Bluetooth setting errors....

[xxpinballxx]

I am hoping someone knows whats wrong with my system.

After reading the aticle about using the MPx220 as a modem I have been trying to get my set up working.
I turn my phone on and set it to discoverable.
On my laptop (sony VAIO A-190) I get to the page where it tries finding my phone and will not find it.
Also when i trun the laptop on to discoverable and hit apply it shows an error message reading "Bluetooth Service Error"
THen it says in the grey box that the connection settings and bluetooth setting were unable to set. No changes made.

I am not sure if there is something on my laptop keeping it from changing or what.
Maybe some security issue or the wireless linksys firewall?
ANy help would be great.
I have unlimited media works from cingular.
Would that cover using the phone as a modem or only on the phone itself?

THanks again!

[Mike Temporale]

Are you running Windows XP SP2? If so, try turning off the firewall and see if that makes any difference.

[xxpinballxx]

I have tried turning off the firewall and still get the same message.

It says the error happened while saving the settings.
This morning I ran to a local store where they carried the exact model of my laptop and tried setting it up for bluetooth discovery there and it said the same message.

Could it be a problem just with the Sony side of the computer or would that still be in windows?

[Mike Temporale]

Some machines have a hardware button that will toggle Bluetooth on and off. It might give you an error like the one you described if the hardware button is turned off, and you are trying to change the status of it. For that matter, is it even enabled in the network conections?

[xxpinballxx]

I just got off the phone with Sony. I might as well been ordering a pizza!

THe only hardware button i have is a switch to turn on the wireless LAN.
When I toggle that it closes the icon in the taskbar and appears to be searching or connecting the goes back to the little Bluetooth Icon.

I am at my wits end with this one.

[Mike Temporale]

In your device manager, under network adapters, do you have a Bluetooth adapter listed?

[Jerry Raia]

You can always use the old "delete the device and reboot" trick on the Sony. Maybe when it reinstalls the BT device you'll be up and running.

[xxpinballxx]

You know i haven't even thought to check in the device manager to see if it is working properly.
Thinking now about it I believe I recall seeing it not working when I first got
the laptop.

When you say delete and reboot, do you mean just delete the bluetooth adapter from add/remove programs and then restart? Will that reload the adapter on the system?

Thanks for all the great help here at the site.

[Jerry Raia]

You know i haven't even thought to check in the device manager to see if it is working properly.
Thinking now about it I believe I recall seeing it not working when I first got
the laptop.

When you say delete and reboot, do you mean just delete the bluetooth adapter from add/remove programs and then restart? Will that reload the adapter on the system?

Thanks for all the great help here at the site.

No, go to the Device Manager and delete it there. After you reboot it should rediscover the BT device and reinstall the drivers. This method has helped me with many a network device gone astray as well. :)

[Mike Temporale]

You know i haven't even thought to check in the device manager to see if it is working properly.
Thinking now about it I believe I recall seeing it not working when I first got the laptop.

That could be the problem right there. :wink: Check your device manager and let us know if anything has a red x beside it. Especially if it has Bluetooth in the name of it.

You might also want to check Sony's website for updated Bluetooth drivers.

[xxpinballxx]

Thanks you guys I will try that. Unfortunately I am at work and won't be home for a few hours but I wll update you guys soon as I get home.

Thanks again for all your help.

[xxpinballxx]

Okay now I am puzzled!

I went into my device manager and found the Bluetooth adapter and there was no error icon and properties said it was working fine.

Against my better judgement I deleted it. and rebooted my notebook.

Now it has restarted and has not recognized any new hardware or reinstalled any drivers.

Any suggestions?
It said under the line for bluetooth adapter that virtual com port 4 was working for the bluetooth.
Does that sound right or something I have done inadvertantly.

[Jerry Raia]

Is BT back in the Device Manager? If not is any new unrecognized device? Could be a driver problem.

[xxpinballxx]

It has disappeared from the list and there aren't any unrecognized devices listed.

??????

On another note what anout data connect cables?

Are they as good/better/worse than using bluetooth?

[Jerry Raia]

Ok this is very strange. Have you completely uninstalled the drivers?

Data cables are much faster for file transfers.

[xxpinballxx]

I am assuming that i have unistalled them. Now they are totally disappeared and i am not even sure how to check.


With Data COnnect cable will the browsing internet and email be faster both or just emails and downloads?

[Jerry Raia]

Well, you will be using active sync to browse and check email. That will be a little faster. File transfers is where you will really notice the difference.

The other issue has me stumped. Deleting from the device manager and rebooting is exactly what I would have done (and have done) for your situation. Are you certain BT is powered on? If it isnt the device may not be discoverable.

[xxpinballxx]

The problem is with turning on the bluetooth on my laptop. After checking the box to turn it on and clicking apply I got the error message saying setting could not be saved. I really am not sure what is going on.
I just went ot the sony website to reinstall the drivers and found only one.
After downloading it and starting the setup it said I have to have sp1 installed before it will install.

Well as you might have guessed I have sp2!!

and of course I can not revert back to sp1.
I was on the phone wit hsony last night for about 3 hours and they couldn't have been less helpful!
I don't know what I should do. I think I might just reformat my notebook and start over with a clean slate.

I have had a couple other issues with this notebook so it would be no real problem other than the backing up but I have an external HD for backups!

[Jerry Raia]

Yeah this is really one for Sony. I don't say that lightly because I know what a nightmare calling them can be. The reinstall idea is a good one too. At some point you have to figure what will take less time and usually the reinstall takes less time! A clean slate also fixes other problems you might have as well. Sorry I wasn't more help to you. Somebody smarter than I on here may also have another idea.

Keep us updated on what happens.

[xxpinballxx]

Thanks for all the help anyways......I am not sure about someone smarter than you.
You seem to be the holder of all smartphone wisdom!

By the way love the avatar and what is it?

[Jerry Raia]

Thanks for the kind words. The avie is from an old King Crimson album. :)

[xxpinballxx]

I know I have seen it before but not sure if that is where it was from.

thanks for all your help!

[Kris Kumar]

I don't see Sony Integrated Bluetooth on this list...
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=841803

:-(

The only other suggestion I have is Windows Update.

[xxpinballxx]

The alps bluetooth device was on the sony site but had to have service pack 1 installed and not two. I wonder if the one listed here is the updated one that I should use?

[Kris Kumar]

If Alps Bluetooth device is the one that comes with your Sony, then technically the driver should be already present on the laptop because of SP2.

But looks like something got messed up. :?

Windows Update or maybe Re-install SP2. And if all fails maybe going back to SP1 is the answer, though I would prefer SP2 even with the crippled BT. Though it would bug me a lot. ;-)

[xxpinballxx]

I can not go back to SP1 it will not let me. IT says I have a newer version and cannot install.

I think I am going to give sony one more call and if they are still as clueless as they were last night I am going to reformat my HD and stat from scratch!

I know it seems drastic but I have other issues with this three thousand dollar paper wieght!!!!

Thanks for the advice guys!

[Mike Temporale]

So let me see if I got all this right, Once it was removed from the device manager, and you rebooted, it didn't come back?

Try this, Start / Programs / Accessories / System Tools / System Restore. And restore things from prior to you deleting the item from Device Manager. It won't get things working, but it will put it back into the device manager.