Hello,When I try to use my Sidewinder Force Feedback 1 - Joystick under Windows XP, the Sidewinder software (newest version 3.02) does not install ('incompatible driver'). The joystick is detected without the software but I can't adjust the feedback options. Is there a solution / another driver ? The Sidewinder homepage doesn't seem to help ...Matthias Huck, Germany

The Sidewinder Force Feedback drivers are built into Windows XP so you do not need to install any additional software. As you realized, the operating system automatically recognizes when you have a Sidewinder joystick installed.To adjust the joystick options click on Start/Control Panel, then click on "Printers and other Hardware", select "Game Controllers" and you will see a pop-up box that will allow you to modify any of the joystick options. For example, click on "Properties" to test the functioning of the joystick.

It is right that I can test the joystick but I can't adjust the special force feedback options. They are missing in the default game controllers dialog. One other thing is that I can't program my joystick buttons as I was able to do in Windows 98. But, once again, the main problem are the missing feedback options (neutralizing force strength, feedback strength).Matthias

>It is right that I can test the joystick but I can't adjust>the special force feedback options. They are missing in the>default game controllers dialog. One other thing is that I>can't program my joystick buttons as I was able to do in>Windows 98.You can assign the joystick buttons from within Flight Simulator. Just go to Options/Controls/Assignments and you can assign the buttons as you choose.You can also change the sensitivities and forcefeedback forces by going to the specific sections of the Options/Controls menu.>But, once again, the main problem are the missing feedback>options (neutralizing force strength, feedback strength).>You can also do this by editing the specific aircraft.cfg file for the plane you're flying. Sometimes developers omit the force feedback section from the config file so you'll have to add it yourself.If you're adventurous too, you can adjust the forcefeedback values (force_master_gain) in the FS2002.cfg file:force_master_gain=10000force_stick_force_enabled=1force_stick_shaker_enabled=1force_gear_bump_enabled=1force_crash_enabled=1force_ground_bumps_enabled=1PAN_RATE=900>Matthias

Hi Matthias,You are correct. Although the MS SW1 will work in XP using generic drivers, you cannot programme the stick or alter the FF parameters because MS has not provided a specific SWFF1 driver and apparently doesn't intend to either. I think this is really quite mean of them considering there must be thousands of perfectly good SWFF1 sticks in existence. They clearly expect you to throw away your version 1 and buy the new SWFF2 stick which is really no better though apparently it makes less noise.I've seen a few posts here and there claiming that you can setup the version 1 stick correctly in FS but I've never seen any drivers anywhere that do the job. If someone knows of SPECIFIC drivers which actually do the job then please do let us know.Regards,Rob Young

Thank you Rob and 'WorkingStiff',Rob, that's exactly what I was afraid of; Microsoft isn't interested in SWff 1 any more. But I worked many 10th of hours on my joystick to make it work as I think a flightstick should work, so I have to use it. I'll try to use the .cfg-settings to adjust it. But maybe i will still use Win98 (I did a parallel installation of Win XP, because in many years of flightsimming I learned:"Never touch a running system !" ) as long as possible. The only reason to change was my hope for more stability. While most other simualtors run good under Win98 (FlyI, Falcon4 ...) I often have crashes with Fs2002 (as with Fs2000 in the past).Matthias