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View Full Version : XPSP2: Is 3rd-party Bluetooth software really necessary?

ctmagnus
10-23-2005, 09:17 PM
I've got a Toshiba Tecra M4 and recently had their Bluetooth module (PA3425U-1BTM) installed into it. However, when I uninstalled all the Toshiba Bluetooth-related software in an effort to alleviate my Bluetooth-related problems, the machine acted as if there was no Bluetooth hardware in it.

Shouldn't Windows XP SP2 handle Bluetooth hardware natively, at least to the point that it notices that it's there?
OSUKid7
10-23-2005, 10:30 PM
Right...it should. :| I'd say if you can get the native XP SP2 Bluetooth stack to work, use it. However, when I used my Bluetooth USB dongle on my PC several months ago, I couldn't get it to work without installing the third-party drivers.
Darius Wey
10-24-2005, 04:08 AM
Shouldn't Windows XP SP2 handle Bluetooth hardware natively, at least to the point that it notices that it's there?

Yeah, it should be there. I'm using the Microsoft stack (included in SP2) on all my desktops and my laptop with no problems whatsoever. But the stack is far from bliss. If you're having issues getting your Bluetooth hardware to work natively, then you better move on to the third-party software, since it's not worth losing your hair over. One of the things I'm hoping for with Windows Vista is a significant improvement in the Bluetooth support, which quite frankly, isn't all that great in Windows XP SP2.
ctmagnus
10-24-2005, 05:26 AM
Ugh. Thx for the info. At this point, I'd bet that the hardware is installed incorrectly. Btw, Darius, this is related to the Disappearing com ports (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=370528) issue we were discussing.

So I'm taking the machine back where it came from, to have the BT module installed properly.
Darius Wey
10-24-2005, 06:51 AM
Btw, Darius, this is related to the Disappearing com ports (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=370528) issue we were discussing. So I'm taking the machine back where it came from, to have the BT module installed properly.

Nice to hear. I hope it all works out for you.
ctmagnus
11-05-2005, 03:45 AM
Whoops, meant to post this five or six days ago. :oops:

I took the machine back to where I had the module installed, but of course they were right full that day (Friday) and the service dept didn't work weekends, so the earliest they could get to it would be Monday at best. But I needed the machine for school work due Monday, so that was a no-go and I ended up bringing the machine back home without it being looked at. On Saturday, I downloaded and installed Toshiba Europe's v4 drivers (Toshiba North America only has v3.2 available) and now everything works! :D

I still get a pop-up from MS AntiSpyware when I resume/reboot, but that's there for only three seconds at a time. And the ability to walk into the house and initiate an ActiveSync (may have to send a wake-on-lan packet to the PC first) is simply beautiful.