Microsoft KB Archive/218615

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Article ID: 218615

Article Last Modified on 1/24/2007


APPLIES TO

  • Microsoft SideWinder Game Controller software 4.0
  • Microsoft SideWinder 3D Pro
  • Microsoft SideWinder Force Feedback Pro
  • Microsoft SideWinder Freestyle Pro
  • Microsoft SideWinder Game Pad 2.0
  • Microsoft SideWinder Precision Pro 2.0
  • Microsoft SideWinder Game Device software
  • Microsoft SideWinder Game Device software
  • Microsoft SideWinder Force Feedback Wheel


This article was previously published under Q218615

SYMPTOMS

When you are using one of the Microsoft SideWinder controllers listed in the "Applies to" section, you plug the game controller into your computer's gameport 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 Gameport interface and not through the USB interface.

For more information about how to troubleshoot this issue when using a USB SideWinder Controller, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

216096 SideWinder USB port controller reports "Not Connected" status


RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, follow these methods in order:

  • Check the Minimum System Requirements
  • Verify That the Operating System Supports the Game Controller
  • Verify That the Game Controller Is Connected to the Correct Port
  • Connect the Game Controller Directly to the Game Port
  • Inspect the Connector on the Game Controller
  • Use the Latest Version of the SideWinder Game Controller Software
  • Verify That You Are Using the Most Recent Drivers for Your Sound Card
  • Verify That the Gameport Joystick Device Is Installed Properly
  • Configure Your Sound Card to Use Only One Direct Memory Access (DMA) Channel
  • Check the System Resources Used By the Gameport Joystick
  • Look for Multiple Instances of the Same Device
  • Additional Troubleshooting Steps

After you complete each method, check the game controller status in the Game Controller tool in Control Panel to see if the issue is resolved. If the status is still "Not Connected," continue to the next troubleshooting method.

Check the Minimum System Requirements

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

Note The minimum system requirements for the SideWinder game controllers and the SideWinder Game Controller software are printed on the product box.

Verify That the Operating System Supports the Game Controller

Verify that the operating system you are using supports your SideWinder game controller. Supported operating systems are listed in the minimum system requirements printed on the product box.

For example, on a Microsoft Windows NT-based computer only the SideWinder Standard, and SideWinder 3D Pro are supported, and each of these game controllers require that Windows NT Service Pack 3 or later be installed on the computer.

Additionally, the SideWinder Force Feedback Pro, SideWinder Precision Pro, and SideWinder game pad, are not supported in an MS-DOS environment.

Verify That the Game Controller Is Connected to the Correct Port

Verify that your SideWinder game controller is connected directly to the game port on your sound card. The game port on a sound card and the port on a network card can appear similar.

Connect the Game Controller Directly to the Game Port.

Connect the SideWinder game controller directly to the game port on your sound card. If you use a Y-adapter, extension cable, switch box, or dual-port game card, the game controller may not work properly.

If you are using the Pass-Through port on a SideWinder game pad, verify that Pass-Through mode is turned on on the game pad (the green LED is lit) or connect the SideWinder game controller directly to the game port.

Inspect the Connector on the Game Controller

Verify that the SideWinder game controller connector does not have broken or bent pins.

Use the Latest Version of the SideWinder Game Controller Software

If you are using an older version of the SideWinder Game Controller software, download and install the latest version of the software from the following Microsoft Web site:

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


Verify That You Are Using the Most Recent Drivers for Your Sound Card

To determine the manufacturer and model of your sound card, follow these steps:

  1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
  2. Double-click System.
  3. Click the Device Manager tab.
  4. Click the PLUS SIGN (+) next to Sound, Video, And Game Controllers to expand the branch.


The sound card installed in your computer is listed in the branch.

  1. Click OK, and then close Control Panel.

For information about how to contact the manufacturer, 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


Verify That the Gameport Joystick Device Is Installed Properly

To verify that the Gameport Joystick device is installed correctly, follow these steps:

  1. Verify that the Gameport Joystick device is installed. To do this, follow these steps:
    1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
    2. Double-click System.
    3. Click the Device Manager tab, and then click View Devices By Type.
    4. Click the PLUS SIGN (+) next to Sound, Video And Game Controllers to expand the branch.
    5. Look for the Gameport Joystick device.

