Delighted for you that you found an answer. I chucked out my Microsoft
hardware in disgust ages ago and bought Logitech. I can highly recommend the
Logitech MOMO wheel.


"phuzzy_davis@yahoo.com" wrote:

> After years of frustration looking through the web for someone who knew
> how to pull this off, and thinking it wasn't possible, I finally got it
> to work!! If I am not the first, at least there is another hit on the
> search to help now!
>
> The problem was, as previous threads indicated, only basic support was
> provided in Windows XP for the stick. There was no control panel for
> programming it, and no test forces, and worst of all, the forces were
> all at MAXIMUM in games, which rendered it pretty much unusable.
>
> BAD Billy. BAD. GO TO YOUR CORNER. StaaaaayyyyyYYY....
>
> Too bad, the stick is so well built too. Trust me, I opened mine to
> try to find a force adjustment. There isn't one. But a very
> impressive mechanism!!!
>
> This procedure may work for the wheel, and the affected gamepads, I
> don't know.
>
> TO GET IT TO WORK...
>
> 1. Joystick is assumed plugged in.
>
> 2. Get ahold of the sidewinder 4.0 drivers for the stick. On
> driverguide.com, I had this success with the ff2_software4.0.zip file.
> Extract the zip.
>
> 3. Right click the setup.exe file, and hit Compatability.
> Select 'Run this Program in Compatability Mode' for Windows 2000.
> Go through setup. You should SEE the control panel, and have SOME
> operation at this point in Control Panel / Game controllers, but the
> changes don't stay in effect. Keep going!
>
> 4. In the device manager.... (Control Panel / System / Device Manager)
> Double Click 'Human Interface Devices'. On EACH of the Force Feedback
> 2 entries, click update driver, NO to Windows Update, Install from List
> or specific location, Don't Search, Pick the entry that is... NOT
> digitally signed. Do this for BOTH entries.
>
> 5. In the driver archive, under '\SETUP\setupdir\win2k' select the
> GcKernal.sys file, and hit CTRL-C (Copy). Browse to the
> windows\system32\drivers\ folder, and hit CTRL-V and agree to copy over
> the newer file. Cleck the date of the file in this folder to be sure
> that the correct one is there. Or just hit control-V again to see if
> both files are dated the same in the warning box If they are, you are
> good.. (Date: 6/28/2000)
> System file protection tried to replace it back with the newer one for
> me, but after repeated pastes, it stayed. Doesn't make sense to me
> either. If you have trouble, try it in safe mode! Your goal is to get
> the file dated in the year 2000 to STAY in the folder. (gckernal.sys)
>
> 6. Once alll of these steps have been done successfully, reboot.
>
> 7. To Test Operation - Control Panel / Game Controllers / Make sure
> Force Feedback device is highlighted, and hit properties. On the
> 'Forces' tab. Change the force strength, and see if the changes STAY IN
> EFFECT after repeated presses of the test buttons. If they do, the
> GAME will work with the newly adjusted force! FINALLY!
>
> Summary - Yes - we are tricking Windows XP to install the driver and
> software, then FORCING it to install part of it that it didn't like.
> Perhaps driver signing checking, if turned off, will allow a person to
> skip steps 4 and on? Seems undesirable. Step 4 may be unneeded, I
> don't know. I don't feel like undoing everything to find out. We are
> getting Sidewinder 4.0 software to work in Windows XP! I just repeated
> that to help searchers.
>
> I am using this with NEW Need for Speed games!! It's GREAT!!
>
> Enjoy! I know I WILL!
>
> PhuzzyDay
>
> May all like me who need this FIND it! Shazzam!
>
> Sidewinder 4.0 Windows XP Force Feedback 2 Test Forces Adjust
> Forces Adjust Force Strength
> Sidewinder 4.0 Windows XP Force Feedback 2 Test Forces Adjust
> Forces Adjust Force Strength
> Sidewinder 4.0 Windows XP Force Feedback 2 Test Forces Adjust
> Forces Adjust Force Strength
> Sidewinder 4.0 Windows XP Force Feedback 2 Test Forces Adjust
> Forces Adjust Force Strength
> Sidewinder 4.0 Windows XP Force Feedback 2 Test Forces Adjust
> Forces Adjust Force Strength
> Sidewinder 4.0 Windows XP Force Feedback 2 Test Forces Adjust
> Forces Adjust Force Strength
>
>