It's almost a shame to use a USB controller with an old rig, where DB-15 joysticks were king.

Windows 2000 and newer have much better built-in support for USB controllers. Hearing that Win98 is giving you a headache is not a surprise unfortunately.

Summary of your problems:

1. Your i430x-chipset based motherboard has most probably a USB 1.x version support. Newer peripherals are at least USB 2.0 spec.

- High speed devices may not work with lower-spec USB interface, whereas low-speed peripherals will work with USB 2.x+ based interface.

2. Unfortunately there may not be a USB-to-Gameport adapter available, but there are Gameport-to-USB adapters available.

- USB-to-Gameport is where you may theoritically use a USB gamepad to connect to a supposed gameport adapter. If this is possible, the adapter will have a base with USB input slot on the adapter, and the wire end will have a 15-pin gameport male connectorto connect to the 15-pin female port commonly seen on the sound cards. I'm not aware if this is available commercially yet.

- Gameport-to-USB adapters are vialable - where you connect the older 15-pin based gameport Joysticks/gamepads to newer systems. The adapter will have a female 15-pin connector on the adpater, and the wire end of it will have the USB connector to connect to a USB port in the newer pc.

Suggested Solution:

1. Use the gamepad with a newer USB 2.0 or higher integrated system.

2. Get a classic Gamport-based controller.

For eg. - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Microsoft-SideWinde … =item5894451f09

(Keep in mind that there are no dual analog-stick based gamepads which are also gameport varities available as far as I know. So if you're looking for the PS style gamepads, for playing the Tomb Raider using both analog sticks is not possible, yet. Most gameport-based gamepads only have 1 analog stick at most, that I've come across.)

3. Or play the Tomb Raider in a newer system with your new gamepad. Dosbox should be able to play it well in latest systems. I'm not a fan of TR, and so, I'm not sure if fans have created a port executable to help it run natively in Windows.

P.S. Your new gamepad IS a piece of cake when it comes to newer PCs with USB 2.0 and above support. 😁

HunterZ, there are two reasons I got it:

1) An oldschool controller of a nice quality is really hard to get here. I'd love to have something like Creative Cobra, but I live in Siberia and ebay often refuses to work with russian post. That means I have to contact the seller personally and he has to be from Russia and he has to be the one who will volontarily stand in the line for an hour or more to get me the controller.

2) When it comes to keyboards and mice, I prefer brand new stuff. When things are always in contact with other person's hands and I get picky.

Malik,
Thank you for your detailed answer.

1. Use the gamepad with a newer USB 2.0 or higher integrated system.

So, do you think that PCI USB 2.0 controller card is the only way I can get this thing to work with my rig? I guess, I'm getting one today.

3. Or play the Tomb Raider in a newer system with your new gamepad. Dosbox should be able to play it well in latest systems. I'm not a fan of TR, and so, I'm not sure if fans have created a port executable to help it run natively in Windows.

I guess I'll have to stick with that if that USB controller thing does not help 😀

Got a USB Controller, but it's not compartible with PCI 2.0... Feel like a looser with 2 new useless devices...

Malik wrote:

1. Your i430x-chipset based motherboard has most probably a USB 1.x version support. Newer peripherals are at least USB 2.0 spec.

Really? I figured they were all USB 1.x for maximum compatibility. Surely there would be no purpose in having a higher data transfer rate for something as simple as a gamepad (or a mouse or a keyboard) ?

You should try using these drivers:
http://www.technical-assistance.co.uk/kb/win9 … age-drivers.php

Using these I've managed to use every controller I've ever had under Windows98SE. Heck, I even used an adapter and played some games using a Sega Saturn gamepad.
Tomb Raider though only supports 4buttons AFAIK, so don't expect to be able to use every button!

RacoonRider, If you ever follow Mailk's suggestion to get a classic Microsoft gamepad (SideWinder, SideWinder Freestyle Pro, etc.), make sure to get a copy of the SideWinder Game Device Software Version 3.0 that is still available directly from Microsoft:

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/detai … ang=en&id=24716

This software gives you extraordinary freedom when it comes to mapping commands or keystroke sequences to your SideWinder controller.

