What's up with Dell's Bluetooth drivers?

Yeah I've heard about this. I just ordered a new bluetooth module from Dell ($13.95 plus 8 shipping) and it should be here in the next day or so. I'm looking at the MX1000 BT mouse (or another BT option better for gaming) so before I install the module I'm gonna have to search through this forum looking for the best drivers to use. Haven't spent to much time on it yet but I know there are 2 or 3 different driver options avalable.

Search works fine *if* you know how to use it. Simply click Search and then click Advanced Search. Select "Search Titles Only" from the drop down and then select the "Dell 9300 / Dell XPS 2 / XPS M170" forum to search. Has worked everytime for me for over 8 months!

I have the truemobile 350 on mine. With Microsoft drivers my mx5000 (Mx5000 keyboard+mx1000 mouse) desktop works but I can't access some of the advanced features. With widcom drivers I can acess all the advanced fatures as well, like customising buttons, etc. The widcomm are also better with my phone. With them I can see the memory stick as a drive through bluetooth and access all folders. With Microsoft I had to send files one by one.
Quick guide on MX1000
1. Update the Truemobile firmware to the latest version. To do this download the Dell Drivers. Extract them using winrar. Look inside for the 2KXP directory, and inside of that, the DFU directory. Run dfu.exe. It takes around 10 minutes.
2. Download Widcomm drivers
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=BJ0NDHW6
3. Mod Them so that they can work on the truemobile
http://www.megaupload.com/ru/?d=HKH6KNHJ
Copy all files from 'svcpack' in the Patch to 'svcpack' folder in the drivers. It will replace one file and also copy 4 more files.
4. Uninstall Toshiba Bluetooth Drivers from Add/Remove Programs (Only if you are using the dells default drivers. Otherwise go to next step 5)
Restart. I think Windows will go ahead and install the Microsoft drivers without asking you after restarting.
5. Remove the Microsoft bluetooth support by following these steps:
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;889814
Restart
6. Click cancel when the new hardware found wizard appears. Go to Control Panel>Administrative Tools>Services. Right Click on Bluetooth Support Services, select properties and change it from Automatic to disabled. This will remove the Microsoft driver's Bluetooth icon from the control panel and tray.
Restart
7. Click cancel when the new hardware found wizard appears. Install the Widcomm Modded Drivers.
Restart
8. Plug in the Logitech Hub and install the mouse drivers.After that it will tell you it needs to restart.
If windows is only recognising your logitech bluetooth hub as a "Generic USB Hub" then press the red button on your receiver while plugging it in.
9. Remove the Logitech Hub after restart and connect the mouse using the truemobile.
Done
10.HOW TO REMOVE THE ANNOYING "MY BLUETOOTH PLACES" ICON FROM THE DESKTOP AND "MY COMPUTER" THAT DON'T WANT TO GO AWAY!
Open up the registry editor (Start> Run> regedit). Browse to the following key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Desktop\Name Space\{6af09ec9-b429-11d4-a1fb-0090960218cb}
Delete it. If you are paranoid, choose to export it first (right-click> export), so you can add it back later if you need to.
Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
11. How to remove the "My Bloototh Places" shortcut from "My computer"
Download TweakUI.
http://download.microsoft.com/downlo...ertoySetup.exe
Install it and run it. Go to "My Computer" (in TweakUI). Untick "My Bluetooth Places". Click Apply. I think you can remove the desktop icon too with this. But I couldn't test it cause I had already removed it.

KAROLOYDI ... many thanks there! I've read a number of threads and this is about the best guide I've seen! Again.. Many thanks!

No problem. I had the same trouble as you a month ago, so I know how it feels.

I vote sticky!!!!!!!!!!!

Bookmarked

Hmm... I might have killed my BT chip. I was doing the firmware upgrade via the DFU. It reached "Download - 100%" and then the screen disappeared. I waited about 15 minutes, and nothing else happened, but the DFU.exe was still running in the process list. I then decided to kill the process. DOH.

I've rebooted, and still no Bluetooth Radio appearing in Device Manager. And nothing appears on Hardware Scan. Hmm... I'm running the DFU again now, and it is going through the "Download" process again, so hopefully it will finish this time.

Any pointers?

If not they are fairly cheap. 1.800.dell.spare.parts and order a new one.