  2. If the Gameport Joystick device is listed with an exclamation point in a yellow circle or a red X, skip to step 3. If the Gameport Joystick device is not listed, follow the appropriate steps for your version of Microsoft Windows:

    Microsoft Windows 95

    1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
    2. Double-click Add New Hardware, click Next, click No, and then click Next.
    3. In the Hardware Types box, click Sound, Video, And Game Controllers, and then click Next.
    4. In the Manufacturers box, click Microsoft.
    5. In the Models box, click Gameport Joystick, and then click Next.
    6. Click Next, and then click Finish.
    7. If you are prompted to restart the computer, click Yes.

    Microsoft Windows 98

    1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
    2. Double-click Add New Hardware.
    3. Click Next, click Next, click No, I want to select the hardware from a list, and then click Next.
    4. In the Hardware Types box, click Sound, Video, And Game Controllers, and then click Next.
    5. In the Manufacturers box, click Microsoft.
    6. In the Models box, click Gameport Joystick, and then click Next.
    7. Click Next, and then click Finish.
    8. If you are prompted to restart the computer, click Yes.

    Microsoft Windows 2000

    1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
    2. Double-click Add/Remove Hardware.
    3. Click Next, and then click Next again.
    4. In the Devices box, click Add a new device, and then click Next.
    5. Click No, I want to select the hardware from a list, and then click Next.
    6. In the Hardware types box, click Sound, video and game controllers, and then click Next.
    7. In the Manufacturers box, click Standard system devices.
    8. In the Models box, click Standard Game Port, and then click Next.
    9. Click Next again, and then click Finish.
  3. If the Gameport Joystick device is listed with an exclamation point in a yellow circle or a red X, follow these steps to turn on the Gameport Joystick device:
    1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
    2. Double-click System.
    3. If you are using Microsoft Windows 95 or Microsoft Windows 98, click the Device Manager tab. If you are using Microsoft Windows 2000 or Microsoft Windows XP, click the Hardware tab, and then click Device Manager.
    4. Click the PLUS SIGN (+) next to Sound, Video And Game Controllers to expand the branch.
    5. Double-click Gameport Joystick.
    6. If you are using Windows 95 or Windows 98, on the General tab, under Device Usage, make sure that the Exists in all hardware profiles check box is selected. If this check box is not selected, click to select the check box. If you are using Windows 2000 or Windows XP, on the General tab, click Use this device (enable) under Device Usage.

      Note If you are using Windows 95 OEM Service Release 2 or Windows 98, make sure that the Disable In This Hardware Profile check box is cleared. If this check box is selected, click to clear the check box.
    7. Click OK, click OK again, and then exit Control Panel.

For more information about how to use Device Manager to troubleshoot device conflicts, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

133240 Troubleshooting device conflicts with device manager


Configure Your Sound Card to Use Only One Direct Memory Access (DMA) Channel

If your sound card uses more than one DMA channel, the game controller may not work properly. Verify that your sound card is using only one DMA channel. To do this, follow these steps:

  1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
  2. Double-click System.
  3. Click the Device Manager tab.
  4. Click the PLUS SIGN (+) next to Sound, Video, And Game Controllers to expand the branch.
  5. Click your sound card, and then click Properties.
  6. Click the Resources tab.
  7. Note the number of DMA channels listed in the Resource Type column.
  8. Click OK, and then click OK again.

If more than one DMA channel was listed in the Resource Type column, use either of the following methods to change the resource setting.

Method 1

  1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
  2. Double-click Multimedia.
  3. On the Advanced or Devices tab, click the PLUS SIGN (+) next to Audio Devices to expand the branch.
  4. Click your sound card, and then click Properties.
  5. Click Settings.
  6. Click to select the Use Single-Mode DMA check box. If there is no Use Single-Mode DMA check box, click OK, click OK again, and then proceed to Method 2.
  7. Click OK, and then click OK again.
  8. Restart the computer.

Method 2

  1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
  2. Double-click System.
  3. On the Device Manager tab, click the PLUS SIGN (+) next to Sound, Video And Game Controllers to expand the branch.
  4. Double-click your sound card.
  5. Click the Resources tab.
  6. Click to clear the Use Automatic Settings check box.
  7. In the Settings Based On box, click a basic configuration that uses only one Direct Memory Access (DMA) channel.
  8. Verify that "No Conflicts" appears in the Conflicting Device List box.


