Sony VAIO SZ Series Bluetooth Driver Knocked Down by Windows Update “IVT Corporation – Other hardware – Bluetooth USB Controller (ALPS/UGPZ6)”

Sony VAIO SZ Series has been one of my favorite laptops for years, and in its heydays, given the choice between a “Made in Japan” VAIO VGN-SZ650N and say anything else, I’d choose the VAIO every time.

Microsoft has released an update yesterday, titled “IVT Corporation – Other hardware – Bluetooth USB Controller (ALPS/UGPZ6),” and if you own one of these incredible machines, you should be careful with that.

VGN-SZ650N’s built-in Bluetooth is in fact an ALPS PCI-based Bluetooth adapter. Listed under Bluetooth Radios in Device Manager, Windows 7 detects it as Generic Bluetooth Adapter, and if you dig inside, it’s functioning based on Microsoft Bluetooth driver 6.1.7600.16385 (6/21/2006).

Sony VAIO VGN-SZ650N Generic Bluetooth Adapter Album

The hardware IDs for the SZ’s BT adapter are USB\VID_044E&PID_300D&REV_1915 or USB\VID_044E&PID_300D in general, with the vendor ID of 044E belonging to ALPS • Alps Electric Co., Ltd.

Installing the 38 kB update titled “IVT Corporation – Other hardware – Bluetooth USB Controller (ALPS/UGPZ6)” published 1/14/2010 will update the driver to your ALPS BT adapter, but Windows 7 default Microsoft Bluetooth Stack would become paralyzed. The Bluetooth icon will disappear from the Notification Area, and you won’t be able to use Microsoft Windows Bluetooth Stack anymore.

IVT Corporation - Other hardware - Bluetooth USB Controller (ALPS/UGPZ6) - Windows Update

To fix that, the dumbest act would be to install some other stack, including Toshiba Bluetooth Stack, Widcomm Bluetooth Stack, or the bloated BlueSoleil.

So, VAIO SZ owners, stay away from the aforementioned update, hide the update, and let your Sony live happily…

10 thoughts on “Sony VAIO SZ Series Bluetooth Driver Knocked Down by Windows Update “IVT Corporation – Other hardware – Bluetooth USB Controller (ALPS/UGPZ6)”

  1. This was automagically installed on my laptop and messed things up. I deleted the driver and reinstalled the Generic one which worked. However, the ALPS driver seems to reinstall itself on a weekly basis, a complete PITA. Anyone know how to banish it for good? I have deleted it from “C:\Windows\system32\drivers\btcusb.sys”

    • From Control Panel\System and Security\Windows Update\Change settings, change your Windows Update settings for important updates to “Check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them.”

  2. Hi,
    can you help me: after an upgrade of VAIO SZ-645P to Win 8.1 64-bit I am not able to toggle Bluetooth on/off – it is always ON. In Change PC Settings both in PC and Devices/Bluetooth and Network/Airplane mode switches Bluetooth on/off are missing. Even if BT is disabled in Device Manager the blue LED is on. Even if the Airplane mode is ON the blue LED is also on (WiFi correctly switches off). BT goes off only if hardware switch Wireless On/Off is set to OFF.
    The driver is set as Bluetooth Generic Adapter by Microsoft (VID_044E&PID_300D&REV_1915).
    Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.

    • I don’t have any SZs around to play with anymore. Like I said in the article, VID_044E suggests it’s an ALPS Bluetooth PCI-based device, so try installing ALPS drivers instead of the generic Microsoft driver.

      • OK, thnx for your reply and it’s too bad that you don’t have SZ anymore. I tried to install Alps driver – nothing changed. Anyway, I dare to ask one more question: I noticed in Device manager two “Other devices” with Ques mark sign. They are MS-ABTP and MS-TCC, both are on MS Bluetooth Enumerator and no drivers are installed for them. Do you think this may be connected with the described BT issue? Do you have any experience dealing with these “missing” devices? I repeat – BT connection with external devices is working OK… Thanks

        • Those other devices are:

          • MS-ABTP: Automatic Bluetooth Pairing Protocol
          • MS-TCC: Tethering Control Channel Protocol

          They indicate Bluetooth services of a paired Microsoft/Nokia Lumia phone. Delete/remove the paired phone or disable the phone’s corresponding Bluetooth services.

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