Good morning, Jesse.
The fluctuating device count likely represents Bluetooth profiles/endpoints being repeatedly enumerated rather than nine physical devices. Because Bluetooth also disappears from Settings, this points more toward a
wireless-module power/firmware failure or Windows device-enumeration problem than an issue with the paired accessories.
Build
26200.9106 is the August 11, 2026 hotpatch
KB5120994. Microsoft currently lists no known Bluetooth issue for that update. The regular 25H2 channel is on build
26200.9168, although managed hotpatch devices can legitimately remain on
.9106. (
support.microsoft.com)
Recommended troubleshooting order
1. Perform a complete power reset
A normal restart may not reset the Bluetooth side of the Intel wireless module.
- Save your work.
- Disconnect USB devices, the dock, and power adapter.
- Open Terminal as administrator and run:
shutdown /s /f /t 0
- After shutdown, hold the laptop’s power button for approximately 20 seconds.
- Reconnect power and start it normally.
2. Check what happens in Device Manager
- Open Device Manager.
- Select View > Show hidden devices.
- Expand Bluetooth, Network adapters, Other devices, and Universal Serial Bus controllers.
- Check the Intel Bluetooth adapter for a warning icon.
- Open its Properties and note any error such as Code 10, Code 43, or Code 45.
- If Bluetooth disappears again, check whether the Intel Wi-Fi adapter remains present.
If both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth disappear, that strongly suggests a shared wireless-module, firmware, or power-state issue.
3. Update the complete HP firmware stack
The processor model is not sufficient to identify the exact EliteBook. Use the laptop’s
product number/serial lookup in HP Support Assistant or HP Image Assistant, then install:
- The latest HP BIOS/UEFI
- Intel chipset drivers
- Intel Management Engine firmware/driver
- HP-provided WLAN driver
- HP-provided Bluetooth driver
- Any HP firmware update relating to USB-C, Thunderbolt, or the wireless module
Connect AC power and do not interrupt a BIOS update. On a work-managed laptop, involve your IT department first.
4. Clean-install both wireless drivers
Reinstalling only Bluetooth might leave the shared Wi-Fi/Bluetooth module in a broken state.
- Download the correct HP WLAN and Bluetooth packages first.
- Create a restore point.
- Disconnect from the Internet.
- In Device Manager, uninstall the Intel Wireless Bluetooth adapter.
- Select Attempt to remove the driver for this device if offered.
- Uninstall the Intel Wi-Fi adapter under Network adapters, again removing the driver if offered.
- Shut down rather than restart.
- Perform the power reset from Step 1.
- Install the HP WLAN package first and the Bluetooth package second.
- Restart and pair only one device initially.
Undo: Reinstall the downloaded HP driver packages. Keep an Ethernet or USB-network option available because removing the WLAN driver temporarily removes Wi-Fi.
5. Disable wireless power saving temporarily
- Open the Bluetooth adapter’s Properties > Power Management.
- Clear Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.
- Do the same for the Intel Wi-Fi adapter if that option exists.
- Test after sleep and after normal usage.
Undo: Re-enable the same checkboxes.
6. Repair Windows components
Open Terminal as administrator and run:
Code:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
sfc /scannow
Restart after both commands finish.
7. Test whether the August update triggered it
Because
.9106 corresponds to
KB5120994, check whether that update was installed immediately before the symptoms started.
- Open Settings > Windows Update > Update history.
- First install any newer update offered by your organization.
- If none is available and the dates match exactly, ask IT to test uninstalling KB5120994 or moving the machine temporarily off the hotpatch policy.
Do not remove a security update on a managed work computer without IT approval. Reinstalling the update reverses the rollback.
If it continues, please post the
exact EliteBook model/product number, Intel Bluetooth and Wi-Fi driver versions, and any Device Manager error code visible while the problem is occurring. Also confirm whether
Wi-Fi disappears at the same time. Those details will distinguish an update/driver problem from a failing wireless module or motherboard connection.
