bluetooth on 2010 dv6 pavilion 3042sl

[francescof]

hi everybody. i'm a low level computer user.  i own an old dv6 pavilion 3042sl.
i'm looking at buying an external bluetooth speaker so i checked the driver menu but couldn't locate the bluetooth module. 
i'd like to know if my pc has it or if it supports module sp47022.exe which i'm downloading.
so, questions:
1) if i install it and the pc does not support it will it mess up the pc
2) alternative modules that may work, if any
3) to connect the bluetooth speaker would a bluetooth dongle solve the issue
thanks in advance. 

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

I cannot find any specs on your PC from HP that indicate if it has bluetooth or not.

Some easy ways to check...

1.  There should be a Bluetooth device manager category in the device manager.  If there is no Bluetooth device manager category, then most likely your notebook does not have built in bluetooth.

2.  To confirm your notebook definitely has or doesn't have bluetooth, Install the HP Wireless Assistant software from your notebook's support page, and restart the PC.

https://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp48501-49000/sp48832.exe

See if there is an option to turn on the bluetooth.  If there is, turn it on using the software.

if there isn't, then your notebook definitely doesn't have built in bluetooth.

If it shows a bluetooth radio present, then you can install the bluetooth software.

https://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp47001-47500/sp47022.exe

If you have determined that your notebook doesn't have built in bluetooth, yes you can purchase an external USN bluetooth adapter.  I use this one on my HP desktop PC.

https://www.amazon.com/Kinivo-BTD-400-Bluetooth-4-0-USB/dp/B007Q45EF4/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1542293...

[francescof]

hi paul. thx for yr reply
i had checked the device manager and found no wireless assistant. i checked again. 
you sent me the link to a sw which is dated 2010. i found this one which is one year more recent and seems to be compatible with my notebook  ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp52501-53000/sp52533.html. which should i use?

in any case, in the line exactly half way between the first two links you sent me you seem to imply that the sw i download is usless unless bluetooth connectivity is present. i thought the sw you suggest would ADD that option. pls, clarify. thx

also, in case the software you suggest doesn't work or cannot be installed, is there any chance of my pc getting screwed up?

thanks!

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

Unless your notebook has a Ralink wifi card with bluetooth, the driver link you posted won't work.

Most of those notebooks in that model series had the separate HP bluetooth module, for which the software I posted was for.

None of the software will mess up your PC.

It will just say 'can't find bluetooth, or please turn on the bluetooth radio.'

But like I wrote earlier...if you don't see a bluetooth device manager category, and using the HP wireless assistant doesn't get a bluetooth device manager category to show up, then your notebook does not have built in bluetooth hardware.

[francescof]

hi paul. yr suggestions worked great. maybe too much... the bluetooth overran the wifi connection and took over it so i was either on line via bluetooth or not at all. i was not able to disable the bluetooth. i clicked on the icon on left bottom tray but it diabled all connection. when i ran the troubleshooting sw it was not able to recover the wifi connection. so i uninstalled bluetooth. 
1) anything i can do to have them both and activate bt only to conect to an external music device?
2) if i buy a dongle will i find myself in the same situation?
3) oddly enough the bt driver did not show up in device manager.
thanks for yr help 

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

I don't know why that would happen.

Unistall all of the software you installed today.

Before uninstalling the wireless assistant, make sure the wifi is on.

I don't think you will run into the problem with a USBexternal bluetooth device.