I plugged my dongle in and it worked straight away . ( no software )
http://www.mobileplace.co.uk/product/EDR_bluetooth_Dongle.html
Halfway down , just under the big picture , TIP
Actually, friend, software WAS installed:
Windows doesn't install its Bluetooth driver UNTIL a Bluetooth
mini-receiver (dongle) is INSERTED into an USB port.
Don't believe me? Here's an exercise for you in your spare time.
------
First, open Device manager, and check at the top of the list:
There will be an entry called "Bluetooth Radios", IF you have a
mini-receiver (Bluetooth dongle) inserted into a USB port. If this
entry is NOT there, you will be UNABLE to use your Bluetooth devices.
After ascertaining whether or not you have such hardware installed and
operating, do the following:
1) REMOVE the Bluetooth dongle from your computer for this exercise.
2) Open Device Manager.
3) At the top of the list on the left side, there should NO LONGER be
an entry for "Bluetooth Radios".
3a) If there is, uninstall the driver. If asked, answer "Yes"
when asked whether to delete the actual driver files on your HD. Don't
worry, it will be easy to recover.
4) Reboot to a FULL desktop (that is, the HD stops thrashing and you
have a fully-functioning Desktop.) Then repeat step 2-3 above. There
should STILL not be a Bluetooth Radio installed.
IF your bluetooth device STILL works after this, it is NOT because it
is using BLUETOOTH, since Bluetooth will no longer be installed, but
because it is using the USB portion of the dongle. I.E., it won't
operate as a Bluetooth device, but an USB device, which are
automatically added to the USB bus by Windows when they are inserted.
5) Then, install your Bluetooth dongle software again, making sure to
use the correct software for Vista. If it isn't, go to the
manufacturer's website and download the correct driver, and install
it).
You should once again see the Bluetooth Radio at the top of the list
in Device Manager within a few seconds of the dongle being inserted.
As with all other USB devices, make sure to install the driver FIRST,
BEFORE inserting the dongle.
From this, you should be able to see that software IS required.
NO Device will work in Windows WITHOUT software drivers, even the
motherboard and CPU. Sometimes, the drivers are included on the
Windows Installation Media and installed as needed (these drivers
usually only use a subset of the device's abilities), and sometimes,
they are provided on a CD/DVD or floppy included with the manufactured
product (these drivers almost always use the full set of a device's
abilities).
But they ALWAYS need software drivers (or other software), if they are
to work in Windows at all.
Now, if no software comes with the Bluetooth dongle, it obviously uses
the Microsoft Bluetooth driver, which is installed the FIRST TIME you
insert that particular dongle, turned off each time you remove it, and
re-activated each time you re-insert the Bluetooth dongle after
removing it.
--
Donald L McDaniel
How can so many otherwise very intelligent people screw up
something so simple so badly? If you stick a computer
keyboard in front of most people, they'll suddenly drop
30 points off their IQs. Much like placing a "Pork Barrel"
bill in front of a politician: He'll forget all about
"cooperation" the minute he counts the zeroes before the
decimal point.