With regard to your USB woes, are you using a localized version of Win98 (Russian, etc.) or is it English? I was thinking that might be relevant to your problems.

Jorpho wrote:

Malik wrote:

1. Your i430x-chipset based motherboard has most probably a USB 1.x version support. Newer peripherals are at least USB 2.0 spec.

Really? I figured they were all USB 1.x for maximum compatibility. Surely there would be no purpose in having a higher data transfer rate for something as simple as a gamepad (or a mouse or a keyboard) ?

Seems fair to me..)

F2bnp wrote:

You should try using these drivers: http://www.technical-assistance.co.uk/kb/win9 … age-drivers.php […]
Show full quote

You should try using these drivers:
http://www.technical-assistance.co.uk/kb/win9 … age-drivers.php

Using these I've managed to use every controller I've ever had under Windows98SE. Heck, I even used an adapter and played some games using a Sega Saturn gamepad.
Tomb Raider though only supports 4buttons AFAIK, so don't expect to be able to use every button!

I already have this thing installed 😦 . Perhaps, there's some other software you have that helps them work? My system does not seem to be aware of ANY ways to connect a game device except the game port.

akula65 wrote:

RacoonRider, If you ever follow Mailk's suggestion to get a classic Microsoft gamepad (SideWinder, SideWinder Freestyle Pro, etc […]
Show full quote

RacoonRider, If you ever follow Mailk's suggestion to get a classic Microsoft gamepad (SideWinder, SideWinder Freestyle Pro, etc.), make sure to get a copy of the SideWinder Game Device Software Version 3.0 that is still available directly from Microsoft:

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/detai … ang=en&id=24716

This software gives you extraordinary freedom when it comes to mapping commands or keystroke sequences to your SideWinder controller.

With regard to your USB woes, are you using a localized version of Win98 (Russian, etc.) or is it English? I was thinking that might be relevant to your problems.

I'm not sure I'm going to purchase it, but thank you anyway.

I'm using 98SE English version, no localizations, no built-in add-ons. Although I installed raspppoe for ADSL and nusb33e for flash drives. Later, when I could not make the gamepad work, I installed something called "Unofficial SP1 for 98SE", which was said to contain all the updates Microsoft made since SE release. I'm going to reinstall it since it contains a lot of useless crap like new boot screens and other stuff I obviously don't need.

Ermm...maybe you've double checked all these, but let me ask anyway :

a. Is the USB enabled in BIOS?

b. Have you tried using any other usb device with the ports?

Here's a direct link to your motherboard's manual : http://www.motherboards.org/files/manuals/1/p55t2p4-311.pdf

According to the manual, the USB is "disabled by default".

Malik wrote:

Ermm...maybe you've double checked all these, but let me ask anyway : […]
Show full quote

Ermm...maybe you've double checked all these, but let me ask anyway :

a. Is the USB enabled in BIOS?

b. Have you tried using any other usb device with the ports?

Here's a direct link to your motherboard's manual : http://www.motherboards.org/files/manuals/1/p55t2p4-311.pdf

According to the manual, the USB is "disabled by default".

a. Of course it is enabled 😀
b. Yes, UMAX Astra 4900 1200p scaner (which must be a USB2.0 device), and 4 different flash cards are working properly.

btw, thanks for the manual, all I had so far was a TH99 entry and 2 articles from thg.

God it works!

I don't know where exactly I messed up, I used a classic method... Took all the things that could be connected to the problem apart and then back together. And it started to work, just like that.

I guess, due to force feedback or something it wanted more power than the weak contact could provide, which would still be enough for a flash card or a scanner with external psu. If that was not the problem, I'm out of ideas 😀

But what the hell... Thank you all again, I'm going to try and enjoy it right now 😀.

Good to hear that! Have fun!