Bluetooth Microsoft Mouse

**BOB IROC** · March 19th, 2007, 12:29 PM

I recently purchased a Microsoft Wireless Laser Mouse 8000 for my new Business laptop. I am having difficulty with the mouse not functioning properly unless I uninstall and reinstall everytime I boot the computer.

Computer Specs:
Dell Inspiron 9400
Intel Core 2 Duo @ 2.00Ghz
2GB Ram
Windows Vista Ultimate 32bit Edition
Using built in Dell Bluetooth Module with Wireless Laser Mouse 8000

I have the latest drivers and patches for Vista on Microsoft's website including Intellisync 6.1. When I boot the computer the mouse functions and the right and left click buttons still work, but the scroll and extra buttons do not. I have to turn off my Bluetooth Module, remove the HID Mouse from my Device Manager and then Re-Enable the Bluetooth and re-detect the mouse and then it will function normally. I would hope that I do not need to use the Microsoft Bluetooth adaptor because that would be most inconvenient.

**NooNoo** · March 19th, 2007, 12:36 PM

I use mine without the intellisoft drivers... does it behave when you return from standby or hibernation? Are you using the dell bluetooth drivers or the stock windows driver?

**BOB IROC** · March 19th, 2007, 12:43 PM

I haven't tested it coming out of hibernation/standby and I am using the Latest Drivers available on Dell's website for the bluetooth module.

I will test the standby thing and see what happens there. The weird thing is I am sure that a couple times the mouse worked just fine on a fresh boot, but most times it does not. I almost want to thing something is not loading properly or being blocked on start up.

**slgrieb** · March 19th, 2007, 10:46 PM

Per MS: IMPORTANT: For best results and Bluetooth® device compatibility, use the included Microsoft® Mini Bluetooth Transceiver. Service Pack 2 is required with Windows XP.

I think what I'd do is try the MS adapter and see what happens. Only 3 possible outcomes and they all advance the troubleshooting process, right?

**NooNoo** · March 20th, 2007, 05:04 AM

Actually the ms adapter can blurr the problem.

I found that the ms bluetooth radio included with SP2 and the laptop bluetooth drivers (widcomm) are mutually incompatible. My bluetooth mouse works with either, but the widcomm driver dumps the bluetooth stack so nothing else works.... am considering not troubleshooting this at all and shoving vista on this instead.

**BOB IROC** · March 20th, 2007, 02:38 PM

Ok here is a weird thing, I just turned my laptop on at work and the BlueTooth mouse connected and worked fine. I did not have to go through the steps to reconnect it. I was thinking about the last time I turned my laptop on and the mouse worked right and I think that was also at work. I am wondering if the mouse just doesn't work when connected to my home wireless network. I guess I will have to see when I bring it home tonight and see what happens. All I know is at home these past couple nights the mouse WOULD NOT work if the computer was freshly turned on or rebooted. I had to disconnect and reconnect it.

I don't see why a wireless network would have anything to do with a bluetooth mouse unless there is something in the wireless profile set that I am missing and affecting the mouse bluetooth settings.

**NooNoo** · March 20th, 2007, 03:31 PM

Or you might have snagged an auto update...?

**BOB IROC** · March 20th, 2007, 03:56 PM

Originally Posted by NooNoo

Or you might have snagged an auto update...?

We'll just have to wait and see. I get off work in 20 mins and then after I go home and walk the dog I will probably be back on my computer because I am a geek like that.

If it turns out it works only when connected to my work wireless profile what do you think could cause that. The reason I ask is because last Thursday I used my laptop at work and I think it worked, but the next day at home it did not work.

**NooNoo** · March 20th, 2007, 04:17 PM

Does bluetooth load at work? Or do you switch the radio button off?

**BOB IROC** · March 20th, 2007, 05:23 PM

No the bluetooth is not disabled and loads up everytime the computer boots. In fact the mouse connects and gets basic functionality which means I can move the cursor and use the right and left click buttons. When the mouse malfunctions I just cannot use the scroll or the extra buttons on the mouse. I just got home so I have not powered up my laptop to try again to see if it works like it did while at work. But I will shortly....

**BOB IROC** · March 20th, 2007, 06:26 PM

Turned my laptop on at home and the Bluetooth Mouse did not connect properly. At this point I am out of options and if I go back to work tomorrow and turn the laptop on and it DOES connect properly I will be even more puzzled. The only difference between my home network settings vs my work network settings is that I use WEP security at home and at work we have a user authentication security wireless device. I still fail to see how a wireless profile can interfere with a Bluetooth device.

**slgrieb** · March 20th, 2007, 08:46 PM

A few observations here,

1. Noo, before you give up on troubleshooting your driver issues with XP, you should keep in mind that Bob Iroc is running Vista on his problem child.

2. While any Bluetooth certified device has to be (by definition) inter-operable with all Bluetooth devices, Microsoft does seem to make a big deal about using their transceiver with the mouse. Don't know about you, but it makes me wonder if perhaps there's a good reason here.

3. Trying the MS adapter isn't likely to cloud the issue; I think the fog is already pretty dense. Using the MS device will either fix the problem, make no difference or make the problem worse. I would certainly lump broken drivers for other devices under category 3. Often, those things we "know" couldn't be at the root of the problem actually are, and nothing is gained by failing to test them.

4. The Bluetooth spec is written so that significant interference between any WLAN and a Bluetooth device should be impossible. Personally, I put more faith in this than I would in your mouse issue not being caused by MS hardware weirdness.

But... just on the off chance that's a fallacy, what wireless equipment do you use at work and at home? I'm certainly dazed and confused!

**BOB IROC** · March 20th, 2007, 09:03 PM

First of all thanks to all of your insight on this crazy problem. Tomorrow I am going to try again when the laptop is on the work network. And if the mouse works fine then I will probably scream. If it does not work I will try the Bluetooth adaptor and I have contacte Microsoft tech support and they told me that the adaptor should make no difference within windows, but then again who knows.

As for the differences in wireless equipment this is the breakdown. The laptop is using a Intel Pro 3945ABG Card. At work we use Cisco Aironet 1300 ABG wireless access points with no encryption. At home I am using a Linksys WRT54G Wireless router using WEP.

Not to throw one more variable in the mix, but after I went through the process of uninstalling, disabling and then re-enabling my bluetooth adapter and mouse to get it to work I discovered that if I leave the mouse untouched it turns itself off to conserve power (as the device should). However when I move the mouse and it re-powers up and reconnects I lose the features again and have to go through my disable bluetooth adaptor and uninstall mouse process. I have scratched a bald spot into my head on this one and my latest response to Microsoft has yet to get a response.

**slgrieb** · March 20th, 2007, 09:25 PM

Crazy seems like a pretty good description alright! I certainly can't see how the Linksys router could be involved. Some routers like the original Netgear RangeMax want to bond two channels together for increased throughput, and actively scan for any quieter channels. This can raise hell with nearby WLANs, so I thought it might have been a remote possibility. The problem with the mouse not waking up with all its features would really seem to suggest either a glitch in MS drivers or hardware, don't you think? I'd have to think it more likely than issues with the Bluetooth module in the notebook.

**BOB IROC** · March 20th, 2007, 09:35 PM

Originally Posted by slgrieb

...The problem with the mouse not waking up with all its features would really seem to suggest either a glitch in MS drivers or hardware, don't you think? I'd have to think it more likely than issues with the Bluetooth module in the notebook.

Doesn't explain why it all works on boot up when I turn the computer on at work. If it works again tomorrow then at work and doesn't work at home I don't know what I am gonna do. I will also try the microsoft USB bluetooth module.