How To Use Bluetooth in XP Sony Vaio PCG6N1L aka VGN-SZ330P

Hi all..

I'm new here, this is my first thread & post.

I've been given a good condition Sony Vaio PCG6N1L a k a VGN-SZ330P for free from a friend (she doesn't know anything about computer).

I'll give it to my daughter for his school work and although it's an old laptop, but I know it's still adequate for her tasks (MS Office etc).

When I first open it, the OS is Windows 7, and seems to work OK except for some things (like scroll touchpad, Fn Keys, Camera etc).
I know it originally came with XP so I reinstall the XP Pro (clean install).
I carefully download and install all the drivers needed from the Sony website.

Everything works good. No yellow hardware in Device Manager list.
Including the onboard Bluetooth (Toshiba?)..

But..

Now I can't use the Bluetooth to transfer files from/to my smartphone. Can't pair it with other device(s) etc. All I can do is just turn the Bluetooth on and off (from some app e.g. the Sony SmartWi app).

Before, when it was still Windows 7 OS, the bluetooth worked fine and easily, so I know that it's not hardware problem at all.
Any info in the net including official manuals by Sony don't give the right result.

I wish somebody here to have any clear info about how to use the Bluetooth (to transfer files from/to other devices like smartphone etc) as easily in Windows XP?

Thank You in Advance.

 

Bluetooth support in XP is not easy out of the box. This might help: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/883259

Strongly urge you to install Windows 10 if at all possible. You might have to install the Sony utilities etc. in compatibility mode and/or admin privileges. Look for a clean install guide for your series on this forum.
Disconnect from the internet while installing Windows 10, and do not connect until you have finished installing the Sony stuff. Then you can connect, and Windows update will give you better drivers.

 

Hi anytimer, thanks for your reply.

Actually I think this bluetooth setting things should not be hard for me, IME with Windows 7, 8 (I haven't tried 10), all version of OS X, all were straight forward process.. (even with XP when I was with my old desktop if I remember it right, it was not hard).

I'm sure it's a "Sony" (softwares etc)specific problem

(Since the Vaio SZ330P laptop was originally shipped with XP , I wonder how was people actually use the bluetooth then).

======

OK back to your post:

Quote from the Microsoft Support site the link you provide:

"To configure a Bluetooth connection, you use the Bluetooth Devices item in Control Panel."...

In Control Panel (in the said Vaio) XP: I can't find Bluetooth Devices Icon...
(it's strange, if I remember, it should be there).
If the "Bluetooth Device" icon shows up in Control Panel, I know then it will be easy to proceed further.


**Now about the Windows 10;

I can't found any guide here for SZ330P as far as I search.

Beside.....Are you sure that it can be run on this old Vaio?
(Even with Windows 7 I doubt I can get the right drivers & softwares for everything in this Vaio. Because if I can, perhaps I'll change it back to Windows 7 again instead).

And now everything is already smooth in XP actually. Except in using the bluetooth.
Already (almost) perfect for my daughter needs actually.

I'm curious about Windows10, but if I can, for this near time I'd stay in XP first, at least until my daughter's holiday season later.

 

Anybody please?

 

Look for a guide for VGNSZ or VGN-SZ

Worst case, buy a cheap bluetooth USB dongle.

 

Well you can easily find the drivers you need in official site: https://esupport.sony.com/US/p/mode...te_id=1&region_id=1&tab=download#/downloadTab
There's a Bluetooth driver for XP, pretty sure you have to install the driver properly to make it work.

On top of that, even though it doesn't officially support anything after Windows Vista, this laptop can definitely run Win 7/8/10 without much problem, provided that you install the necessary drivers. Vista drivers should work.

Dunno why you have to stick with XP when it already came with Win 7, and you could get Win 10 for free...

Edit: Crap, just realized you've already installed the drivers. I've never used Bluetooth in XP so not sure what's wrong, but frankly speaking, wireless communication is kinda broken/unstable in XP.

Have you made your phone discoverable? Besides turning on Bluetooth on both your phone and laptop, you need to make your phone discoverable by the laptop too.

 

Reading The Official Sony Guide(s), I'm affraid, don't give me clearer clue, it's/they're 'too-general', just like your comment ...And yes I have a bluetooth USB dongles I may use if I want to, but I don't think it's not relevant to this thread topic.
But anyway, dear anytimer, I thank you very much for replying.

-------------------

Yes I have browse Sony's website, found, download, and install the driver and the utilities properly

* I reinstall the XP, because when the Vaio came, it's clear for me that somebody (instead of people from Sony) did the job installing the Windows 7 and he/she did it 'badly'.
So I decided to reinstall the OS myself, and because I know that this old Vaio was originally shipped with XP - and because I already saw that some basic function doesn't work in Windows 7, I chose to try XP first to make sure that anything work as it was intended originally.
I am now taking my time (and it's not much time I can devote to LOL) to learn about Windows 10. I have to admit that because I'm using Mac daily I lost this update about Windows news (the last time I followed was about at the time when Windows 8 was new, actually, the version which dissappointed me).

** I'm testing "Windows 10 To Go" installed on my ext Drive with this Vaio right now to test the water. It works, but I'll be still carefully learning about drivers and softwares for it's basic functions.

*** Yeah perhaps the mixture of "XP's unstable handling of bluetooth" with "Sony not seriously wrote good bluetooth driver/utility for my particular Vaio" sums up to the problem LOL.

**** No, I still can't discover/pairing the phone nor the Vaio via Bluetooth yet (in XP).
Before, it was damn easy with Windows 7. I'm still working it out.

Thanks for the replies.

===================================

Anyway,...

I'm still curious:

"How did people -who ever have/use this same Vaio model- utilized it's bluetooth facility (e.g. ; to transfer files from/to smartphone), under XP as it's original OS then".
I wonder, can it really be done (easily). Or Not?

Please... I believe somebody like that is/are here in the forum

 

Maybe this might help:
https://www.broadcom.com/support/?gid=2
I'm assuming your Bluetooth is from Broadcomm. If not, look for similiar stuff from them.

 

Thanks, I've tried it... but it doesn't work.

I'm sorry I'm too lazy to type the detail but it just doesn't work.

And the Windows 10 doesn't seems to have any good possibilities too for this old laptop. Perhaps Windows 7 is even better than 10 for it,..but XP is the best although I have to leave the bluetooth out.

Still wondering though LOL...
"How did people -who ever have/use this same Vaio model- utilized it's bluetooth facility (e.g. ; to transfer files from/to smartphone), under XP as it's original OS then".
I wonder, can it really be done (easily). Or Not?

What a 'nice' work by Sony

 

Is there anything in the user manual? Sorry I'm not able to give better assistance. I had an XP VAIO once, but that died a couple of years ago. I don't remember how the bluetooth on that worked.

Can you Google for bluetooth software for XP? People do use thrid party file managers, so why not bluetooth?

 

Written in the manual about bluetooth is too general. Either the guidance is not applicable or following the steps there doesn;t solve the problem at all.

Yeah, too bad you don't remember it. Was it the same Vaio model as mine?

Sure I will google it. Although it's not a big deal, (well I can live without it LOL) it's just curiousity I guess, and sometimes when everything work fine except one little thimg that supposed to be easy -like bluetooth- it can annoy more than it should be

Thanks