VOGONS


First post, by jesolo

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I recently acquired a Microsoft Force Feedback steering wheel (the USB version) and also have the normal one which I got from my cousin a few years back.
The box mentions that software was included but, I never got a disk or CD with either one.
Was there a CD or disk shipped with this?

Reply 1 of 23, by Davros

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yes i have it
but for xp you need a later version (not tried on anything newer)
microsoft game controller software 4.0 is what you need (mssff40.zip)
I have it the bad news is that I have every file ive ever downloaded from the internet ever cunningly all on cdr's labelled backup
so its a ton of hassle finding anything so try to find it yourself if you cant i'll help but really try...

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Reply 2 of 23, by b_rros

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I have it, I will try to find it later today.
In Windows 7/8/10 the wheel works just fine without drivers 😀

Reply 3 of 23, by jesolo

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I have version 3.02 for Windows 9x/ME that I downloaded ages ago.
Didn't know there was a version 4.0, for Windows XP. I will try and find it.

Just curious as to what was on the original CD.
I would think it included DirectX 7.0, the game controller software and perhaps a manual in pdf format?
If someone can make an ISO image of that disk, then it would be great.

Reply 8 of 23, by akula65

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There are at least two versions of the Microsoft SideWinder Force Feedback Wheel.

One version has the following attributes:

CD-ROM Volume Label: SW1040_RET
CD-ROM size: 606 MB
CD-ROM Part No.: X05-10187
CD-ROM Copyright Date: 1995-1999
Includes Monster Truck Madness 2 (full game, 575 MB)
Printed copy of manual (CD Set X05-10351) (Bar code: *X04-98260*)
Pedals Part No.: X04-74735
Pedals Mfg. #: 0560058
Main Unit Part No.: X04-97607
Product ID: 52178-579-4727636-00000
SN: 97607xxxxxxxx

Another version has the following attributes:

CD-ROM Volume Label: SW1040_RET
CD-ROM size: 32 MB
CD-ROM Part No.: X08-59084
CD-ROM Copyright Date: 1995-2002
CD-ROM Readme Date: February 2002
Printed copy of manual (Part No.: X08-59081)
Pedals Part No.: X04-74735
Pedals Mfg. #: 0908858
Main Unit Part No.: X08-59087
Product ID: 52178-579-0345736-00000
SN: 59087xxxxxxxx

Other versions may exist as well. I will see if I can get the newer (smaller) ISO version to VOGONS Drivers since the MTM2 makes the first ISO problematic from a rights standpoint. I also don't even have broadband anymore according to the FCC, so uploading the larger ISO would be a nightmare for me.

The manual is not particularly informative. I would say there is as much or more information in the CD-ROM README file.

Reply 9 of 23, by jesolo

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Yes, the second version (32MB) should be fine.
Let me know once you've uploaded it.

Reply 10 of 23, by mirh

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Why not uploading this on VOGONS drivers it it ain't already there?

pcgamingwiki.com

Reply 11 of 23, by SPBHM

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I have the 4.0 software (downloaded from some website, I don't have the CD), it seems to be from 1999 it's for win9x but it works (most of it) on windows XP, as far as I know there is no native XP driver for it.

Reply 12 of 23, by akula65

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I haven't uploaded anything to VOGONS Drivers because I am waiting for SquallStrife to set up an account. When SquallStrife gives the green light, I will upload the ISOs for both the regular SideWinder wheel and the Force Feedback wheel.

Please, be patient.

Reply 13 of 23, by Robin4

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I found this site:

http://web.archive.org/web/20000229215224/htt … com/sidewinder/?

I can upload to vogons drivers.com but i need to have more information about that file.

Its up guys: 😊

http://www.vogonsdrivers.com/getfile.php?file … =880&menustate=

The controller patches i will trying to upload this week.

