Bluetooth headphones failed to connect: a2dp-sink profile connect failed...Protocol not available

My Bluetooth headphones had been working fine, and I was regularly applying updates, when one day I went to use them and they failed to connect.

I did most of the usual steps, rebooting, deleting and repairing, but they wouldn’t connect. After some combination of rebooting, powering down, and reinstalling the drivers, it would connect again, until after another random update, it fails. In journalctl, I see this whenever I try to connect.

May 10 15:08:34 Darkholme bluetoothd[1584]: a2dp-sink profile connect failed for 00:00:00:00:0B:4C: Protocol not available
May 10 15:08:34 Darkholme plasmashell[3548]: org.kde.bluez: PendingCall Error: "Protocol not available"

I am running KDE on a Lenovo Flex 5, and would be happy to provide any other log you think is needed.

Please post:

zypper se -si blue
> zypper se -si blue
Loading repository data...
Reading installed packages...

S  | Name                        | Type    | Version      | Arch   | Repository
---+-----------------------------+---------+--------------+--------+------------------------
i+ | bluedevil5                  | package | 5.15.5-1.1   | x86_64 | openSUSE:Factory
i+ | bluedevil5                  | package | 5.15.5-1.1   | x86_64 | openSUSE:Factory
i+ | bluedevil5                  | package | 5.15.5-1.1   | x86_64 | openSUSE-Tumbleweed-Oss
i+ | bluedevil5-lang             | package | 5.15.5-197.1 | noarch | KDE:Frameworks5
i+ | blueman                     | package | 2.0.8-19.5   | x86_64 | Base:System
i  | blueman-lang                | package | 2.0.8-19.5   | noarch | Base:System
i+ | bluez                       | package | 5.50-5.1     | x86_64 | Base:System
i+ | bluez-firmware              | package | 1.2-158.14   | x86_64 | Base:System
i+ | bluez-qt-imports            | package | 5.57.0-1.1   | x86_64 | openSUSE:Factory
i+ | bluez-qt-imports            | package | 5.57.0-1.1   | x86_64 | openSUSE:Factory
i+ | bluez-qt-imports            | package | 5.57.0-1.1   | x86_64 | openSUSE-Tumbleweed-Oss
i+ | bluez-qt-udev               | package | 5.57.0-1.1   | x86_64 | openSUSE:Factory
i+ | bluez-qt-udev               | package | 5.57.0-1.1   | x86_64 | openSUSE:Factory
i+ | bluez-qt-udev               | package | 5.57.0-1.1   | x86_64 | openSUSE-Tumbleweed-Oss
i+ | libKF5BluezQt6              | package | 5.57.0-1.1   | x86_64 | openSUSE:Factory
i+ | libKF5BluezQt6              | package | 5.57.0-1.1   | x86_64 | openSUSE:Factory
i+ | libKF5BluezQt6              | package | 5.57.0-1.1   | x86_64 | openSUSE-Tumbleweed-Oss
i+ | libQt5Bluetooth5            | package | 5.12.3-1.1   | x86_64 | openSUSE:Factory
i+ | libQt5Bluetooth5            | package | 5.12.3-1.1   | x86_64 | openSUSE:Factory
i+ | libQt5Bluetooth5            | package | 5.12.3-1.1   | x86_64 | openSUSE-Tumbleweed-Oss
i  | libQt5Bluetooth5-imports    | package | 5.12.3-1.1   | x86_64 | KDE:Qt:5.12
i+ | libbluetooth3               | package | 5.50-5.1     | x86_64 | Base:System
i+ | pulseaudio-module-bluetooth | package | 12.2-11.2    | x86_64 | multimedia:libs
i+ | python2-pybluez             | package | 0.22-1.4     | x86_64 | openSUSE:Factory
i+ | python2-pybluez             | package | 0.22-1.4     | x86_64 | openSUSE:Factory
i+ | python2-pybluez             | package | 0.22-1.4     | x86_64 | openSUSE-Tumbleweed-Oss

