Bluetooth on IPAQ 2210 does not work!

[maikii]

I have had an IPAQ 2210 for over a year, however I have never had the opportunity to use the Bluetooth feature until now, with another Bluetooth device. Still the original build of WM2003. Some updates, but not the ROM update, as mentioned in another post.

I notice that I had, however, installed two BT updates--the HP 2200 BT Driver Update Build 58, and the hp h1940-2200 btfix.

I go to "Programs", and click "Bluetooth Manager". I get the following error message, after a red X:

"The Bluetooth Radio failed to turn ON due to insufficient driver memory available. You must perform a normal reset before you can turn ON the Bluetooth Radio".

So, of course I soft reset the IPAQ, went right back to the Programs Screen, and tried again. Same error message. Tried several times, same result.

There are no other programs running, and it is right after a reset. If I go to "Memory" in "Settings", it shows for Program Memory: allocated 37.18 MB, In Use 9.69 MB, Free 27.49 MB.

Are those normal memory amounts? In fact, most third party apps I have not installed to main memory, but to my memory cards and IPAQ File Store, in order to not use much of main memory for storage, and leave as much of it as possible for program memory. I don't know what is using the 9.69 MB it says is "In Use", as no programs are running, but perhaps that is the normal amount consumed by the WM2003 OS.

I figured that perhaps the BT updates I installed were actually causing a problem, that I should at least experiment with uninstalling them. I uninstalled the bthotfix, which I think is fairly recent, from June. Rebooted, tried again, same problem. I tried to uninstall the BT Driver Update Build 58, but was unable to uninstall it. I tried several times, but always got the error message: "The program was not removed because these files are in use or read-only." The file it listed was \Windows\BtCeIf.dll. There was a recommendation to go to the Memory tab, "Running Programs", Stop All, and try again. I went to that tab, but it showed no programs running. Also tried a few times after reboot, always same result, could not uninstall the BT Driver Update.

I reinstalled the bt hotfix, rebooted, tried again, same problem again, same error from Bluetooth Manager.

If in Settings I click Bluetooth, I see the following: "Current Profile: Default." "Bluetooth Status: Bluetooth is Off. Insert a Bluetooth card to turn it on."

Since the IPAQ 2210 has built-in Bluetooth, of course I should not have to insert any kind of Bluetooth card.

How do I turn it on? How do I get the built-in Bluetooth to work on the iPAQ 2210?

[Dazbot]

I'd do a backup either through ActiveSync or to a storage card and then perform a hard reset by holding down the Calender and iTask buttons and pushing the reset button. Hold them down for 30 or so seconds till the screen goes blank, release the buttons and then push reset again, you'll have to go through the setup screens again though.

If this doesn't work they you make have to send it back to HP to have it repaired or replaced.

[nepats]

In the upper left corner of your 2210 you have 2 lights. Does the left one flash blue while your device is on? If not then you just need to turn your bluetooth on. I have a 2215 so I'm assuming these are the same steps to turn the bluetooth on:

Start -> Settings -> System -> Bluetooth

The tab that comes up has the profile and the Bluetooth Status. Mine has a turn off box and a turn on box. If your device status currently states "Bluetooth is OFF" then just tap the "Turn on" box and you should start seeing the blue led flash and you should be ready to go.

From your post it looks like you're going into the Bluetooth Manager which is how you set up Bluetooth to work with other devices and to ActiveSync, etc. You will first need to follow the above to turn the bluetooth on.

[GSmith]

I've had this problem twice on my 2215. I sent mine in to HP both times. The first time it seemed to work for about 6 months. I'm about 1 month into my second replacement.

Some people have intermittent problems that are fixed by various combinations of turning bluetooth on/off and soft resets. My problem became intermittent with greater frequency (fixable apparently with bluetooth on/off & soft resets) until it eventually failed completely.

I use my bluetooth very frequently (daily+) for Internet over mobile phone and for activesync.

My problem was not fixed by hard reset. But you should TRY hard reset as mentioned above. If you call or "chat" with HP support, they will lead you through the resetting procedures (I'm not sure if this costs money outside of warranty). If you choose to do this, it takes from 1 to 3 hours with them to walk through all the upgrades, soft resets, and hard resets.

Some older HP iPAQs models seem to have this problem as well. Some people believe this is the same problem because it manifests itself the same way "insufficient driver memory". I don't think there is enough data to determine that.

HP had excellent response to this problem of mine both times covered under warranty. Both cases required replacement of the "main board". This costs over $180 out of warranty, maybe as much as $230 (ICRE - I can't remember exactly).

[maikii]

Well, I'll tell you how I got it to work, in case anyone else has the problem.

In looking in the Windows folder, I saw a file called something like bttray.exe. I executed it, and afterwards BT manager does open, Bluetooth works, etc. It had nothing to do with memory, despite the error message.

What I assume is the following--the PPC comes from the factory with that file in the Startup menu, set to startup automatically on system startup. I probably saw it there at some time (although I don't recall it), and since I wasn't using Bluetooth at the time, and don't like anything unnecessarily using the limited memory of the device, took it out of there, and forgot about it.

Now I still didn't put it in Startup for automatic start, but put an icon for it on my Today menu (using "Launcher"), so if I want to use Bluetooth, I click that icon first.

I really think the PPC should have been configured to have an icon for it in "Programs" too. When I looked before in "Programs" for something to deal with Bluetooth, the only icon was for the Bluetooth Manager applet. As I said though, that wouldn't start without the Bttray program running, although it doesn't tell you that, and instead gives the "out of memory" error. (If I had got a correct error message, saying that Bttray needed to be running, I would have looked for it immediately and fixed the problem much sooner.)

[dec0de]

I have used the 2210 with bluetooth connecting to the internet through my mobile phone. I had lots of problems when connecting to download my mail.
Usually when trying to connect to the phone it started to connect, but failed after a while (either when connecting to the internet, or connecting to the mail server). If this happened i had to reset the iPAQ and things run smoothly until next connect. Sometimes I had to reset the phones instead.
I was so pissed about this I was just waiting to throw pocket PC out and put in linux instead (though they aren't really finished yet...). Sometimes the phones rebooted, sometimes the iPAQ.


One thay I was happily swiming with my phone in my pocket...
The other day I bought a Nokia 6230, and all those problems dissapeared.

My conclusion is, there is something fishy with Sony Ericssons way to do bluetooth'ing. The upside of the Sony Ericsson. models is, you don't have to accept each connection you make with bluetooth. Great when connecting a lot. The upside with Nokia, its a hazle to answer yes all the time but it works all the time.

Just wanted you to know, bluetoothing isn't easy business... ;)

cheers

/Theo

[Dazbot]

The upside of the Sony Ericsson. models is, you don't have to accept each connection you make with bluetooth. Great when connecting a lot. The upside with Nokia, its a hazle to answer yes all the time but it works all the time.
/Theo

I used to have a 6310i and use Bluetooth a lot on my h2210, under the Pocket PC pairing, which is under bluetooth settings somewhere, you can disable the comfirmation box so it just connects.