I have just bought and installed a Microsoft Force Feedback
USB wheel.
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
I think this has come up before, but I believe in my case simply restarting
the computer with the wheel unplugged, then restarting with it plugged in,
cleared up the problem.
-Larry
"John Hartridge" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
Quoted text (41 lines)
> I have just bought and installed a Microsoft Force Feedback > USB wheel. > > 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 > > JohnWhat makes this even funnier is that they have just WHQL XP CERTIFIED (!)
the MSFFW (and other USB SideWinders) without ever have releasing any
software updates to fix the problems!
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
"Richard S Beckett" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message news:a141vo$[email hidden]...
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.
"John Hartridge" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
Quoted text (41 lines)
> I have just bought and installed a Microsoft Force Feedback > USB wheel. > > 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 > > JohnI don't have an answer to your problem, but I do have a question. I had the
gameport version of this, and it had a proprietary connection between the
pedals and the wheel, and the cord that connected the pedal and wheels was
hardwired to the wheel. Anyways, the wheel went belly up, and I purchased
the non FF usb version, and it had just a regular phone line type cord that
plugged into both the pedals and the steering wheel. If there was a problem
with the cord, it could be easily replaced with another phone cord. Could
you please tell me which connection the USB version has between the wheel
and pedals??
Thanks
Dave
"John Hartridge" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
Quoted text (41 lines)
> I have just bought and installed a Microsoft Force Feedback > USB wheel. > > 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 > > JohnIt's the phone-cord type.
-Larry
"Dave St.Onge" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:nRkZ7.121$[email hidden]...
> I don't have an answer to your problem, but I do have a question. I hadthe
> gameport version of this, and it had a proprietary connection between the
> pedals and the wheel, and the cord that connected the pedal and wheels was
> hardwired to the wheel. Anyways, the wheel went belly up, and I purchased
> the non FF usb version, and it had just a regular phone line type cordthat
> plugged into both the pedals and the steering wheel. If there was aproblem
Quoted text (52 lines)
> with the cord, it could be easily replaced with another phone cord. Could > you please tell me which connection the USB version has between the wheel > and pedals?? > > Thanks > > Dave > "John Hartridge" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > news:[email hidden]... > > I have just bought and installed a Microsoft Force Feedback > > USB wheel. > > > > 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 > >I have now sorted this out and thought it may prove useful to anyone
else with the same problem (rather than just take it back, Mr Beckett).
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
