[SOLVED] Alleged Bluetooth failure on ThinkPad T60 with Windows XP

w1k0 · 03-09-2010, 02:41 PM

Some time ago I was able to connect my mobile phone to my laptop using Bluetooth interface. Now it stopped to work.

Formerly lsusb command displayed Bluetooth device:

Code:

Bus 005 Device 002: ID 50ca:1201 Broadcom Corp. Bluetooth Controller
Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

At present it displays nothing:

Code:

Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

Does it mean the Bluetooth device in my laptop is damaged? Can I perform some other tests to make sure it doesn't work?

I use Slackware 13.0 on ThinkPad T60.

MS3FGX · 03-09-2010, 04:25 PM

It is kind of strange that the internal Bluetooth device would just stop appearing like that. Are you sure there isn't a physical switch on the laptop that turns it off? Or perhaps a BIOS setting?

w1k0 · 03-09-2010, 06:07 PM

In fact ThinkPad T60 has both these switches. In BIOS there is Internal Bluetooth Device switch in Network section and on the keyboard there is function key Fn+F5 to toggle WiFi and Bluetooth devices.

On my machine BIOS option for Bluetooth was enabled and Fn+F5 key didn't work in Linux. I didn't configure it because Bluetooth worked out of the box.

A few weeks ago I installed on my machine Windows XP. I needed it for testing purposes. Now I inspected it and I stated Windows switches Bluetooth off on exit. I tried to find that switch but I failed.

So I returned to Linux and I prepared two files.

In /etc/acpi/actions/ directory I put bluetooth.sh script:

Code:

#!/bin/sh

if [ "`head -n 1 /proc/acpi/ibm/bluetooth | cut -f 3`" == "disabled" ]
then
    echo enable > /proc/acpi/ibm/bluetooth
else
    echo disable > /proc/acpi/ibm/bluetooth
fi

/etc/rc.d/rc.bluetooth restart

In /etc/acpi/events/ directory I put bluetooth file:

Code:

event=ibm/hotkey HKEY 00000080 00001005
action=/etc/acpi/actions/bluetooth.sh

After /etc/rc.d/rc.acpid restart command I can now switch on and off Bluetooth device.

Thank you MS3FGX for your tips. It moved me in the correct direction.

MS3FGX · 03-09-2010, 08:53 PM

Good to see it worked out. Thanks for posting the scripts too, I am sure someone will find them useful.