Bluetooth mouse and keyboard compatible with XP?

[MartinD]

I understand that you cannot use the bluetooth mouse and keyboard during installation as the drivers are not installed yet. But what about after the bluetooth drivers have been installed, will the Apple Wireless mouse and keyboard work then?

I am eager to install XP, but I have the Apple wireless mouse and keyboard, if these are not going to work with XP, I will not install until they are supported.

I don't understand why they wouldn't work, if they are run off bluetooth, the bluetooth drivers included in the driver download should take care of that.

Thanks for the help in advance!

 

[karellen]

..I don't understand why they wouldn't work, if they are run off bluetooth, the bluetooth drivers included in the driver download should take care of that...

Have you ever tried to get Bluetooth devices working properly with XP?
You usually have to remove the inbuilt MS Bluetooth stack and install another one.

Absolute nightmare anytime I have tried to do it

EDIT: It is apparently possible - See this Apple Support discussion thread

 

[glorfindeal]

Contrary to popular belief, the bluetooth mouse and keyboard did work during the install process. They also work in XP. All you have to do is go to the bluetooth control panel and discover your mouse and keyboard (which means you have to have at least a usb mouse connected for a small amount of time).

Glor

 

[wPod]

interesting. my BT keyboard worked flawlessly during installation, and even through the numerous reboots during installation of windows XP. but once windows XP finally started and I loaded the mac BT drivers, i have had nothing but trouble with my BT keyboard. it keeps pairing and un-pairing at random.

 

[flir67]

but how???

how can bluetooth work while installing xp if the drivers for it haven't been installed yet on the partition. wonder if the mac bluetooth is working on boot up regardless of os, support from the efi bios for bluetooth just doesn't sound right.. that would be kewl though and a mac thing.



so I basically went out and wasted money on cheapo keyboard for nothing.

 

[weldon]

I don't know the answer in any great detail, but my understanding is that the EFI firmware provides for bluetooth to work in input device mode only while booting. Once Mac OS X is started, it switches the bluetooth driver into another mode where it can network with other devices like cell phones, etc. The basic input device mode is provided by the firmware precisely so that it can be used while booting before the OS takes over the bluetooth adapter.

[edit]
The two modes I referred to are two different bluetooth profiles: HID & HCI. I'm pretty sure that HID stands for "human interface device" and HCI stands for H-something "command interface" which allows access to the baseband capabilities (networking, etc.).
[/edit]

 

[stratos75]

Small issue.

I have a logitech mini bluetooth mouse. The scroll wheel wasn't working so I attempted to use logitech's software/drivers. Not good. Hosed my mouse. Had to use a corded one to get everything working. Just an FYI.

 

[jsalicru]

Thus far I have had no issues running the BT keyboard/mouse in XP EXCEPT. I have to cycle the power on the keyboard at boot-up in order for it to connect when XP is up. This only seems to happen for the keyboard thus far as it hasn't happened for the mouse yet.

 

[flir67]

it works

blue tooth works on the moment the mini is started up, I tried xp pro and home and couldn't not get either to load. tried everything, all it did was go to windows boot screen then 2 seconds later it restarted, it constanly did this.

it took me hours just to figure out how to get the disc out.

 

[nsheikh80]

I would appreciate some help with my Apple Bluetooth keyboard in Win XP. I have an Intel iMac.

I have tried to setup my keyboard in Windows and it goes through the install fine and then a bubble pops up in the bottom right stating that there was an error when installing the hardware. Also, while its pairing Windows asks me to put in the Passkey into the keyboard but doesn't give me nearly enough time. I have tried the things stated in this thread but nothing seems to be working. A little help please?

 

[nsheikh80]

I got it working! I just turned the BT keyboard on and off and it worked. I know this was stated in this thread but it didn't work the first time but seems to be working fine now! I'm off to play Unreal 2004....ooooo yeah!

 

[rimi]

Follow to install apple wireless keyboard!

1 - Open your blutooth device under control panel.
2 - Select add device and select the tick box "My device is set up and ready to be found"
3 - the computer will start to search. After a few seconds of seraching click on you keyboard power button (right side on mine). You might want to repeat the process if the search continues for a while. This will make sure the keyboard is found.
4 - RIGHT click on the keyboard name in the list of found hardware, enter on PROPERTIES and select devices (i think) and then select the tick box for keyboard drivers.
5 - Click OK and finish the process. Now the keyboard will be installed.

lET ME KNOW how does your works. Mine works but the keyboard is working strangely. Sometime it starts imputing by itself. Maybe my batteries are nuts and causing the keyboard to malfunction. Maybe its the drivers.