Hello fellow racers!

I'm currently busy driving the hotlap for the upcoming OLFSL race, and while trying to get the most of the car, I found an issue:

My trusty Sidewinder wheel (non FF) doesn't have drivers for XP, only 95 and 98, and I'm unable to configure my wheel properly. Sure, I can calibrate it using Window's own calibartions or DXTweak 2, but I'm unable to use my pedals "separetaly", as they are "combined" now, which is really irritating as I can't use brake and gas at the same time.

So is there any other way to change those parameters? I have donwloaded two driver sets, but they couldn't be installed on XP.. I'm desperate here..

Thanks in advance!

Hi and welcome

1st, the sidewinder doesn't have official drivers for XP except for the (unsatisfying) built in ones. a shame for MS really.

anyway, the original (or updated) win98 drivers can be installed on winXP (with varying degrees of success). they allow selection of separate axis for the pedals. Since when i tried to install the SW on my XP it always crashed, it's sort of half installed. i can get the panel, but separate axis doesn't work. I've made a registry file that changes it, and i have to run it after every reboot to have separate axis working. you should look on this forum and on RSC, there are tons of threads on this subject.

hi,
y have a USB or gameport non FF wheel?
if USB, you can install a sidewinder 4.0 driver.
did it some weeks ago on a friends pc and work fine with separate axis.

But its a other one than the 4.0 with FF.
at least the gui looks different, i guess its a different version /installer.
we use a original cd comes with the wheel.

if needed, i can try to get the files to upload them
but it will need some days.

I have the same problem with my sidewinder.

I just got used to it, after a while its not that bad. I am still competitive.

but could be quicker. see you on OLFSL

Ant

getting a momo soon

I has the same problem, took me AGESSSSS to find the right ones that would work with XP. If it comes to it I can upload the installer somewhere so you can download it.

Quote from Akuma66 :

I has the same problem, took me AGESSSSS to find the right ones that would work with XP. If it comes to it I can upload the installer somewhere so you can download it.

Akuma, that would be just GREAT! I would really appreciate if you could do that. I mean I own you my, my.. ..my "working wheel with separate axis" or something.. XD

Really, that would be much appreciated and I would be very grateful, as would be many others with similar problems.

Thank you Sir!

Ok Ill see what I can do ill post again with the link.

EDIT: ok may take a little while, am stuck on 56k while I wait for ADSL to be activated lol

Ok heres the Link : http://www.akuma66.f2s.com/SW_PRW40.zip

If the file is knackered, Ill get a mate to upload it somewhere.

is this the driver for gameport or usb or usb-ff ?

[edit]
i have the usb-ff one
[/edit]

Hmmm. I've got a 5-6 year old gameport FF Sidewinder running on the standard XP drivers and my pedals do work as 'separate'? I don't remember having to do anything when I installed XP - it just recognised the wheel - and configuring LFS was easy too?

I'm at work at the moment, but I'll have a look when I get home to see if I can see anything.

<edit> Just thought - I am running XP SP2 - I wonder if there's an update to the drivers in there?

Quote from Akuma66 :

Ok Ill see what I can do ill post again with the link.

EDIT: ok may take a little while, am stuck on 56k while I wait for ADSL to be activated lol

If the file is knackered, Ill get a mate to upload it somewhere.

Thank you mate! It seems that this could be the driver that might work, but I've come up to another problem.. The setup says first that it might install incorrectly as I'm running XP and yada yada.. but then, it won't install as it says I'm not the administrator! But sure I am! Anyone knows what's the problem now? (I've double-checked that I've got the administrator rights to my computer, but I am by no means a wizard in things like this, so any help is appreciated.. )

Thanks!

Quote from avih :

is this the driver for gameport or usb or usb-ff ?

[edit]
i have the usb-ff one
[/edit]

Avih, you said you had a registry file that changes it. Could I try it? Maybe it would solve my problem too.. I hope to hear you soon. =)

i'll upload the file when i'll get home a bit later. i don't actually remember how i started with it, either downloaded a reg file from RSC and modified it to give separate axis, or just extracted a section from my registry, then modified it. the thing is, i have to run it everytime after a reboot to get separate axis. it doesn't stay. i also have a feeling that it's the installed SW driver that utilizes it and NOT the XP built in one.

anyway, i'll upload it a bit later. in anycase, i suggest you backup the section before you use the file (it only contains about 5 entries iirc).

later.

That would indeed be much appreciated!

I just downloaded a working 4.0 software drivers, but it seems they don't support my non FF wheel, as I can't access the controls where I could change the schemes, switch separated/combined etc.. So it's useless for me.

I also tried to install the 3.02 drivers, which should be excatly for the non FF one (Precision Racing Wheel) but it says following when I try to install it:
Error creating process <setup\_SETUP.EXE>. cant find the file..

So I guess my options are to try few of those registry edits (I have tried one, pedalfix.reg - didn't work) or buy a new friggin wheel..

Luckily, I might be able to buy Precision with FF fairly cheap..

