Can't get SideWinder wheel to work with W2K

[sys-eng]

Has anyone managed to get a Micrsosoft SideWinder Force Feedback Wheel to work with Windows 2000?

It seems that it has a tough time getting along with others in a PC.

SideWinder: List of Hardware with Compatibility Issues (Q194490)
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q194490

[Mntsnow]

MORE INFORMATION
The following sound cards, game cards, computers, and chipsets have known compatibility issues with SideWinder game controllers. NOTE : SideWinder game devices are designed to work with only one game port installed. You may experience erratic joystick or game pad behavior if more than one game port is installed in the computer

I run both a MS force Feedback Joystick as well as Logitech ForceFeed back controls in both 2000 and XP and both work perfectly.

This issue is not the OS per se` it's the other HARDWARE under the os that is the issue. and I have bolded it as stated above.

Also make sure that you have the proper controller software installed for w2k and that your soundcard/joystick port/chipset is NOT one of those listed as NON COMPATIABLE

[sys-eng]

I don't have a sound card.

I have a Soyo Dragon which has an On Board Audio Subsystem
with CMI 8738 Audio chip. The web site that I listed in my previous post lists many incompatible devices including
CMI8330 Audio Codec and Via AC '97 sound card. I believe that all the CMI audio decoders are AC 97 compliant so this may be a conflict even though the geniuses at Microsoft did not list it.

I have corresponded with a lot of folks who have tried and given up installing this game controller under W2K. It seems that few have it working. The folks at Best Buy where I bought it confirm this. It was my daughters big Christmas present so I want to get it working if possible.

I have three USB ports on my Soyo Dragon. The controller is plugged into one of those. It also has a "game" port but that is DB-15 connector.

MS says: "To use a SideWinder game controller with these devices, install a standard game port or PCMCIA game card in the computer, and then disable the game port on the device."

What kind of game card is that? How much do they cost?
:confused:

[Mntsnow]

I would try installing a SBlive and disabling the Onboard sound/game port and use the SBlive's game port.

I currently am using a SBLives with my MS feeback items on my Abit and Asus boards

[sys-eng]

One of the reasons that I used this motherboard was to avoid using a Creative Labs product. It seems that much of their stuff made in the past few years is very prone to causing conflicts with other hardware and software.

I went into my CMOS settings and discovered that all USB ports were disabled. I changed the setting and rebooted and PnP tried to install but halted. An error message said that it cannot locate file hidusb.sys. This file is not on my PC nor on the Windows 2000 CD. It seems that it is a Windows 98SE file. I could copy it but I don't know which folder to put it in if that makes a difference.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

UPDATE:

I did find the following article which applies to the joystick instead of the wheel. Maybe it will work for either.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;Q303501
The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft SideWinder Precision Pro, used with:
the operating system: Microsoft Windows 2000

SYMPTOMS
When you attempt to install the Microsoft SideWinder Precision Pro joystick on a Microsoft Windows 2000-based computer, you may be prompted to locate the Hidusb.sys file, which cannot be located.