone 1 connected"
Headset plays MP3 music
Headset announces talk time, disconnects, etc.
Bluetooth Headset settings were marked for both Phone Audio and Media Audio.
But Headset does not work during a phone call.

These instructions demonstrate an HTC One X phone, running Android 4.x.  Steps should be similar on other devices and other headsets.

Confirm this first:

A.  In the (Android) main Settings screen, confirm Bluetooth is On.

B.  In the main Settings page, click Bluetooth and locate the paired device.  On my phone, this appears as "PLT_VoyagerPro connected".  Click the Adjust-Settings icon on the far-right of the headset's name.

C.  In the Profiles section, confirm Phone Audio and Media Audio are turned on.  If not, turn the phone audio on and exit these screens.

D.  Test using the headset by calling Voice Mail (press and hold the "1" key on the numeric dial-pad).  If you still cannot hear the call, continue with the steps below.


Better Re-Pairing (Paring) Instructions:

I spoke with Plantronics support and they suggested these steps.  The first, solved my problem.

1.  From the phone's Bluetooth settings menu, delete the headset (de-pair).

2.  Exit the settings page and return to the phone's home page.

3.  Important, and this is the keys step:  Power-off, then on the phone.  This re-sets the bluetooth stack.

4.  Re-pair normally  (Press and hold the headset's power button for approximately 10 seconds, until the LED flashes alternating red and blue.  Turn on the phone's Bluetooth.  In the Settings page, bluetooth, click on the the advertised headset.  If prompted for a code, use "0000".

5.  One re-paired, click the Adjust-Settings icon on the far-right.  Confirm Phone Audio and Media Audio are selected (see illustrations, above).  Return to the phone's main screen.

6.  To test, dial voice-mail (press and hold "1" on the numeric dial pad).  Confirm you can hear the call.


Other Diagnostic Steps:

a.  Consider pairing the headset to another device, such as a tablet or another phone. If this pairs successfully, it indicates the problem is with your phone.  If it fails to pair or fails to work on the other device, suspect a problem with the headset.

Keywords:  repair repairing paring blue tooth connecting

Related articles:
Keyliner Review: Plantronics Voyager HD Bluetooth Headset