Finally a fix for BlueSoleil USB Bluetooth® Dongle running Microsoft® Windows Vista®, or XP for that matter.

Making Your Bluetooth® Dongle Work with Widcomm's My Bluetooth® Places (Credit to Jon from jonsguide.com):

WIDCOMM Drivers and Software Version 4 Install Guide (continued):

BlueSoleil or BS for short…

If you have a Bluetooth® dongle that shipped with the BlueSoleil or other non-Widcomm Bluetooth® software you may not be able to work with it as easily as you can with the Widcomm "My Bluetooth® Software" and you'll find that your Bluetooth® dongle probably won't work with the Widcomm software at all, because it requires a license key… UNTIL NOW!

Follow the detailed instructions below exactly as described and all should go well.

***Disclaimer***

Knew that’d grab your attention. I have Norton Antivirus 2007, AND I HAVE TESTED ALL THESE FILES, however, I ASSUME NO RESPONSIBILITY OR LIABILITY IF EVERYTHING CRAPS OUT AND YOUR COMPUTER GOES SOUTH, AND YOU HAVE DO AN OSRI (Operating System Re-Install.) This is just for those of you who have been inconvenienced by BlueSoleil’s crappy software.

For a list of tested devices please see: http://www.jonsguides.com/Bluetooth®/tested.html

If your device isn't there don't worry as long as it can use the Widcomm software.

I have done this successfully myself with a generic BT dongle that shipped only with the BS software and would not work with the Widcomm software or the BS software that came with the stupid dongle (For which I don’t expect Vista Support in the foreseeable future.) Since the Microsoft BT Stack isn’t easily cracked the Widcomm Software will have to do ;)

Drivers and Software un-Install Guide:

Initial preparation:

Make sure you are logged onto Windows with a user account that has Administrative rights.

Disable anti-virus software (always a good thing when installing software.) Just remember to re-enable it when done.

If you have a firewall running on your PC, disable it.

Disconnect your BT device:

Find Bluetooth® device in device manager and uninstall it 1^st.

Turn off notebook Bluetooth® (Dell® has it in the BIOS under Wireless, F2 to get there.)

Uninstall previous Bluetooth® software (including, but not limited to):

Any previous Widcomm software.

Any previous BS software.

Sony BlueSpace software.

XTND Connect Blue Manager software.

Microsoft Patch Q323183.

Microsoft IntelliType and IntelliPoint software for Bluetooth® mice & Keyboards.

Any drivers that were supplied with your Bluetooth® device.

REBOOT!!!

WIDCOMM Drivers and Software Version 4 Install Guide (continued):

Download and extract these files:

Download the Widcomm Version 4 Software from here.

Download the Widcomm Patches from here.

Driver Installation:

Go to the folder where the Widcomm files were extracted and run setup.exe and let it complete its tasks. It may ask you to plug in/enable your device. If it does, click 'cancel' and it will continue without it. (If you have to plug it in and it installs the Microsoft® drivers don't panic just continue with the guide.)

You must Accept the License Agreement:

Next choose destination folder:

Next install Bluetooth® software and drivers:

You might get a error about driver not being digitally signed:

Click “install anyway” (Vista will accept, and I got no BSOD’s like I did from the BS software.)

ALSO: Installer might ask you to connect the Bluetooth® device during setup, click cancel and Installation will continue anyways.

Now it should’ve completed successfully… If not, make sure AV and firewall is off. Failing that, you might have to run a Clean Boot using M$Config.

Next Restart your PC.

Be sure to tap F8 to get to safe mode (with Command Prompt for Vista, as one of the files needed to be replaced are still in use by OS in safe mode.)

In safe mode with command prompt, cd(change directory) to the folder you extracted the Bluetooth® patches file to:

Copy wbtapi.dll and BTNeighborhood.dll to %systemroot%\system32 and overwrite both.

Copy patched BTStackServer.exe and BTTray.exe to “\program files\Widcomm\Bluetooth® software” and overwrite (You’ll have to use quotes for Vista® or you’ll get a file copy error.)

REBOOT!!!

Bluetooth® Installation:

If you did not plug in/re-enable your Bluetooth® device during installation, do so now and it will install the Widcomm drivers.

The Widcomm icon in the notification area should now be red on blue, because you have to enable the Bluetooth® device via the Widcomm software 1^st.

Like this:

Then Click Next.

Next you have to select computer name and type:

Then you have to choose what Bluetooth devices you’ll be using:

If you are going to use an HID, here is the time to select it, and then pair it (The Virtual Laser Keyboard I have is a real pain to pair.)

Pairing is done like this:

You can enter the pair number provided with device (or in my case, type it in and hit enter on both keyboards.)

Pair it and you will have a choice of services:

(No image on file. I have yet to successfully pair this VKB (sigh!) of mine.)

Best of luck!

Dave W.

Last revised: Thursday, March 01, 2007