MS Sidewinder Precision Racing Wheel - disappears from computer

Hi there. I'm at about my wit's end with this wheel and I'll welcome any suggestions. I run Win2000. Now I know that the wheel / Sidewinder software isn't officially compatible with it, however, when I first got the wheel, it installed fine and I was able to use it for months. Racing games, totally fun. Love 'em. The wheel rules while playing; if I can figure out what's going on, a MS Forcefeedback wheel is definitely in my future. But after a few months, the wheel started disappearing from my Sidewinder control panel and device manager, and I couldn't get it to redetect. I'd managed to get the wheel reinstalled before, through trial and error and multiple reinstalls of both wheel and software, and eventually it would just magically work. Now, however, nothing I do seems to make my machine detect the wheel. I have several USB options: 2 ports on my keyboard, 2 ports on my Game Theater box, and 4 ports on the machine itself (2 on the motherboard, 2 on a card). I've tried them all. And I know USB is functional on my computer because my keyboard works. I know the wheel works because the instant I plug it into a 98 machine, it detects. Beyond that though, I'm baffled. USB troubleshooting is not my bag. Does anyone have any ideas on what I should look at to try to figure out where the problem is coming from? Because I'm seriously considering doing something drastic like redoing my system with a Win98 partition, and that will be a giant pain. NASCAR 2002 looks sooo good. Thanks for reading. -- my other car is a millennium falcon www.ncf.ca/~ag181 ag181 at ncf dot ca

Had the same problem. My suggestion may seem strange, but it works. I have had my MS Sidewinder wheel for about a year and every once and awhile I need to repeat the following process: Disconnect the wheels USB cable from the computer. Put a small metal object (I use a paperclip) into the end of the USB cable and move it around. Now re-connect the cable to your computer - Voila! I bet the computer will now see the controller. Apparently this must reset or short out something and clears the problem. This process was actually recommended by a Microsoft tech support person and has worked everytime for me. Strange but true... Hope this helps you. Bill "JTD" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<joSd8.215840$[email hidden]>...

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> Hi there. I'm at about my wit's end with this wheel and I'll welcome any > suggestions. > > I run Win2000. Now I know that the wheel / Sidewinder software isn't > officially compatible with it, however, when I first got the wheel, it > installed fine and I was able to use it for months. Racing games, totally > fun. Love 'em. The wheel rules while playing; if I can figure out what's > going on, a MS Forcefeedback wheel is definitely in my future. > > But after a few months, the wheel started disappearing from my Sidewinder > control panel and device manager, and I couldn't get it to redetect. > > I'd managed to get the wheel reinstalled before, through trial and error and > multiple reinstalls of both wheel and software, and eventually it would just > magically work. Now, however, nothing I do seems to make my machine detect > the wheel. I have several USB options: 2 ports on my keyboard, 2 ports on my > Game Theater box, and 4 ports on the machine itself (2 on the motherboard, 2 > on a card). I've tried them all. And I know USB is functional on my > computer because my keyboard works. I know the wheel works because the > instant I plug it into a 98 machine, it detects. Beyond that though, I'm > baffled. USB troubleshooting is not my bag. Does anyone have any ideas on > what I should look at to try to figure out where the problem is coming from? > Because I'm seriously considering doing something drastic like redoing my > system with a Win98 partition, and that will be a giant pain. NASCAR 2002 > looks sooo good. > > Thanks for reading.

"BW" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

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> Had the same problem. My suggestion may seem strange, but it works. I > have had my MS Sidewinder wheel for about a year and every once and > awhile I need to repeat the following process: > > Disconnect the wheels USB cable from the computer. Put a small metal > object (I use a paperclip) into the end of the USB cable and move it > around. Now re-connect the cable to your computer - Voila! I bet the > computer will now see the controller. > > Apparently this must reset or short out something and clears the > problem. This process was actually recommended by a Microsoft tech > support person and has worked everytime for me. > > Strange but true... Hope this helps you. > > Bill

Holy jeez, Bill. That worked. I can't freaking believe it, but it worked. I couldn't find a metal paper clip, so I used a nail from a picture hanger. Took a couple tries - I was skeptical, but in the end I believed - and suddenly my computer detected the wheel. I was speechless. Thank you *so* much. I never would have thought something so lo-tek would fix it, but wow, I am damn impressed. If I was the type to have one, you'd make my Christmas card list :) Off to install the NASCAR 2002 demo till I get the real thing soon!! :) > "JTD" <[email hidden]> wrote in messagenews:<joSd8.215840$[email hidden]>... > > Hi there. I'm at about my wit's end with this wheel and I'll welcome any > > suggestions. > > > > I run Win2000. Now I know that the wheel / Sidewinder software isn't > > officially compatible with it, however, when I first got the wheel, it > > installed fine and I was able to use it for months. Racing games,totally > > fun. Love 'em. The wheel rules while playing; if I can figure outwhat's