If a conflicting device is displayed in the Conflicting Device List box, click a different basic configuration with only one DMA channel until you find a configuration with no conflicts.

  1. Click OK, and then follow the instructions on the screen to change the setting.
  2. Restart the computer.

Check the System Resources Used By the Gameport Joystick.

If the Gameport Joystick uses an Input/Output range other than 0201-0201, your game controller may not function properly. To check the Gameport Joystick system resource settings, follow these steps:

  1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
  2. Double-click System.
  3. On the Device Manager tab, click the PLUS SIGN (+) next to Sound, Video, And Game Controllers to expand the branch.
  4. Click Gameport Joystick, and then click Properties.
  5. Click the Resources tab.
  6. If the Input/Output setting for the Gameport Joystick is 0201-0201 or 0200-0207, click OK, click OK again, and then continue to the next troubleshooting method.


If the Input/Output setting is not 0201-0201 or 0200-0207, click to clear the Use Automatic Settings check box.

  1. In the Settings Based On box, click a different basic configuration until you find a configuration with an Input/Output Range of 0201-0201 or 0200-0207.


Note If you are cannot find a basic configuration with an Input/Output setting of 0201-0201 or 0200-0207, contact the manufacturer of your sound card for information about how to configure the sound card to use this setting.

  1. Click OK, click OK again, and then restart the computer.

If you use Windows Me, you must "clean start" before you edit these settings because they will not change unless file protection is turned off.

To Clean Start in ME

To clean start, follow these steps:

  1. Click Start, Run, and type msconfig on the Open line.
  2. Click OK.
  3. Click Create Backup.


Note If you click Create Backup again, your will overwrite your original settings.

  1. On the General tab, click Selective Startup.
  2. Clear all boxes below this EXCEPT Process System.ini File.
  3. Click OK.
  4. Click Yes to restart your computer.

Note When the computer restarts, many of your programs that often load when you start your computer may no longer be present. To undo the changes, follow steps 1-2 and select Normal Startup on the General tab in Msconfig. Then, proceed to Step 6.

Look for Multiple Instances of the Same Device

If the computer initializes more than one instance of the same device, your game controller may not work properly. To look for multiple devices, follow these steps:

  1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
  2. Double-click System.
  3. On the Device Manager tab, click the PLUS SIGN (+) next to Sound, Video, And Game Controllers to expand the branch.
  4. Note the properties for each device listed in the branch. To do this, follow these steps:
    1. Click a device, and then click Properties.
    2. Click each tab in the device properties dialog box, and then record the device information and settings.
    3. Click OK.
  5. Click OK, and then close Control Panel.

  6. Restart Windows in Safe mode. To do this, use the appropriate section listed below:

    Windows 95

    Restart your computer. When you see the "Starting Windows 95" message, press the F8 key, and then select Safe Mode from the Startup menu.

    Windows 98

    Restart your computer, press and hold down the CTRL key after your computer completes the Power On Self Test (POST), and then select Safe Mode from the Startup menu.

    Windows 2000

    Restart your computer. When you see the "Starting Windows 2000" message, press the F8 key, and then select Safe Mode from the Startup menu.

  7. When Windows starts in Safe mode, click OK.
  8. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
  9. Double-click System.
  10. On the Device Manager tab, click the PLUS SIGN (+) next to Sound, Video, And Game Controllers to expand the branch.
  11. Verify that there are no changes in the list of devices in the branch.

    If a new device appears that did not appear in the list of devices you noted in step 4, click the new device, and then click Remove. Repeat this step for each device in the branch that was not noted in step 4.

    Note If you see new copies of a device that appeared in the list in step 4, check the properties of each copy of the device. If the properties for the device match the properties you recorded, keep the device. If the properties for the device do not match the properties you recorded, remove the device.
  12. Click OK.
  13. Restart the computer.


MORE INFORMATION

Additional Troubleshooting Steps

If the status of your SideWinder game controller is still "Not Connected," try the following troubleshooting steps:

  • If you are using a Microsoft SideWinder Precision Pro or FreeStyle Pro, try connecting the game controller to the Universal Serial Bus port on your computer if one exists.


  • Test the game controller by connecting it to a different computer.

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: 1.00 gamepad gameport gaming tshooting tshooter

Keywords: kbhardware kbenv kbprb kb3rdparty kbfaq KB218615



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