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I'm trying to do some automated testing of a bluetooth software library on windows, and would like to install two usb-dongle radios so that I can do a local loopback test. However, it seems that when I plug

2 dongles into 1 pc, OR
1 dongle into a pc with a built-in radio

I get

This device cannot start. (Code 10)

in the device manager. I've verified that the dongles work as expected when plugged into pc's without any bluetooth radio already installed.

Is it a known limitation of windows 10 that you can only have a single local radio, or am I doing something wrong?

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  • Are the 2 dongles identical and what are they? Do they come with a Bluetooth stack from the manufacturer?
    – harrymc
    Feb 1, 2018 at 15:01
  • @harrymc both are identical trendnet TBW-106UB dongles. They enumerate as Generic Bluetooth Radios in the device manager
    – Nicolas Holthaus
    Feb 1, 2018 at 15:03
  • Have you installed the driver?
    – harrymc
    Feb 1, 2018 at 15:08

3 Answers 3

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In our company where we develop software, we experimented with 2 adapters as well. One would be onboard, and other USB. We have found out that it is impossible to run 2 adapters at the same time. Windows will disable one (exclamation mark in Device Manager) and state Code 10 "Device cannot start".

It's either the USB dongle, or the onboard adapter, depending on if you boot with the USB dongle inserted or not.

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From Microsoft: 2 radios in one system is not possible (without VM hardware redirection): https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/bb43919c-d161-4508-9933-f6324cbb04dc/two-bluetooth-adapters-builtin-plus-usb

Limitations based on drivers, versions, etc. Windows will only load drivers for the first radio and error 10 any others.

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  • 1
    Thanks for the info. One note as a new SO user: links tend to accrue down votes because they break over time, it's better to quote the relevant sections of the article in the answer as well.
    – Nicolas Holthaus
    Jul 15, 2020 at 1:13
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The error code you are getting means that Windows has not managed to start up the device driver.

Most probably Windows is using its generic device driver, which cannot pilot your device.

I suggest to install and download the driver for the Trendnet TBW-106UB, found here.

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