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by sdl 3639 days ago
So true. At first I couldn't believe it, but it is IMPOSSIBLE to completely remove a paired bluetooth device from windows. After having connected my wireless keyboard to my mac for a day, I tried to reconnect it to windows. It fails silently and doesn't show up any more in available bluetooth devices. The connection to my mac obviously changed the pairing code, while windows still tries the old one. I googled for hours, tried everything from uninstalling bluetooth drivers to removing entries from the registry. Windows always silently re-adds the keyboard to the installed devices and fails at pairing. So I've got 2 choices left: Buy a new keyboard or reinstall Windows. Yay!
3 comments

I went the 'new keyboard' route when I needed to repair my Logitech K811 - I now have two keyboards on my desk, one for the mac, the other for the PC.. Absolutely ridiculous, but saved me wasting a day of installation (and inevitably having to re-pair the K811 in the future)
Doesn't the K811 have built-in functionality for changing it's bluetooth pairing by a button press? Does that fail to work or were you just disappointed in its build quality?
I went with an HP wireless elite keyboard and mouse with it's proprietary plug. I plug that into a usb switcher and then plug the switcher into my mac and windows machines.

I get sooooo tired of Windows either remember old stuff or forgetting new stuff. It is such a kludge of an OS.

I went back to a wired keyboard and have been happier ever since. Same for mouse, though that is somewhat irritating at times... I use a unicomp keyboard, and a logitech m500 mouse... Though I do miss some of the older mice that were more sturdy feeling.