Windows 10: Sidewinder Force Feedback Joystick suddenly stopped working with FFB on windows 10

Why?!? This hardware and many other examples needs to be supported for the next 1000+ years. Why doesn't this perfectly good joystick still work? Is Microsoft going to recycle all the parts of this perfectly working joystick, or should i just toss it into landfill? This kind of planned obsolescence and inability to maintain long term backwards compatibility is wrong. When I boot up my Windows 10 system it says "Windows 11 is made for games" well Windows 11 cut this hardware off way before you hobbled Windows 10 by removing it? If Windows 11 is made for games, then why would you ever i

:)

 

MS Sidewinder Force Feedback Joystick and Wheel


The MS Sidewinder Forcefeedback 2 definitely works perfectly in Windows 10. Plug and play, no additional drivers required. You can take it one HUGE step further though and download "FS Force" software, a small program (around $34) which takes the force feedback from this stick to another level. So many years old, yet puts most modern sticks to absolute shame.

 

Driver for Microsoft SideWinder Force Feedback Joystick 2

Hello Tommy,

Thank you for your quick reply.

I am using my SideWinder Force Feedback Joystick 2 with Star Citizen. Works great, but without force feedback. Tried also with Star Wars Squadrons. Same situation. The driver included with win10 can only calibrate the joystick, but doesn't have the option for changes such us level of resistance or force feedback.
Tried a few 3rd party software and one called 'simFFB' worked best as it let me amend the resistance levels, but still no FFB. (also not perfect as sometimes drops the setting back to default)

I have also tried re-plugging it multiple times as I thought my usb hub had something to do with it. Tried direct usb 3.0, 2.0 but always the same result.

Regarding the forum link, my situation is better as I do have some resistance and centering. I was hoping with the official driver I will adjust the settings and have ffb.

Do I understand it correctly that the driver was never updated for x64 systems? That would be really sad.

In case you have any ideas what else I should try (even 3rd party), please let me know.

Thank for your time!

Regards,
Peter

 

MS sidewinder force feedback joystick and wheel

All you have to do it try it for yourself. I would try mine (MS Sidewinder Force Feedback Joystick) but it's buried in my garage somewhere. Hasn't seen the light of day in over 10 years. I've got both the USB version.

Anyway I tried it under Windows 7, and it worked, but the game I was using it with (FreeSpace) didn't work that well under 7 so that was that. So I retired the game and stowed the stick away. That was the last time I used it. Here's my post on it - Say It's not so.. (Sidewinder) - Windows 7 Help Forums