If you have a Bluetooth device which is not supported directly in Windows XP and which was not designed explicitly for Windows XP with Service Pack 2 (SP2) then you are likely having problems. One such is the ISSC IS1002N "Horus" bluetooth module, one of the smallest bluetooth reference designs around and thus a fairly popular candidate for super-cheap bluetooth dongles.
Unfortunately, installing a unit based on the reference design (and driver) results in a failure to install the Microsoft bluetooth stack, and necessitating the use of a third-party stack. This is a highly unsatisfactory solution as many third-party stacks will not work properly with third-party applications. A little creative googling allowed me to find a working solution.
As it often does, google cache came to the rescue. The link I have just given you links to a cache of http://joncellini.com/blog/archives/2004/10/07/further-adventures-with-bluetooth/. This is a page which no longer exists, but I've linked it just in case it comes back or something. I will attach the html-only from the google cache to this page. (edit: it came back weeks or more later... I win)
Below is the short (short!) form of the instructions:
- determine the hardware ID of your adapter. This can be done by clicking on the device in the Windows Device Manager and selecting “Hardware IDs” from the Details tab. My Ambicom device had a hardware ID of: vid_0bdb&PID_1002
- once you have determined the hardware ID locate the bth.inf file and make a copy of it
- open up the copy in an editor and scroll down to the Device section
- select one of the headings (I placed mine under [Belkin.NT.5.1]) and paste in the following:
; AmbiCom Support Erickson Bluetooth Adapter= BthUsb, USBVID_0BDB&PID_1002
I named it as an Erickson Bluetooth Adapter since the chipset in my dongle appears to be made by Erickson.- Save the file
- Update the dongle drivers to use your newly edited inf file. If all goes well it will detect and install the adapter.
- Enjoy a working Bluetooth stack :)
As for my specific ISSC adapter, this was the solution I used, quoted from the article comments:
Hi,
Thanks for the tip it worked for my ISSC USB dongle a treat!
I added the line
ISSC Bluetooth Radio= BthUsb, USB\Vid_1131&Pid_1001in the [Cambridge.NT.5.1] category
Sam
I noted this here because it looked like it was in the process of dropping off the face of the 'net.