Joystick Went Stupid

TARPSBird

TARPSBird

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Staff member
My MS Sidewinder Precision 2 joystick has gone missing from both FS9 and CFS2. It's been about a week since I started up either sim. I go into settings and there is no joystick shown as a controller option, just mouse. I'm running XP Home with SP3 and have had no problems with the MS stick since upgrading to XP in January. I've tried disconnecting it from the USB port, rebooting the computer and then plugging it in again, the computer doesn't see it. Any troubleshooting suggestions?
 
I would first try plugging something else into the same USB ports and see if the computer is recognizing it. If not, it's not the joystick.
 
I plugged my printer into the USB port where I had the joystick, the printer worked OK so it's not the USB port. I've been wondering if maybe it's XP's feature of inactivating unused programs that's causing this?
 
Yes, sound is normal in both sims, just no joystick present. It's like I never had one installed.
 
Do you have a back up joystick to do some testing with? If a different joystick plugged into that USB port works, then you can pretty much conclude that your Sidewinder is dead.

Another thing to try. Go to START, Control Panel. Open the Game Controller utility. See if the joystick is being recognized by your system and if the Game Controller joystick calibration thing detects the input from the stick.

OBIO
 
OBIO said:
Another thing to try. Go to START, Control Panel. Open the Game Controller utility. See if the joystick is being recognized by your system and if the Game Controller joystick calibration thing detects the input from the stick.
OBIO
Click to expand...
I've tried that already. The joystick is not detected. I've also tried doing a System Restore back to July 23, last day I installed an airplane (FS9) when the stick worked OK. No luck there either. It seems as if something has happened to un-install the stick. :confused: Maybe if I can locate the Sidewinder software in my pile of computer stuff I'll try to re-install it. If anybody else has a suggestion pls throw it in.
 
I have to agree that it sounds like the stick has passed on. My old Sidewinder Precision Pro forcefeedback stick did the same thing several years ago. Fortunately I have another Sidewinder Precision Pro without the forcefeedback for a back up and I've been using it since. Didn't even have to re-install the software. Just plugged it in and kept flying. I've got yet another Sidewinder of a different vintage under my desk just in case my current one goes out on me.

Love those old Microsoft Sidewinder sticks.
 
Am not familiar withMS hardware (snicker), but if it's a powered joystick ya might want to check the power supply. If the PS is dead or doesn't have sufficient output power the joystick may not be recognizable bu your PC.
 
I found the original Sidewinder install disk and attempted to re-install. Everything went OK until the Connection & Calibration screen came up. The computer couldn't detect the stick's USB connection. Tried a couple different USB ports, no luck. I have a Logitech Wingman (new in the box) that I can use for a back-up, but this Sidewinder stick worked great and the Wingman sticks are only good for about a year or so before they fail. I wouldn't be quite as PO'ed if I knew exactly what caused the Sidewinder to drop out. :banghead:
 
Willy said:
...Love those old Microsoft Sidewinder sticks.
Click to expand...
Absolutely.
I still have a Force Feedback one which needs a gameport and so is now a museum piece in a world of USB.
Nothing comes close, I so hoped they'd make a USB version...
 
Here's something you can try that I've had to do a couple of times with my MP3 player. Plug in your controller, then from the desktop, right-click on My Computer then click Properties. Click the Hardware tab, then Device Manager. Under Human Interface Devices, right-click the listing(s) for your controller and choose Uninstall, then unplug the controller. After that, go to the Add/Remove Programs list and remove anything related to the controller. You should now be able to start from scratch by plugging in the controller and letting Windows re-recognize it and then you can reinstall any software associated with it.

You might want to create a restore point before you do this just to be safe.
 
MaddogK said:
Am not familiar withMS hardware (snicker)
Click to expand...

Don't snicker too loudly. The Sidewinder joysticks are something that MicroSoft got right. Keep in mind that MS went out of the PC joystick business about 2001 and those old sticks just keep on going. The one I'm using now was a spare that I started using in 2002 when I took it out of it's box. The old FFB stick would still work if I had a power supply for it.
 
Wing_Z said:
Absolutely.
I still have a Force Feedback one which needs a gameport and so is now a museum piece in a world of USB.
Nothing comes close, I so hoped they'd make a USB version...
Click to expand...

Wing, am I missing something? I have an MS "Sidewinder Forcefeedback 2" stick and it IS USB. It's about 10 years old.

- H52
 
Yeah...I think that when I last upgraded computers and couldn't get a Gameport installed, I went shopping and found MS out of the joystick business.
You certainly couldn't get a new USB version and that's what I'd have in my head.
Should've upgraded earlier...except the old stick was good for another 10,000 hours!

For all that, I have a Saitek FFB and apart from looking a bit skeletal, it does the job.
(especially to fly helos, as there is no heavy spring centering all the time.)
 
Willy said:
The old FFB stick would still work if I had a power supply for it.
Click to expand...
If you know the requirements, you might still be able to get a universal PS kit at Radio Shack. They're not exactly cheap, but you won't break the bank either.

I looked into getting one a while back for another project, but found that the PS to an old cordless phone base was the right voltage. I snipped it off the phone, then soldered on a plug.
 
Dug out my Logitech Wingman stick that I had stashed away. Brand new, got it as a free replacement from Logitech when my original stick died. That's the good news. Bad news is, it has a Game Port plug, not USB. Now I gotta find the adapter that came with it. :frown:
 
Willy said:
Don't snicker too loudly. The Sidewinder joysticks are something that MicroSoft got right. Keep in mind that MS went out of the PC joystick business about 2001 and those old sticks just keep on going. The one I'm using now was a spare that I started using in 2002 when I took it out of it's box. The old FFB stick would still work if I had a power supply for it.
Click to expand...

I only snicker because MS and hardware in the same sentence is comical to me. Of the 3 joysticks I have only the Saitek is problematic, my USB Logitec is backup to my reliable 15 y.o. analog CH products flightstick. The Saitek requires drivers, and they change calibration settings everytime I turn on the PC, the other 2 don't, the flightstick don't need drivers.

:)
 
I thought about retiring my SW Precison Pro stick a few years back and got a deal on a Saitek with FFB. After about a week of trying it out, I went back to the Sidewinder and have been using it since. The Saitek is in a back room closet now with very low mileage.

The one I'm using is a gameport stick that came with a USB adapter in the box. So when I bought this computer, I just started using the adapter with it.
 
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