Can anybody please help? I bought a Microsoft Sidewinder Force Feedback 2 back in 2002. I was very pleased with it and it gave me many hours of pleasure. However, about 6 months ago, it started with a strange phenomenon. Everything was working fine and suddenly the twisting handle (rudder) started to become very "itchy". When I tested the joystick in Windows, the rudder does not gave a "still" center postion. This had the effect that when I fly in FS2004, the aircraft will fly straight and level and then suddenly yaw to one side. The rudder will center and a few minutes later it will yaw the aircraft again.At that stage, I uninstall the software and reinstall it and it sort of sorted out the problem for a couple of days and then started to do this again. It was very irritating.A month ago I formatted my PC and installed the Joystick again. Everthing was working fine until 2 days ago, when it started to behave like this again. I've uninstalled the software as during my previous situation and reinstalled it again. However, the rudder continues to be "itchy"Testing it in Windows again indicates that the rudder do not stay in the center position, but after a few seconds starts to yaw in one direction and then centers again.I've looked on the Microsoft web site, but seemingly this joystick is an antique and I could not find anything about it on the web.Is there maybe a patch or any advise as to to to curb this? Can anybody please help as I don't want to get another joystick?My OS is Windows XPRegardsRassie

Hi, Rassie.The Optical Transducers can go bad, but very rarely. What you may want to try / look at, is that there is nothing else assigned to that axis, as another controller, or increase the Null zone for that axis. TV

It certainly sounds like a hardware glitch to me. I have a Sidewinder FF Pro that I've had since around 2000 (I can't even remember exactly when I got it!) It still works great, but I think the little 8-way "hat" on top of the stick occasionally sends out a bad signal - the effect of which is that the simulator will snap to the rear left view and then back forward every once in a while. Not a good thing to have happen on short final! :)