Sidewinder 3D Pro Problems

[Mike_Rogers 0]

I am having problems getting a MS Sidewinder 3D Pro joystick to work with Windows NT 4.0 SP 5. I have installed the joystick driver from the SP5 disk, and have the latest sound card drivers installed. The joystick is connected to the game port on my Soundblaster AWE64 card. My processor is an Intel Pentium II 450 Mhz. Could there be a problem because the bus speed is 100 Mhz?

 

Has anyone out there got a similar installation to work?

 

Are there any other recommended joysticks for use with this type of setup?

 

Thanks,

 

Mike

[Mike_Rogers 0]

This is some additional information from the original author. I was able to get the joystick to work when I un-installed the MS Sidewinder 3D Pro driver and installed a generic analog driver from the Windows NT 4.0 disk. This works a little, but I can't use the hat switch or most of the buttons. I would still like to get the unit to work as a digital stick with all of it's functions.

[obelix 0]

I'm using a Sidewinder 3D Pro with NT4 SP4.

I installed it running SP3 and did the update

to SP4 later on. Absolutely no problems on

installation or usage of this joystick. All

buttons work correctly, even throttle control

works fine.

 

As far as I know there is a small switch on

the front of the joystick base, maybe you

have switched on the wrong mode there.

 

 

My configuration is:

 

AMD K6-III 400 (running at 66Mhz on an older motherboard- still I don't think 100Mhz bus speed could be the reason for your problems)

160MB Ram

Soundblaster 16PnP

Voodoo Banshee PCI

 

best regards

 

obelix

[Mike_Rogers 0]

Thanks for your response. The switch at the base of the joystick has no effect when using the Sidewinder 3D Pro drivers. What is does is switch between Thrustmaster and CH emulation modes when run with either of those types of drivers. When I tried changing the switch setting in analog mode I lost the rudder control.

 

Microsoft has posted a Windows 95/98 patch for the Sidewinder 3D Pro drivers to handle a known conflict with 100 MHz bussed processors. I found that info in MS knowledge base article Q236113. This patch won't work with Windows NT, and that is where I think my problem lies. MS tech support is working with me to resolve the problem. I will post any results.

[Mike_Rogers 0]

Here is the latest from the Microsoft customer support group:

 

"Hi Mike,

I was able to test the Sidewinder 3D Pro on several NT4 SP5 systems today and on every single 100 MHz system the Sidewinder either did not work or was completely unusable due to instability (it would lose connection when

trying to test or calibrate). I have put a question in to development to make sure that I have not missed anything but I am now reasonably certain that the Sidewinder 3D Pro will not function as expected in Windows NT SP5 on a 100 MHz system bus. If you are getting partial use as an analog device you may wish to try designating the device as a "Custom" joystick which will allow you to tell NT that the joystick has a Hatswitch. Please let me know the results of any steps you try .

 

Anthony W

Microsoft Technical Support"

 

I am going to try the "Custom" setup to see if I can get the remaining buttons and/or hat switch to work in analog mode.