Hardware yoke dropping

[louiseSEUK 2]

Hi everyone,
I'm posting this here before official LM forums as it may be a wider audience picking this up
Recently purchased v5 with latest Hotfix. Installed onto clean Windows 10 (latest version).
I'm running a Saitek yoke/rudder and extra throttle. My issue is this. After a short amount of time in flight, the yoke will stop working. Windows actually sees it as disconnected, and the LED readout on it also freezes up.
If I am sat idle on the runway, moving the yoke, it's fine. Can move it every which way, and have left it like that for >15 mins, and the yoke works fine. Can confirm once the yoke has "disconnected", Windows doesn't see it either in game controllers until I remove and reconnect.
Managing axis via P3D internals or FSUIPC makes no difference - if I unplug the yoke, then reload Simconnect in FSUIPC, the yoke gets picked up agian, but will drop off almost immediately after that.
I've tried using RAW input and Direct control. No difference.
Using the same yoke on XPlane, can't replicate the problem.
This is absolutely consistent - although the time between takeoff and disconnect can very from almost straight after takeoff to 10 minutes into a flight.
I've noticed every time that the sim freezes momentarily.
USB Select suspend, and power management on the specific ports are off. Using different ports (direct into PC and via powered hub) makes no difference.
anyone encountered this at all, ever?
 

Many thanks,

Louise.

[vgbaron 3,491]

Hi Louise - 

Check to see if your power management has been set to power down the USB ports after a short period of inacxtivity.

Go into device manager - Universal Serial Bus controllers - rightclick Generic USB hub - properties - power management - turn OFF allow computer to shut down USB port.

See if that helps,

 

Vic

 

[louiseSEUK 2]

Hi Vic,

Thanks for the reply. This is something I'd already done, though.

[Bob Scott 7,715]

11 minutes ago, louiseSEUK said:

Hi Vic,

Thanks for the reply. This is something I'd already done, though.

If Windows has updated itself since you did that, make sure to check it again.  Most of the forced Windows updates turn the power management options back on without asking...undoubtably there's some Birkenstock clad, bearded sun-tea drinking climate change groupie in the back room at Microshaft having a laugh at our expense.

Another possibility is a weak USB port that can't sink enough current to power the yoke properly.  It's actually a fairly common problem.  A powered USB hub (in other words one that has its own power connector rather than getting its power from the USB port) will usually solve that problem.

One more thing that appears recent to me is that there are now power management options in the device manager for individual HID devices as well as the ports and hubs themselves.

[louiseSEUK 2]

Thanks for the reply Bob.
Sorry - perhaps my original post wasn't clear. I've recently clean installed to W10 2004, and have been checking the USB ports. 
As I may have noted in my initial post - I've been connecting via a powered hub and direct from USB ports on the PC.

Thanks,

Louise.

[Ray Proudfoot 8,925]

I’ve had a similar problem and had to employ the services of a Certified Microsoft Professional to find the problem.

It happened after I received a new W10 PC and was plugging all my devices into a powered USB hub I’d had for years. GoFlight modules and Saitek yoke and throttles. Turned out that whilst it was compatible with W7 it wasn’t with W10.

He sourced a new one for me and everything was fine after that. That hub is no longer available so all I can suggest is you look for one that is USB2 compatible. Don’t use a USB3 one because some devices just don’t work with them. Make sure any devices are plugged in to USB2 ports, not 3. Avoid the ones with a blue surround.

Hope that helps.

[HighBypass 2,339]

Slightly off topic, but still a similar problem: I wonder if this might explain the problem I had with a Hewlett Packard inkjet printer - USB cable connection only, no wireless or bluetooth options. I'm still on Win7 64 bit Ultimate. No matter which port I connected it to - the printer wouldn't work - it got as far as printing out half a test page, then I had to skip that part of the installation just to get the driver software installed. After which the PC would never see the printer no matter which socket I used (there are several, including USB3  - back or front connection. My HOTAS X and TFRP pedals connect fine on the front sockets.

Resolved it (printer issues) by getting a cheap wireless inkjet 

[fppilot 4,341]

6 hours ago, louiseSEUK said:

Hi Vic,

Thanks for the reply. This is something I'd already done, though.