Phone: 800.372.3355 Options 5 then 3 then 2
Part Number: X5166
Price: $13.95 plus 8 bucks overnight (typically) shipping.

Hopefully it'll work this time but if not.... Good luck!


btw.. glad this got stuck!

Well. This is odd. The DFU actually finds the bluetooth device, and is able to successfully flash it, and the program quit normally after doing the "checking bluetooth antenna" routine. I rebooted, and still no BT.

Oh well. I'm covered under 3 year warranty, but of course, the Dell people are TOTAL morons, and wasted about 30 minutes of my time on hold and asking me inane questions like "is the BT on?" and "are the drivers installed?", despite me saying upfront exactly what I did and where I checked, etc.

Being a doctor, my time is precious, and the 30 minutes I spent on tech support was probably worth about $20. Damn, should've just bought a new one outright.

KAROLOYDI: how do you like the BT mouse for gaming?

Well, last bump. It seems that the directions above work SO well, that the only way I could get the device to show up at all, was to go ahead and just install the Widcomm drivers anyway. Hehe, everything works fine now.

TY all... and great sticky... the Widcomm stack is SOOOOOoooo much better than the Microsoft or Toshiba ones.

It's really good!
I had the razer diamondback before. In gaming razer is slightly better cause it is faster, but that doesn't have anything do with the fact that the mx1000 is bluetooth. It is just cause the razer was 1600 dpi and the MX1000 800 dpi. But when it comes to accuracy the mx1000 is slightly better due to the fact that it is slower, heavier and that it is laser.
The MX1000 is 10x better is in non gaming situations than the razer. The razer was a bit too fast and too light for these tasks. It was like it was on crack or something. The mx1000 is more behaved.
The only bad thing is that my steelpad is interfering with the bluetooth signal, so no more steelpad for me.But I couldn't use it with the razer either cause of my stupid sweaty hands).

P.S. It would be a good idea if you changed the title of the thread to something like "Widcomm Drivers Guide".

excellent guide!

Is there any way to get rid of the icon on the desktop that says "My Bluetooth Places"? right clicking only seems to bring up a few options, and delete is not one of them.

Yeah, it is really annoying. I want to remove it too. I searched everywhere, tried to stop processes, tried checking the registry, nothing. I found out to how remove the tray icon if anyone's interested, but that's about it.
I'll try and see if I can at least change the bluetooth icon using resource hacker. I have a really good looking one.

If you do update your original post to keep the vital info in one place

I have my bluetooth 350 module from Dell since last week but waiting till I get the MX1000 sometime in the next month. Anyone use the packaged deal with the BT MX1000 mouse and external keyboard? I know it had some bad issues last year and want to know if they have been fixed yet.

I have the mx1000 mouse with the bluetooth keyboard (MX5000 desktop). The issues haven't been fixed yet for the keyboard. When the keyboard is in standby mode and you try to type something it repeats some letters.
Like if you are trying to write Notebook it will write Noootebook.
I don't know if a driver update will fix it. Cause it would have been fixed by now. And I don't think you can do firmware update on BT keyboards. So if this thing looks something that would annoy you, don't go for the combo.

By the way, I managed to change the tray icon but it looks worse. I also changed the Control Panel icon, but it doesn't look so good either. But the previous control panel icon didn't look good either. it is like low resolution.

EDIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
FOUND THE SOLUTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How to remove Widcomm "My Bluetooth places" icon from your Windows desktop.
Open up the registry editor (Start> Run> regedit)
Browse to the following key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Desktop\Name Space\{6af09ec9-b429-11d4-a1fb-0090960218cb}

Delete it. If you are paranoid, choose to export it first (right-click> export), so you can add it back later if you need to.
Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

I have updated the guide as well.

My new Logitech V270 is running a 1000% better with the Widcomm stack over the Toshiba one (damn POS). Major thanks for the walkthrough KAROLOYDI.

After you uninstalled the toshiba drivers and reastarted, did the microsoft drivers get installed automatically? Or did you get a new hardware found wizzard? I just wanna know so that I can update the tutorial.

They install automatically. You have to go to the link on step 5 to uninstall them and then disable the reinstall in the inf folder. then reboot to remove them. The steps are pretty easy and the links work. Just follow the steps and you will be just fine