Bluetooth grayed out in Desktop Manager?

[connert]

It seems like I went through *** to find the reason my Desktop Manager would not play nice with my Belkin Bluetooth dongal. Once I found out the reason my DM bluetooth option was grayed out (WIDCOMM stack), and the answer (Windows stack), it took a search through several forums and Microsoft's KB to resolve the issue. So, I thought I'd post a step by step guide to help others.

If you are a BIS user like me, Bluetooth connectivity is probably the best option for keeping outlook synced.

I'm not sure if it makes a difference, but I uninstalled DM before starting this and re-installed it after.

(Assuming you have a usb bluetooth device installed on your PC and Windows XP)

This is what worked for me:

1. Go to Device Manager and right click on your bluetooth device, then click properties. (Be sure you have the dongal plugged in are you will not find a listing for it in Device Manager).

2. Go to the "Details" Tab and select the Device Instance Id.

3. Now click on the Id in the box below. It will look something like USB\VID_050D&PID_0131\5&31AD355&0&1.

4. Press ctrl + c to copy the id.

5. Open Notepad on your PC and paste the id in to it.

6. Remove the last part of the id so it looks like USB\VID_050D&PID_0131

7. Copy the modified id to your clipboard.

8. Go to Start then Run and type %windir%\inf\bth.inf in the box. Click OK.

9. Notepad will open this file.

10. Scroll down the notepad until you see:


;------------- Device section - Start -----------------------

[ALPS.NT.5.1]
ALPS Integrated Bluetooth Device= BthUsb, USB\Vid_044e&Pid_3005
Alps Bluetooth USB Adapter= BthUsb, USB\Vid_044e&Pid_3006

[Belkin.NT.5.1]
Belkin Bluetooth Adapter= BthUsb, USB\Vid_050d&Pid_0081
Belkin Bluetooth Adapter= BthUsb, USB\Vid_050d&Pid_0084
My Bluetooth Device Adapter= BthUsb, USB\VID_050D&PID_0131

[BrainBoxes.NT.5.1]
Brain Boxes USB Bluetooth Adapter BL-554= BthUsb, USB\Vid_05d1&Pid_0003


11. This is where you are going to add your device id. Paste the id from step 7 in to this file. Be sure to add a device name so it looks like this: (see red text in example)

My Bluetooth Device= BthUsb, USB\VID_050D&0131

12. Save this file and close notepad.

13. Go to Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel and remove all the Bluetooth software you have installed.

14. Remove the dongal from your USB port.

15. Restart your computer.

16. After your computer reboots, re-connect dongal to USB port and let Windows automatically find and install your device. It will load the native Windows Bluetooth stack which is needed for Desktop Manager to allow you to sync through Bluetooth connection.

Open DM options and the Bluetooth option should no longer be grayed out. It is not as hard as it may seem.

[Raven71]

OK I am having the same problem with a IDGEAR blue-tooth. This is the ID string I find in my properties device manger
{95C7A0A0-3094-11D7-A202-00508B9D7D5A}\BTWDNDIS\1&30EE4AD&0&1000000020000

What do you think I have to take out of this string?

[connert]

Did you find this in the Bluetooth Device Adapter properties or in the Bluetooth Enumerator properties? The Bluetooth Device Adapter Properties>Details>Device Instance Id should start with USB\VID.

[Cosmo]

Connert, I am a new, first-time BlackBerry (Curve 8310) owner with the same, or at least a similar, problem: grayed-out Bluetooth options in Desktop Manager. I am using an XP laptop with Bluetooth capability built in. I have successfully paired my BlackBerry with my laptop, yet DM I guess doesn't see my phone. Since I don't have a dongal (do I need one to sync?), the procedure you very considerately posted above wouldn't apply to me, would it? And if not, do you have any suggestions? Thanks!

[connert]

It would not apply in a step by step manner, however I think the issue is the same. DM only seems to work with the Windows bluetooth driver stack. We have to find a way for Windows to see your bluetooth device and load drivers and not load the drivers that came with the laptop for your bluetooth. What does the Device Instance Id look like? What drivers are loaded now? And what brand is the bluetooth device?

Tony

[Cosmo]

Device Instance ID is USB\VID_03F0&PID_171D\6&1F955B39&0&1
Driver: C:\WINDOWS\system32\DRIVERS\btwusb.sys (manufacturer: WIDCOMM; provider: Broadcom Corporation)

[connert]

This looks like good news. The pc is seeing the device as USB. I would use the steps above but at step 14 go back to device mgr and uninstall the bluetooth, restart and it should install with the Windows drivers.

[Raven71]

Sorry it took so long to get back. I forgot to subscribe to the post.
I need to see if I was looking at the right thing when I get home.

I had to re install my BT device along with the BB DM yesterday.

Still same problem and now the DM starts up when I turn my computer on. Yes I have the check box m3ked not to start up.
Also properties is grayed out in the task bar. So things have got worse.
I think I will re install and see if things go back to normal.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Cosmo]

Thanks, Connert. I have spent a lot of time trying to make your system work for me, but I have failed. I finally found an article on BlackBerry.com that says BB Bluetooth won't work in an XP system with "third-party" Bluetooth software, and it names WIDCOMM specifically as such a provider of non-compatible Bluetooth software.

It claims that only "Bluetooth software that comes with Windows XP SP2" will support BB Bluetooth. The article points toward a list of USB ADAPTERS that use such software.

The last thing I plan to try before giving up and buying an adapter is to upgrade to DM 4.3 to see if that makes any difference. Not optimistic there.

Any further thoughts would be welcomed.

(I included two URLs in this message originally in case you wanted to check out my research, but Crackberry made me take them out! It seems I have to have 10 posts under my newbie belt before I am granted the privilege of placing URLs in my posts(?!).)

[connert]

I also installed 4.3, but it did not work. Sorry this did not work for you. I do not have the built in bluetooth to try. Wish I could be more help, but I'm all out of ideas. You have to be able to remove the WIDCOMM drivers from the system for this to work.

Tony

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Cosmo]

Tony, I am now able to sync via Bluetooth, thanks to your guidance. What worked for me, for some unknown reason, was in following your step #11, placing "My Bluetooth Device Adapter," etc., on the notepad as a stand-alone entry IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER on the list of all of the other adapters. (Under "M.") Then, just as your directions indicated, upon restart Windows downloaded the correct drivers, and voila! Thanks very much again.

Mike

[connert]

Mike,
I'm with you. Not sure why alphabetical order would matter but hey, sometimes you just have to go with what works. I am happy to be of some help.

Tony

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[wirephobia]

Just wanted to say thanks for the tip - worked fine for me with a built in Bluetooth device (Thinkpad). Obviously I didn't have a USB dongle to remove, but simply following your guide, missing out step 14, did the trick.

Thanks

[connert]

Happy to be some help.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Username5300]

What version of DM are you running, I don't even see a bluetooth on my DM.