There is a known issue with Saitek products and Windows Advanced Power Management (Windows 7, 8, and 10).  My issues started under Windows 7, and continued when I built a new Windows 10 system  I suffered for over a year. 

In addition to "accurately" identifying both the hub and the Saitek devices in Control Panel, Device Manager, (unplug and replug them while in Device Manager, Human Interface Devices, and watch for the changes) there are a couple of hotfixes or registry patches you should apply.  Do a web search and see if you can come up with one of these.  I would certainly try this first before spending a ton of time on the phone....

USBEnhancedPowerManagementDisabler.zip
SaitekUSBFix,zip

I was having tons of issues, especially with the powered hub on the Saitek Pro Cessna Yoke and the Saitek Multipanel until I took the two steps of Control Panel and the .zip file registry fix.  My problems disappeared forever.  I believe I also had to to use a specific driver at the time, and I have not changed it since.  Here is what I have in my folder from solving the issues...

Pro_Flight_Cessna_Yoke_7_0_47_1_x64_Drivers.exe dated 12/18/2015.

The issues were so bad at the time that I purchased the Saitek external power adapter for the yoke.  But when I plugged it into the yoke with the Multipanel connected, the display on the Multipanel actually dimmed.  Considerably.  Saitek support had no clue what was causing that and sent me three additional power adapters to try, one after another.  And the fixes had nothing to do with the hardware.  It was all Windows Advanced Power Management.

 

Edited July 24, 2020 by fppilot

[Tom3123 8]

I had the same problem with the Alpha FC yoke.  turning off the power management in windows 10 fixed it.  then a service pack came out for 2004 and it broke it again.  The worst part about the problem is your right sitting on a tarmac no problem had it site for an hour.  but start to flay and 15 minute or less into it disconnected. 

Also You might also want to get a USB volt meter.  They are on Amazon for about 15 USD and check your hub voltage output.  I have some ports that only out put 4.8 VDC and guess what, they don't work with most devices.

 

Regards,

Tom

[louiseSEUK 2]

Well, quick update - thank you to everyone for the suggestions.
Turns out, reapplying the enhanced power fix posted actually worked. This is one of the first things I carry out on any Windows rebuild, so didn't occur to reapply that.

I looked away from power since it just seemed to be that very, very narrow scenario, but there we go.

 

Thanks everyone,

Have a lovely day.
Louise.

[Tom3123 8]

I think most of us are guilty or saying we checked things and then to find out opps we missed that.  Happy things are working for you. 

Side note: I inadvertently plugged my yoke into a different port yesterday and dropped out shortly after take off.  plugged my USB volt meter in to the same port and it was only showing 4.8 vdc  moved to a port that was showing 5.0 and everything is working. (I strongly endorse the USB voltmeter to help you troubleshoot USB issues)

One thing I have done is I have color coded my USB plugs to what port they plug into when everything is working.  (a piece of colored tape in the plug matched to the same color on the hub, It seems as long as long as I plug them into the same ports each time I have no problems.  If you have a lot of USB devices this might save you time when you unplug them.

Also, I have some of my devices (4 FIPS, Yoke and Throttle) plugged into USB2 hub that is plugged into a USB3 port on the computer. 

The chain goes USB3 Computer port > USB2 Powered Hub> USB3 powered hub x2> FIP X2 and FIP X2.  I did it this was so I can power cycle the FIPS independently of each other.

The Yoke a Throttle are just plugged into the USB2 Hub feed by the USB3 port.

 

My point to this is a lot has been written about not plugging into USB3 ports, I am just pointing out that you can plug into a USB3 port on your computer but you need to have a USB2 powered port between your devices and the USB3 port on the computer, and that port needs to supply as close to 5 VDC as possible, definitely nothing less the 4.9 VDC.

 

[Bob Scott 7,715]

4 hours ago, louiseSEUK said:

Well, quick update - thank you to everyone for the suggestions.
Turns out, reapplying the enhanced power fix posted actually worked. This is one of the first things I carry out on any Windows rebuild, so didn't occur to reapply that.

I looked away from power since it just seemed to be that very, very narrow scenario, but there we go.

Thanks for coming back with the (happy) ending.  Too often folks figure things out but never come back to tell everyone what the cure was.

Cheers