First post, by Anamon
I know there are a lot of topics already on getting USB game controllers to work on Windows 98 in general, and under VMware in particular. However, it seems that everyone was finally able to get their controllers to work using one trick or driver or other, and so far I feel like I have tried them all, still with no payoff. So here goes, maybe someone can help and tell me what else to try...
The configuration in particular:
- VMware Workstation 9.0.2
Host: Windows 7 Professional x64
Guest: Windows 98SE (German)
Gamepad: Logitech Rumblepad 2 USB
As far as I can remember, these are the things I tried:
- Just connecting the gamepad to the VM
The gamepad shows up as a generic "USB HID (Human Interface Device)" and is not working. Driver incomplete or device could not be started, error Code 10. - Switching the VM from USB 2.0 to USB 1.1
No difference. - Keeping the VM on USB 2.0 and installing the generic drivers from Technical-Assistance, Version 3.3 for German versions of Win98
The gamepad is now detected by name as "Logitech RumblePad 2 USB", but that's the only difference. It remains in the generic "HID (Human Interface Device" category in the device manager, and isn't working – driver incomplete or device could not be started, error Code 10. - Installing Logitech WingMan Profiler 4.60 (along with required DirectX 8.0a)
With the new drivers, the "Logitech RumblePad 2 USB" device now moves from the HID category to the "Audio, video and game controllers" one in the device manager, referencing Logitechs LJOY2.INF. However, it remains unusable—driver incomplete or device could not be started, error Code 10. The Logitech software does not detect any controllers, and neither does it show up in the game controller control panel. - Forcing to use the generic USB HID driver which some sites claim will always work if the device isn't broken.
The game controller moves back to the generic HID category under its generic HID name, and now actually doesn't show any error anymore, reporting that it is working correctly. However, it still doesn't show up in the game controller control panel, and hence remains unusable. - Manually installing a generic USB HID game controller through the game controller control panel
After selecting the driver, I get sent back to the manual game controller installation dialogue as if nothing had happened. The game controller I force-install this way appears in the device manager under the "Audio, video and game controllers" category, reports that it is working, but still doesn't show up in the game controller control panel where I installed it from.
I'm spent, I really don't know what else to try. The Logitech support site is no help at all. The WingMan Profiler 4.60 software comes with a readme file that states explicitly that it supports my exact gamepad under my exact version of Windows 98. It just doesn't. Has anyone got any more tricks up their sleeve?
Edit: I just made a clone of my VM to upgrade to Windows Me. The problems are exactly the same. I can get the gamepad to show up in the device manager under its correct name, but with a Code 10 error, and the Logitech software doesn't detect it. At the same time, I imported the VMware VM into VirtualBox, and there, it works! So the issue must be somewhere at the USB level.