rec.autos.simulators

Installed the Sidewinder v4.0 software supplied
and the wheel was rcognised in the Control Panel Game Devices
as being OK.  Going into Properties all the wheel functions
check out OK.  

Going into the "Forces" tab it displays a
message saying that "an error has occured trying to initialise
the force feedback functions" and displays no other icons.  It
suggests looking at the User Guide Troubleshooting section
but that does not help in this case as it assumes that the
Forces can be set in the Control Panel Game Devices Properties.

The wheel itself though does have centering working (if the
Force button in the middle of the wheel in on).

Is it normal for the wheel to have centering on if the Forces
cannot be initialised (does it control that internally by default) ?

I have uninstalled and re-installed the SW software twice now
with no improvement.

Checking the Microsoft web site I found a suggestion that it could
be because some driver files (.sys, .ocx, .dll) files are not at the
correct version.  I have checked the versions of all the suggested
files and they seem to be correct.

Any suggestions as to what could be wrong ?

Brief system config -

Windows 98
DirectX 8
Sidewinder v4.0
Celeron 366, 192Mb RAM, 20Gb HD

TIA

John

So much for the integrity of the Windows XP/WHQL Certification program.

The current software won't even install without complaining that it might
not be compatible.  Though it works, it is atrocious that MS can use their
own system to certify something like this.

Larry

x-no-archive: yes

From what I've heard here in the past, this seems to be normal operation for
this wheel and software.

MS don't seem to care about this problem, and have not fixed it in ages. The
best advice is probably to take it back, complain, and buy the MOMO wheel.

I think there are some solutions, a google search might help, if you really
want to keep this wheel, but IMO MS should be severely punished for their
attitude towards this, and all that can be done is to take it back to the
shop. Make sure you tell them that the hardware is OK, it's the software
that doesn't function correctly.

R.

-Larry

Thanks

Dave

-Larry

In the Device Manager there were two entries for the MSFF USB wheel.
I disabled one of them, but that made no difference.
I disable the other as well, and was prompted to reset the PC.
On resetting there was only one entry for the wheel, disabled.
I re-enabled it and the wheel with forces worked.  There have been no
problems with it since.
I am now very pleased with it.  Can the MOMO really be twice as good, for
twice the money ?

John