Bluetooth Disabled itself

Question

I installed the internal Bluetooth card in my Inspiron 600m a couple of weeks ago. After installing the software and drivers, I configured it for the lone device I already had (my Palm Tungsten T2). Everything has been working fine with the hookup, but now I have a new problem.

For some reason, just today, the Bluetooth stopped responding. It was gradual and the tray icon intermittently showed enabled and disabled status. I tried restarting and even turning off power to the laptop. As a final step, I removed and reinstalled the internal Bluetooth card into the slot in the front of the computer. Now, the Bluetooth lamp does not come on, and there is no Bluetooth activity at all.

Could the card have gone bad in just that short a time, and is there anything else that could be wrong before I send the card back to Dell for a replacement?

Thanks,

Tony

DELL-BobT · Answer

tlcfotog,

Thank you for using the Dell Community Forum.

Please go into the system BIOS to ensure that BlueTooth is enabled here. There is a shortcut key-combination that will enable this, [Fn] - [F2].

TonyCoop · Answer

Thanks for the help, Bob. This is not the problem, however. In the BIOS, it also tells me that the Bluetooth card is not installed - even though it is. Fn+F2 gives me the graphic for turning on and off the radio, but has no effect on the Bluetooth status.

DELL-BobT · Answer

tlcfotog, Please update your Dell Community Forum user profile with the service tag of your system with the issue.

TonyCoop · Answer

My service tag information has been updated... another to-do to add to my list when I get a new system. :)

TonyCoop · Answer

Here's a new wrinkle in the grand scheme.

Tonight I opened up the computer again to see if I could reseat or detect any dust on the contacts - you know, the hopeless stuff that you know isn't going to work, but you at least tried it. :-)

Anyway, when I pulled the tab on the BT card, it not only pulled the card out, it also pulled the connector off the laptop's motherboard (that projects out and holds only that connector). The connector is quite small, and without magnification I could not see how it attaches to the motherboard, so there was no way I could reattach it right away. But my mind guesses it never should have detached to begin with... very little pressure is required to install or remove the BT card.

So, if this connector was loose on the motherboard to begin with, that could have caused the problem.

NOW what? :-\

jimbogun · Answer

I think you've nailed it with the loose connection. Most posts I've seen about Bluetooth (BT) are complaining about a USB device error and when you go to Advanced Configuration in the BTTray the Hardware is not detected. I've run some tests of my own to figure out why it's not detected. I tried installing the BT drivers that come on the Dell drivers CD, and reinstalling over and over, each time rebooting, but this did not help at all. I then realized that the BT blue light would sometimes come on. It would quickly turn off though. Then the USB error would pop up. I know for a fact that BT is turned on using the Fn + F2 because my wireless is on, and I've toggled it several times to see if BT would work, but to no avail.

Finally, I figured out that the blue light was turning on when I was resting my hands on the palm rest of the key board. If I pushed hard on the palm rest, the blue light would turn on and BT would work perfectly. If I lifted my palms slightly, BT would turn off. My only conclusion is that the BT module has a loose connection. I removed the keyboard off, and palm rest, to see if I could push the BT chip in farther, but it made no difference, only shifted the place where I had to press on the palm rest to get it to work. For the most part if I push firmly on the lower left edge of the palm rest, between the corner and the touch pad, the BT light turns on.

I really wish there was an easy fix that Dell could give us, but I'm afraid there isn't, except to refund us for the loose BT module or give us free BT devices that plug into the USB port. Let me know if pressing firmly on the palm rest helps anyone else.

TonyCoop · Answer

After reading the last two posts, I recall this same kind of issue happening just prior to the BT module not responding. When I put pressure on the palm rest, the light would flicker. And it was intermittent. But when it was off, I could turn it back on by tapping where the module rests, and vice-versa.

I'm thinking a call to Dell Support is in order here... the unit is defective in my opinion.

blueblueblue · Answer

I have the exact same problem as jimbogun. No hardware found. After pressing the keyboard palmrest I did not get blue light on. But after a while I got the USB device found message. Is there any official responce from Dell about this ?

blueblueblue · Answer

I contacted Dell about this problem and they are sending me the BT module (5-7 business day, depending on availability, no upgrades or express service here!!). Funny thing is that they expect me to install the module myself. I wonder how many of Dell customers can rip open their brand new Inspiron 600m with confidence?

TonyCoop · Answer

Opening up the 600m isn't the problem.

And there's nothing wrong with the BT module.

The problem is that the module, when inserted properly, pulls against its connector, which is directly under the wrist rest. Because the pull is just enough, the connector on the motherboard separates from the board itself and terminates the connection.

My question remains how to reattach (more permanently one hopes) the connector which was torn from the motherboard due in part to a bad design and configuration.

blueblueblue · Answer

I am waiting to see if the new BT module/connector design is any different than the old one?

jer122 · Answer

Has anyone gotten anywhere with this issue? Mine just started doing this a week ago and I am really getting frustyrated with Dell support

blueblueblue · Answer

They sent me a replacement BT daughter card - but it did not help. The BT was still erratic. Next they replaced my MOBO. everything seemed to be working now.

AFTER - three and a half months of trouble, some ugly scrathes on my brand new laptop and an unevenly installed keyboard - my investmement in the dell laptop is already a generation old (both technologywise and apparancewise). Unfortunately this is all before I could even use it for a week.

I feel they should give us the later 2 MB cache version of the processor and chipset MOBO as a replacement to keep our laptops on the leading edge.

TonyCoop · Answer

There has been no resolution to date on my case.  I haven't been able to use the internal module since I first posted about its malfunctioning.  I have since purchased a dongle to substitute, but it is more of a pain to use on the laptop.  Dell needs to come up with a solution and offer a n/c fix.

jer122 · Answer

Yea that would be very nice...

So you think the MOBO was ultimately the problem?

I am going to open mine up and reseat the card later tonight to see if that helps the problem, if it does not its going back to Dell for repair.....

Networking, Internet, & Bluetooth

Bluetooth Disabled itself

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