Windows Vista 32-bit and Dell Bluetooth Module 355

Question

Hi,   I recently installed a Dell 355 BTM in my Inspiron XPS-Gen1 and have 'most' of it up and running.  I have three 'other devices' that I cannot identify or get drivers to load for.  What has worked so far is: Bluetooth Radios (Microsoft BT emumerator and Dell Truemobile 355), HID (Bluetooth Remote Control, 2 HID=compliant consumer control devices and two USB HIDs), Mice and other pointing devices (ALPS and HID-compliant mouse), Modems (Standard Modem over Bluetooth link), Sound, video and game controllers (Bluetooth hands-free audio, bluetooth Stereo audio).   The original XP installation had no unknown devices and included a BT high quality audio device that I don't see in Vista.  Any ideas what these three devices are and how I can intall them and get them operational?   I have the most recent BT software available from the Dell site.  Thanks in advance!  Joe

penguinking14 · Answer

hi joe, i recently purchased the true mobile card formy inspiron e1705, and when going through items, dell informed me that several bluetooth cards from dell doont work 100% with vista. they instructed me to actually go with the truemobile 350. That and vista just may not support the hardware that xp did.

jkeifer3 · Answer

Thanks for the information. I have also seen that comment elsewhere and it's good to know that you at least confirm it once more. The original Dell Truemobile 300 wouldn't even consider working with Vista. Any idea what the difference between the 350 and the 355 is? The only thing I use the BT capability for synching with my Nokia N93 and using a MS Bluetooth keyboard and mouse. I am compulsive, I guess, as I don't like to have things 'not working' and getting the best of me if you know what I mean.

penguinking14 · Answer

i honestly dont know of the differance between the two, other than the softawre built into it, i couldnt seem dell to tell me much more than that. and after googling it, i couldnt find any info either.

jkeifer3 · Answer

I got frustrated and, taking matters into my own hands, I did I clean (including format C:) install of Vista Ultimate 32-bit.  The first thing I did was install the 355 Bluetooth drivers (v6.x) available from Dell and everything now is working nicely.  I don't have any idea what derailed the other attempts at upgrading the drivers but maybe it was the Microsoft stuff that was stubbornly refusing to go away.  Thanks for the info along the way......

penguinking14 · Answer

Now that youve done a clean install, did you find a folder with windows old stuff in it, or even named windows old, im thinking on doing a clean install of on of my other dell pcs, well actually forced to:smileymad: in order to upgrade from xp pro to vista hp, untill i get ultimate.

jkeifer3 · Answer

A clean install (without formatting C:) indeed did produce a folder called 'Windows.old'.  I don't know what use this would be unless you stored data files in the Windows directory or Program Files location.  I choose to put all my data files on another partition because I have been been 'bitten' in the past by forgetting that all the old documents, etc., would be wiped out by a 'new' installation of Windows.  The last time I installed where the Bluetooth software appears to be working, I did a format of the drive which eliminates any vestige of the old installation.  Take care!

Allen M · Answer

When using the BT 355 module and Vista - do you get the Widcomm BT Manager or the stock Windows Vista BT Manager? I found the Widcomm Manager much better with XP, but couldn't get it to load with Vista. I Ihad to manually point the 355 device to the widcom drivers to get it to work in the first place. I also have found that connected devices don't always stay connected for long and then reconnect -   Allen

jkeifer3 · Answer

I am using the Vista BT stack and it appears to be stable for now and satisfies my needs.  There is methodology to disable the Windows Vista BT stack available here   http://www.dev-hack.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1297 that I have used and seems to work.  When you say manually point to Widcomm, how did you do that?

Allen M · Answer

After applying the Dell update for Vista, I noted that the device driver for the BT 355 was still pointing to the microsoft drivers and not the broadcom. I then updated the device driver for the BT355 to point to the unzipped folder from the dell update and it all seemed to work. Even after that I have had instances of BT devices (like my dell BT keyboard and mouse) disconnecting occasionally. I'll check out the link. Thanks!

Windows General

Windows Vista 32-bit and Dell Bluetooth Module 355

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