Windows 8 - Joystick Megathread problem.

[Dragonmount 5]

My solution was to run fsx under win 7 compatibility mode, and for a safe measure to run as admin. Something doesn't like external things connecting to fsx I. Win 8.

[MrGsPhace 3]

I use FSXAssist, and recently upgraded to it's 1.08 version that includes the joystick polling fix.

 

As long as you disable the Close on Load option (so FSXAssist stays running in the taskbar after FSX launches), then it continues to poll for joystick devices.

 

I can happily report that since using this, I have not had any joystick disconnects.

 

Tried this, still closes on me; doesn't produce a log :(

 

My solution was to run fsx under win 7 compatibility mode, and for a safe measure to run as admin. Something doesn't like external things connecting to fsx I. Win 8.

 

Tried that too; you would think this would work really.

 

 

Lately I've noticed that some days I get no disconnects at all; that's new to me because it has always done it from day one for me.

[RelaxX 11]

I installed and tested FSXAssist. The effect for me is Bingo! Now I can fly without controller disconnects. B)

 

On my second monitor I can work with FS-Commander, Google Earth connected to FSX, Internet Explorer, Outlook and MS Office and so on. So far no disconnects any more. That was not possible at all before I used FSXAssist.

 

FSXAssist enables me to keep Windows 8 and prevents a step back to Windows 7.

Now I am a happy camper. FSXAssist made my day! :good:

[pmanhart 176]

Tried this, still closes on me; doesn't produce a log :(

 

 

Send a support request to Jim, his support is top-notch!

[MrGsPhace 3]

Send a support request to Jim, his support is top-notch!

 

Been working with their support team, yes its top notch support

[Mochi 82]

Issue still occurs in 8.1 RTM (MSDN sub) even after trying "best answer" pinned to this thread, turning off powersave on USB hub to which the stick is connected etc etc...

 

P3D doesn't have any issue so it is just our tired old sim showing its age

 

Am using Win7 x64 for now - 8.1 is nice to have (sans you-know-what) but hey, so long as FSX works I will stick to what works for me at least.

[MrGsPhace 3]

Issue still occurs in 8.1 RTM (MSDN sub) even after trying "best answer" pinned to this thread, turning off powersave on USB hub to which the stick is connected etc etc...

 

P3D doesn't have any issue so it is just our tired old sim showing its age

 

Am using Win7 x64 for now - 8.1 is nice to have (sans you-know-what) but hey, so long as FSX works I will stick to what works for me at least.

 

So you tested P3D on win8.1 RTM?  I have heard P3D has the same issue on win8

[RelaxX 11]

I installed and tested FSXAssist. The effect for me is Bingo! Now I can fly without controller disconnects. B)

 

On my second monitor I can work with FS-Commander, Google Earth connected to FSX, Internet Explorer, Outlook and MS Office and so on. So far no disconnects any more. That was not possible at all before I used FSXAssist.

 

FSXAssist enables me to keep Windows 8 and prevents a step back to Windows 7.

Now I am a happy camper. FSXAssist made my day! :good:

 

I reported this success at Friday the 13th.  Friday the 13th brings good luck to the flight sim community!

 

I can happily report that meanwhile I had not any joystick disconnects. B)

 

How about you?

[Lawk 0]

Odd. I have been running FSX on Windows 8 for a long time now and I never ran into this issue ever. Not on my old, not on my new system. Same Joystick. Logitech Extreme 3D Pro. But I only use Aerosoft Airbus X with various sceneries, no PMDG.

[MrGsPhace 3]

I reported this success at Friday the 13th.  Friday the 13th brings good luck to the flight sim community!

 

I can happily report that meanwhile I had not any joystick disconnects. B)

 

How about you?

 

Not me :( my FSXAssist wants to close regardless of the "close on load" checkbox being ticked or not.

Odd. I have been running FSX on Windows 8 for a long time now and I never ran into this issue ever. Not on my old, not on my new system. Same Joystick. Logitech Extreme 3D Pro.

 

Unless Microsoft pushed an update (we'd all know about it hopefully)

 

I am noticing that my joystick holds out longer now for some reason; I don't know why and no that doesn't include however many times my FSX is restarted for one reason or another including crashes; but even when that doesn't happen sometimes I can fly all day without a problem.

 

So, is there something WE don't know?

[FlyBoyMike 38]

I reported this success at Friday the 13th.  Friday the 13th brings good luck to the flight sim community!

 

I can happily report that meanwhile I had not any joystick disconnects. B)

 

How about you?

 

I ended up imaging my test install of Win 8 with FSX + PMDG add-ons back to my main SSD last night overwriting the Vista installation that I had previously running FSX. The difference in performance especially overall FPS between Vista and Win 8 was staggering, Vista seems to have a big delay in drawing all the objects in scenery causing massive drops below 10 fps particularly in city areas.

 

I ultimately decided that the performance benefits of running FSX at decent FPS in Win 8 outweigh the annoyance of this controller bug. I also picked up FSXAssist and installed it running it in the background without the 'close on exit' option ticked and found that my controller still disconnect sometimes during a 1.5 hr flight in the NGX when I focused on another window, but then noticed it came back again after clicking FSXAssist program on the task bar.

 

Is this supposed to happen? Or is FSXAssist supposed to maintain controller availability in FSX the whole time while it runs?

[MrGsPhace 3]

I ended up imaging my test install of Win 8 with FSX + PMDG add-ons back to my main SSD last night overwriting the Vista installation that I had previously running FSX. The difference in performance especially overall FPS between Vista and Win 8 was staggering, Vista seems to have a big delay in drawing all the objects in scenery causing massive drops below 10 fps particularly in city areas.

