Sidewinder Force Feedback Wheel

[Ed.]

Does the Microsoft Sidewinder Force Feedback Wheel work in XP?

I have this steering wheel and I go to Control Panel to Game Controllers and
select Add and then the Microsoft Sidewinder (auto detect).

It then comes up with a message "Your gameport or gameport drivers are not
properly configured, please consult your device manager".

My device manager shows no problems and I have all my sound card updated
drivers. Does this mean this device don't work in XP? It has worked in 98
and ME for me in the past.

If it does work in XP, does anyone know if I need to download additional
drivers or software to make it work?

Thanks,
Ed.

 

[Rich Barry]

Ed, XP should have built-in drivers for Sidewinder. Take a look here
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/216096/EN-US/

 

[Ed.]

OK, thanks for the reply and the link. I will check it out.

I forgot to mention and don't know if it makes any difference or not but
this newer computer has onboard sound and no onboard gameport. The steering
wheel had a gameport plug on it but also has the adapter from it to USB and
I am trying to use as USB. My USB ports are working cause other things will
work in them.

Does this make any difference with XP not being able to detect and use it's
built in drivers cause there is no gameport?

Thanks,
Ed.

 

[Cari \(MS-MVP\)]

Yes, it won't work with an adapter. The USB Controller needs to have the
correct data hard coded in the actual device so that it knows what is
connecting to it. No data = no connection. Since you cannot add the data
to the FF Wheel you have a couple of options...

Buy a separate soundcard with a gameport controller on it.
or
Buy a new Wheel.

There is a Sidewinder FF Wheel with a USB connection but all Sidewinder
devices are now discontinued. You can still often find them at EBay.
Logitech also currently manufacture a similar device.

 

[Jim Macklin]

I believe I saw on the Microsoft hardware site that many of
the earlier FF joysticks and wheels are not supported by XP.
A new FF wheel is needed that is supported by XP. It will be
USB.


--
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.


message | Yes, it won't work with an adapter. The USB Controller
needs to have the
| correct data hard coded in the actual device so that it
knows what is
| connecting to it. No data = no connection. Since you
cannot add the data
| to the FF Wheel you have a couple of options...
|
| Buy a separate soundcard with a gameport controller on it.
| or
| Buy a new Wheel.
|
| There is a Sidewinder FF Wheel with a USB connection but
all Sidewinder
| devices are now discontinued. You can still often find
them at EBay.
| Logitech also currently manufacture a similar device.
| --
| Cari (MS-MVP)
| Printing & Imaging
|
| In Loving Memory of our dear friend Alex Nichol MVP
|
| "Ed." <esmithoh(at)zoominternet.net> wrote in message
| | > OK, thanks for the reply and the link. I will check it
out.
| >
| > I forgot to mention and don't know if it makes any
difference or not but
| > this newer computer has onboard sound and no onboard
gameport. The
| > steering wheel had a gameport plug on it but also has
the adapter from it
| > to USB and I am trying to use as USB. My USB ports are
working cause other
| > things will work in them.
| >
| > Does this make any difference with XP not being able to
detect and use
| > it's built in drivers cause there is no gameport?
| >
| > Thanks,
| > Ed.
| >
| > | >> Ed, XP should have built-in drivers for Sidewinder.
Take a look here
| >> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/216096/EN-US/
| >>
| >>
| >> "Ed." <esmithoh(at)zoominternet.net> wrote in message
| >> | >>> Does the Microsoft Sidewinder Force Feedback Wheel
work in XP?
| >>>
| >>> I have this steering wheel and I go to Control Panel
to Game Controllers
| >>> and select Add and then the Microsoft Sidewinder (auto
detect).
| >>>
| >>> It then comes up with a message "Your gameport or
gameport drivers are
| >>> not properly configured, please consult your device
manager".
| >>>
| >>> My device manager shows no problems and I have all my
sound card updated
| >>> drivers. Does this mean this device don't work in XP?
It has worked in
| >>> 98 and ME for me in the past.
| >>>
| >>> If it does work in XP, does anyone know if I need to
download additional
| >>> drivers or software to make it work?
| >>>
| >>> Thanks,
| >>> Ed.
| >>>
| >>
| >>
| >
| >
| >
|
|
|

 

[Joshua Smith [MSFT]]

I can clear up some of this for you guys. There were two major releases
of Sidewinder devices. The version 3 and version 4. The version 3 devices
were all gameport devices with the exception of some of the Precision Pro's
and the Freestyle Pro gamepad. Those devices came with a USB dongle that
allowed them to operate on the USB bus. As Cari pointed out those devices
had USB firmware on the device that allowed it to communicate on the USB
bus. The two force feedback devices (the stick and the wheel) did not have
the capability of connecting on the USB bus because the method they used to
transmit force data was through the MIDI channels of the MIDI/gameport
connector. Since gameport devices don't notify Windows they connected the
user has to use the Add... button in the Gaming Options control panel to add
the device. That will use the version of the 3.02 drivers that were
specially modified and built into Windows XP.
The version 4 devices are USB only and have drivers built into Windows XP.
Just plug them in and they should be detected and load the drivers.
Hope that helps.

Joshua Smith
OpenGL Test Lab
Microsoft

 

[Ed.]

Thanks to all for the replies. It makes sense now. I will pick up a cheap
sound card with a gameport and give it a try. I am not sure if the USB
adapter connector that I am using is actually the one that came with the
steering wheel. In fact, I am not sure if a USB Adapter even came with it. I
might have just tried using the one that came with the Joy Stick I have. If
so, then that might explain why not working also.

Thanks again,
Ed.

 

[Andrew Murray]

Have you updated the drivers for the specific device - checked for XP
drivers?
I presume you would need the correct device drivers for XP. 98/ME drivers
obviously won't work.

Being that it is a microsoft hardware device, I'm sure they'd go out of
their way to make sure their own hardware products worked with their OS, and
therefore provide XP drivers for it.

 

[Andrew Murray]

USB is 'plug and play' so it *should* detect the device.