Microsoft KB Archive/216096

= SideWinder USB Port Controller Reports "Not Connected" Status =

Article ID: 216096

Article Last Modified on 5/7/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft SideWinder Dual Strike
 * Microsoft SideWinder Force Feedback 2
 * Microsoft SideWinder Force Feedback Wheel
 * Microsoft SideWinder Freestyle Pro
 * Microsoft SideWinder Game Pad Pro
 * Microsoft SideWinder Plug & Play Game Pad
 * Microsoft SideWinder Precision 2 1.0
 * Microsoft SideWinder Precision Pro 2.0
 * Microsoft SideWinder Precision Racing Wheel
 * Microsoft SideWinder Strategic Commander
 * Microsoft SideWinder Game Controller software 4.0
 * Microsoft SideWinder Game Controller software 4.0

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This article was previously published under Q216096



Important This article contains information about how to modify the registry. Make sure to back up the registry before you modify it. Make sure that you know how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up, restore, and modify the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows registry



SYMPTOMS
When you are using one of the universal serial bus (USB) Microsoft SideWinder controllers listed in the "Applies To" section, you plug the game controller into the computer's USB port and the status of the game controller is listed as "Not Connected" in the Game Controllers tool in Control Panel.

Note This article only addresses the issue of a "Not Connected" status when you are using SideWinder controllers that connect to the system through the USB interface and not through the gameport interface.

For more information about how to troubleshoot this issue when you are using a SideWinder Controller that connects to the computer through a gameport interface, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

218615 SideWinder gameport controller reports "Not Connected" status



RESOLUTION
To resolve this issue, use the following methods in the order that they appear in. After you complete each method, examine the game controller status in the Game Controller tool in Control Panel to see whether the issue is resolved. If the status is still "Not Connected," continue to the next troubleshooting method.

Verify the minimum system requirements
Verify that the system meets the minimum system requirements required for both the SideWinder game controller and the SideWinder Game Controller software.

For more information about the minimum system requirements for SideWinder USB Game Controllers, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

189076 SideWinder USB Controller: Minimum system requirements

Connect the controller directly to a USB port that is built into the computer
If your game controller is attached to the computer through a USB hub, your game controller may not function as expected. Verify that your SideWinder game controller is connected directly to a USB port built into your computer.

Try a different USB port
The USB port that your game controller is attached to may be malfunctioning. Try attaching your game controller to a different USB port that is built into your computer.

Reinstall the USB components on the computer
Warning Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk.

Note Do not use this procedure if you have a USB keyboard or mouse. If you do use this procedure, you may not be able to continue past the log on screen, and you may have to reinstall Microsoft Windows to reinstall the keyboard or the mouse drivers.

To resolve this issue, remove and reinstall the USB components.

Note Make sure that you have the Windows setup CD-ROM and any USB software CD-ROM's that you want to install after you clean up the USB sub-system.

Attention DO NOT FOLLOW THESE STEPS IF YOUR MOUSE IS CONNECTED TO THE USB AND YOU DO NOT HAVE A PS/2 MOUSE AVAILABLE. DOING THIS WILL CAUSE YOU TO RENDER YOUR COMPUTER UNBOOTABLE INTO WINDOWS. IF YOUR MOUSE IS CONNECTED TO USB AND YOU HAVE ONE THAT IS PS/2 POWER THE COMPUTER DOWN AND CONNECT IT TO THE PS/2 PORT. PUT THE MOUSE BACK IN THE USB PORT AFTER YOU HAVE COMPLETED ALL THIS TROUBLESHOOTING.  Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click Add/Remove Programs. Click the SideWinder software entry for your game controller, and then click Add/Remove. Follow the instructions that appear on the screen to uninstall the SideWinder software. Repeat steps 2 and 3 to uninstall all the SideWinder software entries. Click Start, click Run, type msconfig in the Open box, and then click OK. In the System Configuration Utility, click Advanced in the lower-right corner. In the Advanced Troubleshooting Settings dialog box, click to select the Enable Startup Menu check box.</li> Click OK, and then click OK.</li> Restart the computer when you are prompted to do this.</li> When the Windows startup menu is displayed, select number 3 - Safe Mode, and then press ENTER.</li> Click OK to close the Safe Mode dialog box or close the Help and Support window.</li> Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.</li> Double-click System.</li> Click the Device Manager tab.</li> Click the PLUS SIGN (+) next to Sound, Video and Game Controllers to expand the branch.</li> Click to select each device listed in the Sound, Video and Game Controllers branch, and then click Remove. Continue until you remove all the SideWinder devices, all the HID-compliant game controllers, and all the Microsoft Virtual keyboards or pointing devices.

