Do a search on Vogons (via Google), since this has been discussed before.
I would start off by installing the Sidewinder Game Controller Software 3.02 first and, if your joystick is not detected, install the Sidewinder 3D Pro patch - http://www.vogonsdrivers.com/getfile.php?file … &menustate=24,0.

There is a boundary beyond which the Microsoft drivers (regardless of version) will not work. More information and custom drivers here:

MS SideWinder 3D Pro Win9x Drivers

Note that the drivers in this thread were developed for use with Creative Labs Sound Blaster Live! cards (or later). Some VOGONS users have noted that they don't work with earlier sound cards (Sound Blaster AWE series and earlier). This is due to the fact that, in order to get the custom drivers to work with the Sound Blaster Live! cards, it was necessary to work around the software timing loops in the driver AND eliminate a latency (delay) that was apparently necessary for pre-Sound Blaster Live! cards. These two issues are completely separate, but all the drivers in the package eliminate the latency.

Generally speaking, if the Front Side Bus (FSB) speed of your motherboard is greater than 66 MHz, then you can expect that the Microsoft drivers will fail. As jesolo indicated, the first step is to try the Sidewinder Game Controller Software 3.02 (also available from vogonsdrivers.com) and go from there.

I am using a sound blaster 16 and tried the software you guys sent me. No luck what so ever with either the sidewinder 3d pro or the sidewinder gamepad. My clock speed is a Pentium 2 300Mhz processor, and i dont know how to determine the front side bus speed. I really hope i didnt waste 50$ for nothing, because i really want to get this stick working.

EDIT: Front bus speed is 66.7Mhz, hope that helps. I did look at the link, but i dont know which of the drivers is right for my system. So many numbered folders and vxd files.

Well, sorry for double posting, but divisor 24, folder 0 worked and I want to thank you for creating the drivers, and sending me that link. Now just to find out how to get my sidewinder gamepad working.

Sorry if I’m breaking any rules or reviving an old thread, but this post came up on a google search.

I’ve recently taken my old windows 98 desktop out of the attic to get it up and running again for some “authentic” retro gaming. I was looking for my sidewinder but I must have sold it on eBay a long time ago. Anyway, I just ordered a sidewinder pro to hook up to my AWE64 (on an aBit BE6 440Bx,) and found out from the seller the driver disk was not included.

Well, thanks to google, and this post, I see there might be issues running this joystick through the AWE64, and I also see there is a possible solution. Now I don’t feel so bad spending $30 on a sidewinder pro.

I will be referring back to this post and the Vogons driver site in the near future when I receive my “new” joystick. Wing Commander, here I come!

akula65 wrote on 2017-03-07, 03:23:

Generally speaking, if the Front Side Bus (FSB) speed of your motherboard is greater than 66 MHz, then you can expect that the Microsoft drivers will fail.

Just for the record: they don't. I'm using a 3D Pro among others on a P III 750 MHz (100 MHz FSB) with no issues on Win98. I'm using the Sidewinder software 3.0 that is not bundled with any specific joystick, however. Also, there's a fixed version of the sw3dpro.vxd file in case the 3D Pro is not detected.

And if everything fails, you can add the 3D Pro as a CH or Thrustmaster Flightstick, as it has an analog fall-back mode for that. In this mode, it will always work, thought you can not use the four buttons on the base and the z-axis.

derSammler wrote on 2020-02-03, 11:02:

akula65 wrote on 2017-03-07, 03:23:

Generally speaking, if the Front Side Bus (FSB) speed of your motherboard is greater than 66 MHz, then you can expect that the Microsoft drivers will fail.

Just for the record: they don't. I'm using a 3D Pro among others on a P III 750 MHz (100 MHz FSB) with no issues on Win98. I'm using the Sidewinder sotfware 3.0 that is not bundled with any specific joystick, however. Also, there's a fixed version of the sw3dpro.vxd file in case the 3D Pro is not detected.

And if everything fails, you can add the 3D Pro as a CH or Thrustmaster Flightstick, as it has an analog fall-back mode for that. In this mode, it will always work, thought you can not use the four buttons on the base and the z-axis.

Thank you for sharing this knowledge! I will be running the Sidewinder Pro on a 100MHz FSB PIII 733 running at 550MHz (because my motherboard doesn’t support 133 MHzFSB).

Find attached the updated sw3dpro.vxd in case you have any problems anyway. Just copy it to windows\system after installing the Sidewinder 3.0 software.

derSammler wrote on 2020-02-03, 12:37:

Find attached the updated sw3dpro.vxd in case you have any problems anyway. Just copy it to windows\system after installing the Sidewinder 3.0 software.

Thank to so much! 😀

As soon as I receive the joystick, I will grab this file. Saved it on my phone for now.

Hello,

Many thanks! Now iit works for me with the Divisors 23 & 22
My Maschine - DFI K6XV3+, K6-2+/500, 384MB PC133 Ram@100Mhz, Matrox G450 AGP/Voodoo2, Soundblaster CT3600. The Sidewinder 3D Pro is connected at the Soundblasters Gameport .