Please post:

zypper lr -d
zypper lr -d
#  | Alias                                  | Name                        | Enabled | GPG Check | Refresh | Priority | Type   | URI                                                                                              | Service
---+----------------------------------------+-----------------------------+---------+-----------+---------+----------+--------+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+--------
 1 | KDE_Frameworks5_openSUSE_Tumbleweed    | KDE                         | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/KDE:/Applications/KDE_Frameworks5_openSUSE_Tumbleweed/ |        
 2 | KDE_Frameworks5_openSUSE_Tumbleweed_1  | KDE Extra                   | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/KDE:/Extra/KDE_Frameworks5_openSUSE_Tumbleweed/        |        
 3 | http-download.opensuse.org-06cf6ca8    | Base:System                 | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/Base:/System/openSUSE_Factory/                         |        
 4 | http-download.opensuse.org-0b581537    | devel:libraries:c_c++       | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/devel:/libraries:/c_c%2B%2B/openSUSE_Factory/          |
 5 | http-download.opensuse.org-17a33b1f    | home:selmf:yacreader-rpm    | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:/selmf:/yacreader-rpm/openSUSE_Tumbleweed/        |
 6 | http-download.opensuse.org-3702f3be    | games:tools                 | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/games:/tools/openSUSE_Tumbleweed/                      |
 7 | http-download.opensuse.org-40794cc9    | KDE:Frameworks5             | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/KDE:/Frameworks5/openSUSE_Factory/                     |
 8 | http-download.opensuse.org-42914dca    | devel:languages:nodejs      | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/devel:/languages:/nodejs/openSUSE_Tumbleweed/          |
 9 | http-download.opensuse.org-793cb364    | KDE:Qt:5.12                 | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/KDE:/Qt:/5.12/openSUSE_Tumbleweed/                     |
10 | http-download.opensuse.org-82788b88    | home:anicka                 | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:/anicka/openSUSE_Factory/                         |
11 | http-download.opensuse.org-994d490f    | multimedia:libs             | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/multimedia:/libs/openSUSE_Tumbleweed/                  |
12 | http-download.opensuse.org-a188b722    | home:happenpappen           | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:/happenpappen/openSUSE_Tumbleweed/                |
13 | http-download.opensuse.org-a3e34b12    | home:crick_ru               | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:/crick_ru/openSUSE_Factory/                       |
14 | http-download.opensuse.org-bac0911b    | openSUSE:Factory            | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/                                                |
15 | http-download.opensuse.org-cce00ad8    | network:im:signal           | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/network:/im:/signal/openSUSE_Tumbleweed/               |
16 | http-download.opensuse.org-d971476d    | games                       | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/games/openSUSE_Tumbleweed/                             |
17 | http-download.opensuse.org-ef3795ad    | openSUSE:Factory            | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/                                                |
18 | http-download.opensuse.org-fb2ae2e5    | home:dstoecker              | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:/dstoecker/openSUSE_Tumbleweed/                   |
19 | openSUSE_Tumbleweed                    | MalcolmLewis                | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | https://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:/malcolmlewis:/TESTING/openSUSE_Tumbleweed/      |
20 | opensuse-guide.org-openSUSE_Tumbleweed | libdvdcss repository        | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://opensuse-guide.org/repo/openSUSE_Tumbleweed/                                              |
21 | packman.inode.at-openSUSE_Tumbleweed   | Packman Repository          | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://packman.inode.at/suse/openSUSE_Tumbleweed/                                                |
22 | repo-debug                             | openSUSE-Tumbleweed-Debug   | No      | ----      | ----    |   99     | NONE   | http://download.opensuse.org/debug/tumbleweed/repo/oss/                                          |
23 | repo-non-oss                           | openSUSE-Tumbleweed-Non-Oss | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/non-oss/                                            |
24 | repo-oss                               | openSUSE-Tumbleweed-Oss     | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/                                                |
25 | repo-source                            | openSUSE-Tumbleweed-Source  | No      | ----      | ----    |   99     | NONE   | http://download.opensuse.org/source/tumbleweed/repo/oss/                                         |
26 | repo-update                            | openSUSE-Tumbleweed-Update  | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://download.opensuse.org/update/tumbleweed/                                                  

You should sort your Repo list, 3 times OSS repo, multimedia:libs and Packman at same time is not a good choice…

Does this look better?

