BlueTooth not working with VM Fusion (XP OS) on Apple MacBook with OS X

[Floridian]

The Mac recognizes the BlueTooth device. However when I run VM Fusion and Windows XP I cannot get BlueTooth to work.

It shows "BlueTooth not available".

Is there a way to correct this?

Appreciate suggestions - thanks.

[WoodyZ]

In order to use Bluetooth in a Guest you must either connect the Apple Bluetooth USB Host Controller to the Virtual Machine via the Virtual Machine > USB menu or the USB icon on the Status Bar or provide you own Bluetooth USB Host Controller. In either case then you may have to install the appropriate software to enable the Bluetooth Stack.

When you select Connect Apple Bluetooth USB Host Controller you should get a message box as in the image below. Which will require you to load the Boot Camp Drivers in the Virtual Machine or if using your own Bluetooth USB Host Controller install the accompanying software.

Note: Do not select Connect Apple Bluetooth USB Host Controller if you're using a Bluetooth Keyboard and Mouse as you will loose them on the Host and will not be able to get out of the Virtual Machine and may have to crash the Host if it's not a Notebook where you would have the Trackpad to recover from the mistake.

[Floridian]

thanks for your quick response. Unfortunately I do not find the

reference to BlueTooth in the Virtual Machine>USB menu

all it has there are: Apple IR receiver, Apple Input Device and Apple

Built-In iS.

I also do not get the message box.

Any more ideas? Do I need to reset anything?

thanks

[WoodyZ]

Well, if you don't have and did not select the "Connect Apple Bluetooth USB Host Controller" then it stands to reason and should be quite obvious you're not going to see the Connect Apple Bluetooth USB Host Controller message box!

I do not know what the "Apple Input Device" is that is showing on the Virtual Machine > USB menu however if this is a Keyboard or Mouse and you select it you will loose the use of it in the Host and this could be an issue as noted in my Note: in my last reply.

Have a look at and provide the information requested within the document. Things like What type of Mac, OS X version, Guest OS version, Fusion version, Bluetooth Device Manufacture Make and Model. What it is explicitly and specifically are you attempting to do that you need the Device in the Virtual Machine, although the latter might be obvious if we knew what type of Bluetooth device you were having a problem with, etc...

Note: Some Bluetooth Devices come with their own Bluetooth USB Host Controller. Did the Device in question come with its own Bluetooth USB Host Controller?

BTW and for future reference it is much easier to troubleshoot a problem if you would include enough relevant information when asking a question. Example: Just saying little more then "I cannot get BlueTooth to work" is meaningless without the additional information being requested!

[Floridian]

HI Woody,

progress has been made. I ended up loading the OS X Leopard CD while

running XP in the virtual PC.

It loaded lots of drivers - amongst them the BlueTooth Apple Driver.

Then XP recognized the new devices

and all else was easy. Was able to go into XP and have BlueTooth

recognize and pair my device and

I am in business.

Thanks for your help and ideas - they helped me look for the right

answer.

Everything works.

(lets hope it stays that way)

[msoukup]

I have the exact same issue. When I turn on the bluetooth though I don't get prompted to install the drivers. In XP's device manager it recognizes the Bluetooth USB Controller but it wants the drivers. I have tried putting in the Mac OS X install disc in hoping it will grab the appropriate drivers but it cannot find them. I'm running the latest VMware Fusion and the latest OS with all patches. Any ideas on how to get the appropriate drivers installed on the virtual machine?

[WoodyZ]

I have the exact same issue. When I turn on the bluetooth though I don't get prompted to install the drivers. In XP's device manager it recognizes the Bluetooth USB Controller but it wants the drivers. I have tried putting in the Mac OS X install disc in hoping it will grab the appropriate drivers but it cannot find them. I'm running the latest VMware Fusion and the latest OS with all patches. Any ideas on how to get the appropriate drivers installed on the virtual machine?

If when you insert the Leopard DVD into the Virtual Machine and the Boot Camp Drivers install does not start automatically then go to the CD/DVD in the My Computer and manually start the Boot Camp Drivers install.

BTW Stating things like "I'm running the latest VMware Fusion and the latest OS" is considered ambiguous and worthless from a technical perspective and when requesting technical help one should explicitly and specifically state the actual version and build information.

Example: You state "I'm running the latest VMware Fusion" well the latest version of Fusion is 2.0 Beta 1 and if that's the version you're using then you should be posting your questions in the Fusion Beta Forum.

[msoukup]

Sorry, my bad, just being lazy. Thanks for the help, it worked.

VMware Fusion Version 1.1.3 (94249)

Mac OS X Version 10.5.3

Microsoft Windows XP Version 5.1 (Build 2600.xpsp.080413-2111 : Service Pack 3)

[jbhmh]

VMware Fusion Version 1.1.3 (94249)

MAC OSX 10.5.6

I am also unable to get my bluetooth device to be used by my Virtual PC (XP) for audio. It works fine on my mac. I do not have the "bootcamp" cd and am unclear on how this is related to XP begin able to use my Bluetooth device. I have activated the Bluetooth device to make it available from the PC using the Virtual Machine.USB. "Connect Apple-bluetooth-USB-Host-Controller menu but I lose pairing with the usb headset when i connect it to my PC. I did notice teh first time I connected it Windows asked me to install the driver and I let it search and it failed.

Any help you could provide would be appreciated. Thanks