Recently acquired a used laptop, hp Compaq nc8230
XP Pro sp2, bluetooth

Bought a bluetooth mouse and keyboard and thought I was all set.

Nope.

They worked fine for a day or 2, now the keyboard won't connect
although the laptop bluetooth finds it, lists the pin #, but still
won't connect when I press enter. Says Ihave to press the connect
button. But that doesn't make the connection.

And when the mouse goes to sleep, or I shut it off, then try to
get it going again, it's supposed to wake up just by clicking any
button. Nope again. More and more I have to restart the computer
to get it to connect to the mouse.

So, started researching. Found there's a number of different
mfg's and each one has it's own drivers! And I can't just download
and install the mfg's drivers for my devices, that would be too easy!
They don't support "embedded" bluetooth devices even tho they made them.
I have to go thru some complicated rigamarole doing something
or other with hp's configuration, something like overlaying MS's
bluetooth whatever over it, and a whole long list of steps that mostly
only an IT engineer would understand.

Where does it say there can't be a standard for bluetooth with
everyone using the same setup, software, and drivers!?

At least the "old fashioned" plain old wireless devices just plain
worked when you hooked them up. Irregardless of who made them.

Any helpful tips in basically plain English appreciated, but after
what I read tonite, - - anybody want to buy a new bluetooth keyboard
and mouse?

The power hungry thread asks a question about battery life in bluetooth devices - I didn't see anything relating to that in my last thread about connectivity problems. And I thought posting the problem thread in another section might expose it to someone that wouldn't see it in the other section. I don't browse all sections - I normally just go to a section that applies to my specific concern if I'm posting a question or looking for info on a specific subject.