Microsoft KB Archive/174434

Joystick Responds Sluggishly, Intermittently, or Not at All

PSS ID Number: Q174434 Article last modified on 06-30-1998

WINDOWS:2.0

WINDOWS

================================================================ ==

The information in this article applies to:

 Microsoft SideWinder Force Feedback Pro == Microsoft SideWinder Game Device software version 2.0 == 

= SYMPTOMS =

The SideWinder Force Feedback Pro joystick may respond sluggishly, intermittently, or stop responding when you are playing a game, especially if music is playing.

= CAUSE =

This issue can occur if your sound card is using system resources that the joystick needs to work properly.

= RESOLUTION =

To resolve this issue, install the Microsoft SideWinder Game Controllers version 3.0 software. More information about how to obtain the latest version of the SideWinder software, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

ARTICLE-ID: Q179113 TITLE : Availability of SideWinder Software Updates

If the issue stills occurs after you install the latest version of the SideWinder Game Controllers software, configure your sound card to use the Single Mode DMA feature. To do this, follow these steps:


 * 1) Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
 * 2) Double-click Multimedia.
 * 3) On the Advanced (Devices in Windows 98) tab, double-click Audio Devices.
 * 4) Click the “Audio for…” entry that corresponds to your sound card, and then click Properties.
 * 5) Click Settings.
 * 6) Click the Use Single Mode DMA check box to select it.
 * 7) Click OK until you return to Windows.
 * 8) Restart the computer.

= MORE INFORMATION =

If you continue to experience problems with the joystick after changing the DMA setting to Use Single-Mode DMA, or if you were unable to change the DMA setting, try reducing the audio quality of the game. Many games have high, medium, and low audio quality settings. Try lowering the quality from its currently assigned value.

Additional query words: side winder game device joy stick forcefeedback feed back ====================================================================== Keywords : kbenv kbhw kbsound kbfaq Version : WINDOWS:2.0 Platform : WINDOWS Issue type : kbhowto kbprb ============================================================================= Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1998.