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> > going on, a MS Forcefeedback wheel is definitely in my future. > > > > But after a few months, the wheel started disappearing from my Sidewinder > > control panel and device manager, and I couldn't get it to redetect. > > > > I'd managed to get the wheel reinstalled before, through trial and error

and > > multiple reinstalls of both wheel and software, and eventually it wouldjust > > magically work. Now, however, nothing I do seems to make my machinedetect > > the wheel. I have several USB options: 2 ports on my keyboard, 2 portson my > > Game Theater box, and 4 ports on the machine itself (2 on themotherboard, 2 > > on a card). I've tried them all. And I know USB is functional on my > > computer because my keyboard works. I know the wheel works because the > > instant I plug it into a 98 machine, it detects. Beyond that though, I'm > > baffled. USB troubleshooting is not my bag. Does anyone have any ideason > > what I should look at to try to figure out where the problem is comingfrom? > > Because I'm seriously considering doing something drastic like redoing my > > system with a Win98 partition, and that will be a giant pain. NASCAR2002 > > looks sooo good. > > > > Thanks for reading. -- these pretzels are making me thirsty www.ncf.ca/~ag181 ag181 at ncf dot ca

I believe that USB cables are susceptible to storing static electricity, the metal object will discharge it. -- Ian P <email invalid due to spam> "JTD" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:1BWd8.216764$[email hidden]... > "BW" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > news:[email hidden]... > > Had the same problem. My suggestion may seem strange, but it works. I > > have had my MS Sidewinder wheel for about a year and every once and > > awhile I need to repeat the following process: > > > > Disconnect the wheels USB cable from the computer. Put a small metal > > object (I use a paperclip) into the end of the USB cable and move it > > around. Now re-connect the cable to your computer - Voila! I bet the > > computer will now see the controller. > > > > Apparently this must reset or short out something and clears the > > problem. This process was actually recommended by a Microsoft tech > > support person and has worked everytime for me. > > > > Strange but true... Hope this helps you. > > > > Bill > > > Holy jeez, Bill. That worked. I can't freaking believe it, but it worked. > I couldn't find a metal paper clip, so I used a nail from a picture hanger. > Took a couple tries - I was skeptical, but in the end I believed - and > suddenly my computer detected the wheel. I was speechless. > > Thank you *so* much. I never would have thought something so lo-tek would > fix it, but wow, I am damn impressed. If I was the type to have one, you'd > make my Christmas card list :) > > Off to install the NASCAR 2002 demo till I get the real thing soon!! :) >

Glad I could help JTD. Other than this strange intermittent problem, I am very happy with this wheel. Later... "JTD" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<1BWd8.216764$[email hidden]>...

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> "BW" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > news:[email hidden]... > > Had the same problem. My suggestion may seem strange, but it works. I > > have had my MS Sidewinder wheel for about a year and every once and > > awhile I need to repeat the following process: > > > > Disconnect the wheels USB cable from the computer. Put a small metal > > object (I use a paperclip) into the end of the USB cable and move it > > around. Now re-connect the cable to your computer - Voila! I bet the > > computer will now see the controller. > > > > Apparently this must reset or short out something and clears the > > problem. This process was actually recommended by a Microsoft tech > > support person and has worked everytime for me. > > > > Strange but true... Hope this helps you. > > > > Bill > > > Holy jeez, Bill. That worked. I can't freaking believe it, but it worked. > I couldn't find a metal paper clip, so I used a nail from a picture hanger. > Took a couple tries - I was skeptical, but in the end I believed - and > suddenly my computer detected the wheel. I was speechless. > > Thank you *so* much. I never would have thought something so lo-tek would > fix it, but wow, I am damn impressed. If I was the type to have one, you'd > make my Christmas card list :) > > Off to install the NASCAR 2002 demo till I get the real thing soon!! :) > > > > "JTD" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > news:<joSd8.215840$[email hidden]>... > > > Hi there. I'm at about my wit's end with this wheel and I'll welcome any > > > suggestions. > > > > > > I run Win2000. Now I know that the wheel / Sidewinder software isn't > > > officially compatible with it, however, when I first got the wheel, it > > > installed fine and I was able to use it for months. Racing games, > totally > > > fun. Love 'em. The wheel rules while playing; if I can figure out > what's > > > going on, a MS Forcefeedback wheel is definitely in my future. > > > > > > But after a few months, the wheel started disappearing from my Sidewinder > > > > control panel and device manager, and I couldn't get it to redetect. > > > > > > I'd managed to get the wheel reinstalled before, through trial and error > and > > > multiple reinstalls of both wheel and software, and eventually it would > just > > > magically work. Now, however, nothing I do seems to make my machine > detect > > > the wheel. I have several USB options: 2 ports on my keyboard, 2 ports > on my > > > Game Theater box, and 4 ports on the machine itself (2 on the > motherboard, 2 > > > on a card). I've tried them all. And I know USB is functional on my > > > computer because my keyboard works. I know the wheel works because the > > > instant I plug it into a 98 machine, it detects. Beyond that though, I'm > > > baffled. USB troubleshooting is not my bag. Does anyone have any ideas > on > > > what I should look at to try to figure out where the problem is coming > from? > > > Because I'm seriously considering doing something drastic like redoing my > > > system with a Win98 partition, and that will be a giant pain. NASCAR > 2002 > > > looks sooo good. > > > > > > Thanks for reading.