Member Avatar for Reverend Jim

I cannot get BlueTooth to work on my laptop.

I have a Dell Inspiron 1720 running Windows 7 Pro. When I got it back in 2008 the BlueTooth was working fine. I have re-installed Windows several times since then and have never had to use bluetooth. Today I got hearing aids which have BlueTooth and I cannot get them working on the laptop. I started the BlueTooth service but the BlueTooth device does not show up in device manager or the taskbar and the BlueTooth light on my keyboard does not go on. Is anyone able to help me troubleshoot this?

PS: BlueTooth is enabled in the BIOS.

Edited by Reverend Jim
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Member Avatar for Greg_z

Try reinstalling the drivers for your machine, from the Dell support site.

Member Avatar for Reverend Jim

When I try re-installing the bluetooth driver I just get a pop-up that says "Press Fn+F2 to turn on BlueTooth". On the Dell Inspiron 1720, Fn+F2 is unassigned and has no effect.

Member Avatar for praom2104

Install Driver from here.

Manually trigger the BTTray.exe from C:\Program Files. Once icon appears in the system tray, right click & turn on.

Edited by praom2104 because: Missed some text
Member Avatar for Reverend Jim

I've tried that driver. As I already said, all that happens is...

When I try re-installing the bluetooth driver I just get a pop-up that says "Press Fn+F2 to turn on BlueTooth". On the Dell Inspiron 1720, Fn+F2 is unassigned and has no effect.

Member Avatar for gerbil

You ran bth.inf, right?

Member Avatar for gerbil

The reason I ask that is because not so long ago my USB HP printer "disappeared"... task bar icon gone; when I tried to print I just got a msg that file could be saved as no printer was connected. Not in DMgr, PnP thingo could not find it; find new hardware could not see it. Uninstalled HP software, could not reinstall as it could not see the printer. Finally I tried the Add Printer Wiz ie. the print .inf files - it found my printer; after that, the HP software installer ran. I guess somehow the M$ drivers fell out of the stack.

Member Avatar for gerbil

That would ensure that the infs got run... :)

Member Avatar for BigPaw

Could you tell us the Dell code for this computer, please? You probably know this already, but that code tells us more specifically the model of your computer.

Something to try while we're waiting for your answer. Do you have Quickset installed? I know that it was for Vista, but it will still run in W7. It might be able to do what you can't do through Windows.

List of Dell Inspiron Drivers (Dell Quickset is about halfway down the applications section)

Direct download for Quickset.

There may be a newer version for Quickset when you tell us the Dell code for your computer.

Member Avatar for Reverend Jim

It's in my first post. Dell Inspiron 1720. I have Quickset installed and when I run Radio Control Options it says that the switch is enabled for WiFi and BlueTooth.

Edited by Reverend Jim
Member Avatar for Reverend Jim

I think I'm going to give up on BlueTooth on this particular machine. I'll probably be getting a new laptop between now and next spring anyway (keeping an eye out for Christmas sales). It's circa 2008 and no longer under warranty.

Member Avatar for BigPaw

While it's not turned on it won't show in Device Manager, or on the Task Bar. I really don't think it's a problem with your Blutooth as such, it's more to do with a software switch.

In your Services is 'DCOM Service Process Launcher' started and set to start automatically?

Likewise for 'RPC Endpoint Mapper', is it started and set to start automatically?

Member Avatar for |-|x

It is also possible there is a bios setting to disable the bluetooth radio. If you have upgraded to Windows Vista/7/8 it may have done things to your bios inadvertantly. I'd say it would be worth a check...

Member Avatar for Reverend Jim

DCOM Server Process Launcher is enabled and running (set to auto). Likewise for RPC Endpoint Mapper. The BIOS was the first thing I checked and it is enabled as well.

Member Avatar for BigPaw

It's up to you if you would like to continue further, but it may or may not help to know the Dell Service Tag. It will be about 5-7 characters long. (sorry if you knew this already)

This Tag will identify specifically which computer you have, and will take into account any hardware changes Dell may have introduced to that particular model.

Member Avatar for Reverend Jim

You just asked for the Dell code. If you had said Dell Service Tag I would have posted 291S6G1. It took several iterations to run the online diagnostics but it is telling me that there is no bluetooth device present but I know for a fact that there is so perhaps it is FUBAR. I can get an Iogear usb one for $20 so perhaps I'll just do that.

Edited by Reverend Jim
Member Avatar for BigPaw

Yep, and my Grandfather used to say that he was sure that his trousers were on the right way around when he put them on... :-D

Sorry about the Service Tag mix-up, words escape me sometimes. It must be all the excitement of these phonetastic forums. But, according to that Tag, your laptop will have Blutooth. Dell suggests that this is the Vista driver for that Tag.

If you would like a suggestion, if you haven't tried this driver already, would be to try installing it as is first, then if that doesn't want to play, try it with Compatibility for Vista.

On my desk here I have a very small Blutooth Dongle that only stands proud by half a centimetre once plugged into the USB port. I'd be happy to post it to you if you would like it. I don't want anything for it, it only cost me something like £1 from eBay.

Member Avatar for Reverend Jim

I've also checked my service tag and noted that bluetooth was included. No problem with the terminology. There are numbers all over this blasted thing. I tried to get a Windows 7 driver from Dell but Windows 7 is not an option in the OS dropdown and I am not about to try a driver from one of the many suspect sites that claim to offer one. When I try to install the Dell Vista driver it says I have the wrong version. When I try to set compatibility in Properties, that option is greyed out. Sending me the dongle would be great but I don't want you to go to the expense. It would probably cost as much to ship it here as it would cost me to just buy one locally.

Member Avatar for BigPaw

Okay, this doesn't work then, if you are happy to receive it, I would be very happy to send you this Blutooth Dongle. It's as small as anything and weighs nothing, the postage cost isn't even worth talking about.

Broadcom Updater

What's more you will have some nice profile pic's of HRH to add to your stamp collection too. :-)

Member Avatar for alexstone

Maybe your blutooth adapter is broken

Edited by alexstone because: error
Member Avatar for Reverend Jim

That's a distinct possibility. It's certainly not from overuse.

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