Avih, you're my (next-to) only hope here! =D

Not sure why it comes up with those admin probs, but these are the drivers I use on my WindowsXP Home Sp2, and the control panel works and I am using seperate axis. My Wheel is a Sidewinder USB Non-FF.

ok, here's my registry entries file. seems i've downloaded a fix before and it didn't work for me, so i've modified it and the file with "avih" is mine. the original reg files are for sw-ff-usb and sw-ff-gameport and they're included in the zip. remember to backup your registry entries before using these.

iirc, the problem with the original fix was that i had "digital" gas (or break) and i copied some calibration data from other entries.

if it's working for you then fine. if it doesn't, try to play with the values inside the file.. just mess with them a bit

good luck

[edit]
by the way, the only way it's eventually working properly for me is:
1. once: install the sw driver
2. once: set a profile with split axis and save it

after reboot: open "game-controllers" from control panel (i made a shortcut on my desktop), click "properties" for the sw wheel, then ok. then double click the registry file. then the wheel is working properly with split axis untill i reboot. YMMV. i think i have to open the game-controllers panel because i didn't manage to install the win98 one properly on my xp. it always crashed in the middle of installation. good luck
[/edit]

ok, some more info.
tried just now to install the 4.0 drivers (posted previously on this thread) and everything works fine without running everything after reboot

however, i still wanted to see what affects the wheel, and there was this sidewinder tray icon that allows you to open game-controllers directly or select a profile directly and that's it. since i don't like junk running on my system, i disabled it from autorun and rebooted again. the wheel didn't have split axis on lfs. so i tried to run the registry entry (the one that i modified myself). didn't help, still worked in combined axis. so i opened game-controllers panel, clicked properties, then ok and closed the panel. split axis worked.

conclusion:
1. appearantly the registry entry is tied to a specific installed driver. the original ones in my post may work on the built-in driver for xp without installing any additional driver. i didn't test it. the one i've modified is tied to an older version of the driver probably that i've previously installed (3.x?) and don't do anything if the 4.0 driver is installed.

2. the tray icon (or alternatively, openning the sidewinder item on game controllers) initializes the wheel according to the profile selected, in my case, sets the split axis and other parameters (no center "spring", etc)

hope that helps.

btw, FWIW, i have win XP pro SP1.

I just let the sidewinder icon load up, only take 5mb of memory and pretty much dont know its there

Quote from Akuma66 :

I just let the sidewinder icon load up, only take 5mb of memory and pretty much dont know its there

Thank you Akuma and Avih for your trouble and help. It is much appreciated though I am still unable to get the software drivers to work. I have downloaded at least 5 drivers, which are all supposed to be SideWinder 4.0 drivers, but I've yet managed to get only one working, although with no success as I can't access the control interface; it shows me just the basic Windows calibration options, so I can't change the "separated" options and so the registry files which you, Akuma gave me (thank you very much for the trouble ) won't work. (I have left the software running, it shows on my icon bar)

So, I'm pretty much out of ideas, OLFSL race is on sunday (my first "official" race ever btw ), and I've decided to buy a Precision Force Feedback, which I can get fairly cheap and my father agreed to pay the half of it. (after a small'ish conversation of left-foot braking and stuff - he's a race car fanatic.. )

Not so bad without something good, eh? =D

Sincerely, Jukka Tanner

If you buy a MS with FF take care that y get one with USB.
with gameport and xp maybe you get more trouble than now.

but i think that you can`t install the 4.0 driver (no-admin) is a windows problem.
because you can install a usb driver without connected hardware.
probably you can`t install the FF driver also.
did you run any win-tweak software in the past, like "Tuneup utility" or similar?

Precision force feedback, if thats still the MS one but FF, make sure it comes with the install CD or you will have the same problem, and yeah this no-admin sounds like a win problem. Also as mounthy said make sure it is the USB version.

Hope it works for you

Quote from Mounthy :

If you buy a MS with FF take care that y get one with USB.
with gameport and xp maybe you get more trouble than now.

but i think that you can`t install the 4.0 driver (no-admin) is a windows problem.
because you can install a usb driver without connected hardware.
probably you can`t install the FF driver also.
did you run any win-tweak software in the past, like "Tuneup utility" or similar?

It seemed it was the problem of the donwloaded software, as I managed to install one 4.0 software drivers without any problmes, except that it doesn't seem to support my non FF one, as I can't access the SideWinder's software control system (or whatever). But yes I'm gonna make sure the wheel I'm going to buy has drivers with it.

I'll check that Tuneup utility right now..

You can check more information in Tom's Hardware site, but basically the problem is:

"The Microsoft range of wheels is by no means new, but it is still among the cream of the crop. The non-force Precision Wheel is now available for the attractive price of $65. But whatever you do, don't install its SideWinder 4.0 software in XP. Depending on the configuration, it either works or makes the whole system crash. And this is Microsoft... I really did see the comical side of the situation when I unpacked the brand new wheel with a CD proudly marked, "Designed for Windows 98"! It would be good to see a downloadable update in the near future, all the more so because the software programs that come with the paddles are not mutually compatible! It's high time for Microsoft to provide a common XP driver for all its USB SideWinder peripherals. That said, without a driver, the Precision Wheel works in XP on one axis." (Tom's Hardware site)

http://www.tomshardware.com/consumer/20020524/wheel-06.html

Ive had the same problem with combined axis, almost to the point of giving the game up, I saw the 1st few posts and d/l the set up and duly installed it, after which I came back to this post and saw do NOT install the drivers , too late for me but everythings been ok, guess ive been lucky for a change.

Ta for the set up file and to Bluesman for starting the thread