Note You can only remove one device at a time.</li> Click the PLUS SIGN (+) next to Universal Serial Bus Controller to expand the branch.</li> Click to select each device listed in the Universal Serial Bus Controller branch, and then click Remove. Continue until the Universal Serial Bus Controller branch is empty.

Note You can only remove one device at a time.</li> Click Start, click Run, type regedit in the Open box, and then click OK.</li> In Registry Editor, delete the following registry keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Enum\HID

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Enum\USB

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\MediaResources\Joystick

</li> Quit Registry Editor, and then disconnect your SideWinder game controller from your computer.</li> Shut down and turn off your computer.</li> Turn on your computer. Windows automatically redetects your hardware and installs the appropriate device drivers.

Note You may be prompted to insert the Microsoft Windows CD-ROM.</li> <li>Connect your SideWinder game controller to your computer. A SideWinder Plug and Play game controller is automatically detected. If your SideWinder game controller is not Plug and Play, install the software that was included with the controller.

If you are using the SideWinder Force Feedback 2 and the VIA USB host controller is installed in your computer, download and install the Sidewinder Force Feedback 2 USB update. To do this, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/sidewinder/default.mspx

</li> <li>Click Start, click Settings, and then click Control Panel.</li> <li>Double-click Game Controllers, and then examine the status and test the SideWinder game controller.</li></ol>

Install the latest version of DirectX
Download and install the latest version of DirectX. To do this, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/directx/default.mspx

Optimize the hardware configuration
Sometimes the sound card, the video card, and the USB controller may conflict with one another. This is most apt to occur when you are using a 3D game together with your SideWinder game controller.

To avoid this issue, contact your video hardware and audio hardware manufacture to inquire about how to obtain and install the latest version of the sound driver and the video driver for your hardware.

Update the Via 4-in-1 Chipset driver for the motherboard
If you are experiencing the issues listed on a computer that has a motherboard based on the VIA Technologies chip set, install the latest VIA 4-in-1 driver from the following:

http://www.via.com.tw/en/resources/download-center/chipsets/

IMPORTANT Contact your hardware manufacturer before you install the latest VIA 4-in-1 driver on your computer or make any modifications to your computer's BIOS settings.

For more information about the VIA Tech host controller, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

240075 USB devices may not work in Windows 98 Second Edition

Additional troubleshooting steps
For more information about USB devices in Windows 98, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

191772 USB devices may not be detected by Windows 98

191849 Game does not detect USB game controllers

For a list of supported USB host controllers, see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

184400 Supported Universal Serial Bus host controllers for Windows 98 and Windows Me

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MORE INFORMATION
For information about how to contact the manufacturer of your hardware, click the appropriate article number in the following list to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

65416 Hardware and software vendor contact information, A-K

60781 Hardware and software vendor contact information, L-P

60782 Hardware and software vendor contact information, Q-Z

Microsoft provides third-party contact information to help you find technical support. This contact information may change without notice. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this third-party contact information.

The third-party products that this article discusses are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding the performance or reliability of these products.

Additional query words: side winder swpp gaming device swusb

Keywords: kbhardware kbenv kbprb KB216096

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