Here are also mircosoft keyboard and mouse software:

http://web.archive.org/web/20041213023546/htt … d/Download.mspx

~ At least it can do black and white~

Reply 14 of 23, by mirh

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SPBHM wrote:

I have the 4.0 software (downloaded from some website, I don't have the CD), it seems to be from 1999 it's for win9x but it works (most of it) on windows XP, as far as I know there is no native XP driver for it.

If drivers are WDM (no VxD), chances are they may work even newer Windows.

pcgamingwiki.com

Reply 15 of 23, by SPBHM

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mirh wrote:
SPBHM wrote:

I have the 4.0 software (downloaded from some website, I don't have the CD), it seems to be from 1999 it's for win9x but it works (most of it) on windows XP, as far as I know there is no native XP driver for it.

If drivers are WDM (no VxD), chances are they may work even newer Windows.

I can't remember specifically but 4.0 when installing on XP SP3 will give me a warning that it was not made for "windows 2000" or something like it, but the driver works and the control panel works mostly without problems, the page for setting macros would crash, but if you disable DEP on your windows XP it actually works

for Vista+ these drivers didn't work but Vista came with drivers for it, it just lacks the control panel, even on windows 10 x64 I can use the Sidewinder ffb wheel, force feedback and all buttons work, the problem is the lack of control panel and the wheel having the "auto center spring" setting as default (which ruins it for newer FFB racing games), some games will disable it automatically as expected (like Live For Speed) but most don't , for "Project Cars" when I tested it deleting a registry value worked to disable it, but it's not always the case.

Reply 16 of 23, by y2k se

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I have one of the force feedback wheels with pedals in the closet. I think that I have a couple different CD's. IIRC, XP and beyond compatibility isn't great since you also lose the ability to separate the pedals onto different axes. I've since moved on from the 220° rotation and lack of a clutch pedal, but it was a great wheel for its time. A belt-drive system couldn't be beat. I have an old, game-port Thrustmaster for the DOS6/Win98 system. 😀

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Reply 17 of 23, by SPBHM

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y2k se wrote:

I have one of the force feedback wheels with pedals in the closet. I think that I have a couple different CD's. IIRC, XP and beyond compatibility isn't great since you also lose the ability to separate the pedals onto different axes. I've since moved on from the 220° rotation and lack of a clutch pedal, but it was a great wheel for its time. A belt-drive system couldn't be beat. I have an old, game-port Thrustmaster for the DOS6/Win98 system. 😀

on windows XP you can separate pedals using the control panel (from the win98 driver) on newer windows the default settings are separate pedals.
the only situation you would really want the pedals sharing the same axis is for flight sims or some older games that can't handle the separate axis pedals.

I've used this wheel for things like Iracing and Project Cars quite well, it's only unplayable for me when the game forces the auto center spring and I can't disable it.
as for older games the 98 driver/control panel even comes with profiles for GPL, Need For Speed and so on and it works fine.

Reply 18 of 23, by y2k se

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I can't imagine iRacing on one of those things, especially oval superspeedway racing!

Tualatin Celeron 1.4 + Powerleap PL-IP3/T, ASUS P2B, 256 MB RAM, GeForce 4 Ti 4200, Voodoo2 SLI, AWE64, 32GB IDE SSD, Dell 2001FP

Reply 19 of 23, by SPBHM

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y2k se wrote:

I can't imagine iRacing on one of those things, especially oval superspeedway racing!

I spent most of the time with the MX-5 and it was great, the only problem I remember is that a few times when starting a race it would reset the wheel to the silly auto center spring thing (which mutes the FFB and it feels quite wrong), so I had to quickly alt+tab before the race start to fix it, LFS and rfactor based games also work well, the worst seems to be the Codemaster games, I rarely could get rid of the auto center spring or get some decent feel out of it, even though they list the wheel as compatible for games as new as 2014;
Project Cars(2015) even have a (good, apart from the auto center spring) default profile with a picture of the wheel on the menu