[affguy]

I must have missed it somewhere in the forum descriptions, but I don’t see where we should post for help with Storm issues. I’m not here to rant about how awful the Storm is, nor to declare it the greatest invention since the microwave, I just need some advice.

Issue:
Have never gotten tethered modem function to work, and can no longer get laptop & Storm to talk to each other via USB or Bluetooth.

Background:
Storm purchased on day of release, later upgraded to 0.76 OS. Laptop is new Sony Vaio, with integrated Bluetooth, OS is Vista. Installed DM shortly after Storm purchase and synched and transferred files without issue, but didn’t get tethering to work through VZW access manager, even though I’m paying for it (not a problem in the winter). I also have a desktop at work that I’ve USB’d my Storm to for charging and file storage (transferring personal files from work computer to Storm). I have not installed DM on work machine, as only administrators have that ability in our security system.

Current:
I’m coming up on the time of year when I need tethering to work, so this weekend I made another stab at it with discouraging results. First I tried to synch via USB, and that failed fairly late in the process. I did notice in DM that my device was recognized via Bluetooth, not USB, even though I had it hardwired. I tried to change properties to hardwire, and to rebuild Bluetooth “relationship”, both failed. In VZW Access Manager, I tried to update software and it said I was running the most current version. Some googling around indicated there was a version of Access Manager specifically for RIM devices, so I uninstalled previous version and installed “RIM” version, and found nothing different. In trying to reestablish communication between laptop and device, I worked my way down a path I’ve been getting at startup whenever I get on my lappie that says “Need further drivers for your Bluetooth peripheral device” without success. The USB drivers on RIMs page wouldn’t install because it said I had a newer version already (Nov 7 version wouldn’t install). In trying to reinstall DM from their page, I chickened out when it said to uninstall current version, as that’d cost me what back up I do have (November’s backup, from when the device was new). As an aside, at one point in this effort, RIM stuck my computer in a “do-loop” opening an incredible number of instances of IE going to their page, with dozens of tabs per instance…hello task-manager-shut-down, hello hard-reboot. One other thing I did notice was that in bluetooth mode, there’s a weird suggestion that either my Storm thinks my computer is a Bluetooth headset or vice versa.

Bottom line:
I don’t know where the problem is, but my laptop & storm no longer talk to each other effectively. I need to fix that and I need to make my storm work as a tethered modem.

Humorous side-note of questionable relevance:
Saturday, in frustration, I took both devices to the Geek Squad at Best Buy. I asked the clerk whether they had anyone who could help me get my Storm and laptop talking to each other to the extent synching and tethering would work, that I was frustrated and willing to pay someone else. He went in the back for about 30 seconds, came back out and said, “Yep, we got a guy who can do that. It’ll be $129 for an OS install.” I thanked him for his time and said I’d keep tinkering on my own.

Thanks in advance for any help,
Dave

[Reed McLay]

The first issue to addres is your USB port connection.

The USB drivers are part of the BlackBerry Desktop Manager install. Use Windows / Control Panel / Programs to select BlackBerry Desktop Software for a repair install. That will insure you have the correct drivers in place.

If you are still not being recognized, BlackBerry has published a paper on troubleshooting USB issues.

http://www.blackberry.com/btsc/searc...00%20183996998

Once you have the USB connection sorted out, we can work on tethering.

[Sniperet]

My experience is that it is fairly simple and reliable to use the USB connection. I had trouble with Bluetooth tethering in the past and gave up rather quickly since I figured it would be a slower connection anyway and I didn't want my phone pairing with my puter at inopportune times.

As Reed said reinstall Desktop Manager after the Verizon Access install and it should ensure you have the right drivers, some of the older version of VZ access had bad drivers.

From you description it sounds like you may have had the phone Bluetooth paired to your puter and also plugged into the USB port, I could see how that may gum up the works as far as VZ access finding the correct com port to use.

[affguy]

Sounds good, thanks for the replies. I'll go ahead and remove my laptop from the list of bluetooth connections on my phone, and my phone from the list on the puter. Then I'll try the DM install repair first, which I'm assuming will not require me to move my backup files as would be the case for a full uninstall-new install. If that doesn't work, I'll read the referenced paper to search for answers, and if I don't find one I'll do a full uninstall-reinstall.

Thanks again,
Dave