 

I ultimately decided that the performance benefits of running FSX at decent FPS in Win 8 outweigh the annoyance of this controller bug. I also picked up FSXAssist and installed it running it in the background without the 'close on exit' option ticked and found that my controller still disconnect sometimes during a 1.5 hr flight in the NGX when I focused on another window, but then noticed it came back again after clicking FSXAssist program on the task bar.

 

Is this supposed to happen? Or is FSXAssist supposed to maintain controller availability in FSX the whole time while it runs?

 

Was told this would be perfectly normal; but wasn't told how we'd get it back since FSXAssist was supposed to do that for you; but now we know

 

FSXAssist doesn't prevent the drops; it just polls the controller for a reconnect (this is what was explained by Jim Allen)

 

I am now able to use FSXAssist too so far haven't had any drops, but how long did it take for FSXAssist to get your joystick back?

 

I would rather keep my setup; win8 does have more performance gains as far as FSX is concerned IMO

[FlyBoyMike 38]

 

 

I am now able to use FSXAssist too so far haven't had any drops, but how long did it take for FSXAssist to get your joystick back?

 

Based on my observations during my flight last night I would click on the running AS2012 window to check METAR updates for my destination and this would sometimes trigger a disconnect. At first I would do the 'change to full-screen then back to windowed' trick to try and bring them back but then one point it didn't, so then I clicked on FSXAssist also running in the back to see what it was up to and noticed this immediately reconnected the controllers when switching back to FSX window.

Previously if the 'full-screen' trick didn't fix it I knew it was usually lost for good by then so I took this as a really good sign in the fact that I was able to complete my flight  B)

 

At one point I even shifted focus to the FSXAssist window and was still able to pan around the VC in the FSX window behind it so it.

 

 

 

I would rather keep my setup; win8 does have more performance gains as far as FSX is concerned IMO

 

Yes as much as Win 8 seems to be the OS that everyone loves to hate I have noticed that it's application memory management is far superior even compared to Win 7. I went back to Vista as it's the only other OS I legally own thinking that performance would be the same, but running FSX on it made it seem like I just downgraded all my hardware all of a sudden.

[MrGsPhace 3]

Based on my observations during my flight last night I would click on the running AS2012 window to check METAR updates for my destination and this would sometimes trigger a disconnect. At first I would do the 'change to full-screen then back to windowed' trick to try and bring them back but then one point it didn't, so then I clicked on FSXAssist also running in the back to see what it was up to and noticed this immediately reconnected the controllers when switching back to FSX window.

Previously if the 'full-screen' trick didn't fix it I knew it was usually lost for good by then so I took this as a really good sign in the fact that I was able to complete my flight  B)

 

At one point I even shifted focus to the FSXAssist window and was still able to pan around the VC in the FSX window behind it so it.

 

 

 

 

Yes as much as Win 8 seems to be the OS that everyone loves to hate I have noticed that it's application memory management is far superior even compared to Win 7. I went back to Vista as it's the only other OS I legally own thinking that performance would be the same, but running FSX on it made it seem like I just downgraded all my hardware all of a sudden.

 

 

As for the win8 vs win7 argument; that's what I was afraid of... hmm have to think about that cuz FSXAssist isn't working for me at all it does things its not supposed to do to my knowledge for example: unless FSX is already running even when FSXAssist is run as admin it wants to close anyway so in theory launching FSX from FSXAssist is useless to me for some reason.  I had a joystick drop/disconnect as usual; same thing FSXAssist didn't help with that either I kept clicking on it or waiting for it to do its thing; but it never did one thing for me at all.

 

Pressing Alt+Enter did bring back my stick each time and almost immediately so I'm not sure if I have to keep doing that or not; I was HOPING FSXAssist would get it back for me WITHOUT my intervention so that I can run ENB again because FSX/ENB are too unstable when going between windowed/fullscreen all the time.

 

I can't stand the fact Microsoft hasn't even bothered/stepped in to fix their own product no matter how legacy it is; all the devs and all the naysayers say that Microsoft and the developers all agree there's not enough money to justify doing certain things as far as the FSX addons go because of the small FS community I call ###### look at how many people posted here, look at facebook there's  A LOT of people! These addon companies make THOUSANDS (FTX/ORBX, Aerosoft, etc) and no offense to you Jim this isn't directed at you; You've done a hellva job (excellent) at attempting to fix a problem although it works for most it doesn't work for me it seems.

 

I've pretty much run the end of the road on this one and I'm out $12

[FlyBoyMike 38]

Pressing Alt+Enter did bring back my stick each time and almost immediately so I'm not sure if I have to keep doing that or not; I was HOPING FSXAssist would get it back for me WITHOUT my intervention so that I can run ENB again because FSX/ENB are too unstable when going between windowed/fullscreen all the time.

 

I think I may have spoke too soon...did another couple of flights last night in the NGX and found that I also still actually have to keep going between windowed and full screen views to get the controllers to come back. I don't seem to have any issues with FSXAssist closing when I launch FSX as it stays open even with 'close on load' option not selected, but it doesn't seem to bring back the controllers on it's own.

 

On one flight I didn't even notice the whole time that my CH pedals were lost even though the Saitek yoke and throttles were still there. I ended up landing with a dead rudder and veered off the runway to the left before coming to a complete stop in the grass next to it using auto brakes. I then went into FSX controls menu and confirmed that only the Saitek yoke was showing up, this is a bit of a concern as I've never had just one controller drop before so am wondering if FSXAssist was only able to recover one of them.

 

So far haven't had the results I was hoping to get but did notice that v1.08A was just released stating improvements in maintaining controllers. I'll test again later tonight using the newer version.