When using FSX and press alt-tab to return to Windows, joystick disconnects automatically and I have to start FSX again. When I do that in midflight, it makes things very hard. I am using Windows 8 so is it the reason of problem?

I can't speak about that becouse i use windows 7. But check your USB power settings, go to device manager, select and expand "universal serial bus controllers". Then check all of them - right click on usb and select "properties" and look for "Power Management" tab(not all of them will have this option). Where you see this option, uncheck "alow the computer to turn off this device to save power". Just check all of them and set like this.

 

Again, i'm not sure if this is the reason, but it was a common issue in windows 7

 

 

P.S. Also, there is a posibility to exit FSX full screen mode by presing ALT+Enter. FSX will go in windowed mode and you can do whatever you want outside of fsx. To return to full screen just select fsx window and press again ALT+Enter

There's also a very, very, very long topic about joysticks in the Windows 8 forum.

 

Best regards,

Jim