My infrared port is not working on my Windows XP SP 3 (Thinkpad X60). I can see it Device Manager, and it's status is, that it is working probably. The problem manifests in several ways.

Originally I was trying to transfer data from my Polar RS800CX watch, and the Polar ProTrainer 5 software gave me the this error message: "Communication port couldn't be opened".

Then I tried to connect the watch to another computer, and the infrared connection was established immediately. I then tried to connect the other computer to my Thinkpad X60. The other computer again immediately showed the Wireless Link icon "'computername' is in range" in the notification area. But nothing is shown on the Thinkpad, and a file transfer to the Thinkpad is unsuccessful with an error message that reports that "the target machine actively refused it [the connection]".

This brings me to conclude that the infrared support in Windows on the Thinkpad is somehow broken. This is further supported by the fact that I can't find the "Wireless Link" icon in the Control Panel and when I try to run the irprops.cpl nothing happens.

So the question is, how to reinstall the infrared support?

Some of the solutions that I have explored is:

• I have tried to disable/enable the infrared in the BIOS - to trick a re-installation.
• The IR modules settings on the other computer that can get a successful IR connection is an exact match to the ThinkPad that can't get a connection.
• The was a problem in Windows XP SP 2 with the Wireless Link icon - MS KB article - but that hotfix can't be applied on SP 3 installation. I also guess that the hotfix is included in SP 3.

Any other suggestions?