Bluetooth problem: Missing system tray icon in XP

Yesterday, I spent a good two hours trying to resolve a niggling issue in my newly bought netbook. I could not get to start the bluetooth device.

After buying the netbook, I had deleted the bluetooth system tray icon from the Startup as I prefer to keep my desktop and the toolbars clean. But, then when I wanted to turn the bluetooth on, I could not do it anymore as it appears that the only place in Windows XP from where you can start the device is from your system tray icon.

I did not remember the filename of the entry I deleted from Startup. Usually, most windows issues are common and even the uncommon rare issues are most likely discussed in the numerous computer forums in the internet which areof immense help.

But, strangely, although the “missing bluetooth system tray icon” seemed to be a common problem, none of the forums offered a solution. There was no mention of the filename that needed to be added to your startup. Instead, there were geeks offering weird complex solutions like starting / disabling different services or making registry edits. A few even suggested the perfect solution – to move to Linux.

I tried a lot of things suggested by the forums. Uninstalled and reinstalled the bluetooth drivers about ten times. I disabled two services (SSDP and Upnp) and made a few registry edits. But, the bluetooth wont start. The Bluetooth Configuration at the control panel kept asking to start it from the darn missing system tray icon!

Ultimately, I found  mention of the file in a blog. I searched for the file “bttray.exe” and found it at C:\Program Files\WIDCOMM\Bluetooth Software. I added it to the startup folder. That solved the problem. I hope I have remembered all the useless changes I made before that and rolled them back.

Still, I think that there should be some other place, atleast in the control panel, from where I can start the bluetooth device.