zypper lr -d
#  | Alias                                  | Name                        | Enabled | GPG Check | Refresh | Priority | Type   | URI                                                                                              | Service
---+----------------------------------------+-----------------------------+---------+-----------+---------+----------+--------+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+--------
 1 | KDE_Frameworks5_openSUSE_Tumbleweed    | KDE                         | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/KDE:/Applications/KDE_Frameworks5_openSUSE_Tumbleweed/ |
 2 | KDE_Frameworks5_openSUSE_Tumbleweed_1  | KDE Extra                   | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/KDE:/Extra/KDE_Frameworks5_openSUSE_Tumbleweed/        |
 3 | http-download.opensuse.org-06cf6ca8    | Base:System                 | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/Base:/System/openSUSE_Factory/                         |
 4 | http-download.opensuse.org-0b581537    | devel:libraries:c_c++       | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/devel:/libraries:/c_c%2B%2B/openSUSE_Factory/          |
 5 | http-download.opensuse.org-17a33b1f    | home:selmf:yacreader-rpm    | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:/selmf:/yacreader-rpm/openSUSE_Tumbleweed/        |
 6 | http-download.opensuse.org-3702f3be    | games:tools                 | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/games:/tools/openSUSE_Tumbleweed/                      |
 7 | http-download.opensuse.org-40794cc9    | KDE:Frameworks5             | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/KDE:/Frameworks5/openSUSE_Factory/                     |
 8 | http-download.opensuse.org-42914dca    | devel:languages:nodejs      | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/devel:/languages:/nodejs/openSUSE_Tumbleweed/          |
 9 | http-download.opensuse.org-793cb364    | KDE:Qt:5.12                 | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/KDE:/Qt:/5.12/openSUSE_Tumbleweed/                     |
10 | http-download.opensuse.org-82788b88    | home:anicka                 | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:/anicka/openSUSE_Factory/                         |
11 | http-download.opensuse.org-a188b722    | home:happenpappen           | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:/happenpappen/openSUSE_Tumbleweed/                |
12 | http-download.opensuse.org-a3e34b12    | home:crick_ru               | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:/crick_ru/openSUSE_Factory/                       |
13 | http-download.opensuse.org-d971476d    | games                       | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/games/openSUSE_Tumbleweed/                             |
14 | http-download.opensuse.org-fb2ae2e5    | home:dstoecker              | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:/dstoecker/openSUSE_Tumbleweed/                   |
15 | openSUSE_Tumbleweed                    | MalcolmLewis                | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | https://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:/malcolmlewis:/TESTING/openSUSE_Tumbleweed/      |
16 | opensuse-guide.org-openSUSE_Tumbleweed | libdvdcss repository        | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://opensuse-guide.org/repo/openSUSE_Tumbleweed/                                              |
17 | packman.inode.at-openSUSE_Tumbleweed   | Packman Repository          | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://packman.inode.at/suse/openSUSE_Tumbleweed/                                                |
18 | repo-debug                             | openSUSE-Tumbleweed-Debug   | No      | ----      | ----    |   99     | NONE   | http://download.opensuse.org/debug/tumbleweed/repo/oss/                                          |
19 | repo-non-oss                           | openSUSE-Tumbleweed-Non-Oss | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/non-oss/                                            |
20 | repo-oss                               | openSUSE-Tumbleweed-Oss     | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/                                                |
21 | repo-source                            | openSUSE-Tumbleweed-Source  | No      | ----      | ----    |   99     | NONE   | http://download.opensuse.org/source/tumbleweed/repo/oss/                                         |
22 | repo-update                            | openSUSE-Tumbleweed-Update  | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://download.opensuse.org/update/tumbleweed/                                                  

Does this look better?

Tumbleweed and KF5, QT5 and some others…
But your choice.

Try as root:

zypper dup --from http://packman.inode.at/suse/openSUSE_Tumbleweed/ 

All of this worked, as my Blueooth headphones work!

But now, my brand new Bluetooth earbuds do not. (They work when attached to my phone, but not my laptop.) Any ideas?

After a reboot, they don’t anymore.

Is there even a place I can go to get a more detailed log so I can find out why they are failing?

On my machine I always need to do

sudo systemctl restart bluetooth

after a boot. Without restart bluetooth A2DP will never ever work with my bluetooth headset. After the restart of bluetooth it works directly after turning on the headset.

Perhaps this works for you also.

I also had success with pulseaudio -k, which kills the audio system, KDE auto-restarts it, and after that it seems to pick up Bluetooth better.