Help! Thrustmaster Warthog firmware update fail

[apoll]

Can anyone please help me. My Warthog just became a very expensive brick. I upgraded to an Asus x99-deluxe motherboard and sli 980s, downloaded the latest drivers from the Thrustmaster website...connected the joystick and throttle set the appropriate time, and then tried to update the firmware. Big mistake. It failed at step 2, with the big red cross and the error code of 0x0000000c. Now, the system won't recognise the joystick, saying it is a 'bootloader' and consistently failing to update the firmware.

 

I have done everything: followed the advice from the Thrustmaster website to 'wake up' sleeping joysticks from bootloader, but that consistently dud not work. I took the stick apart looking for a detached wire; all appeared in order. I tried to set up the stick on a seperate machine to no avail. It still would not update the firmware, continuing to fail at step 2. In desperation, I searched the Internet; none of the solutions to date have worked for me. I gave finally Seng an email to Trustmaster support, hoping against hope they actually are helpful. Nothing do far after three days.

 

Can anyone help a desperate simmer?? The Warthog us too expensive for us to be a brick and not being used! What can I do? How can I get it working again? What is error code 0x0000000c?

 

Please help me...

 

Apoll:(

[aeliusg]

Make sure it isn't plugged into a USB 3.0 port, and try everything again.

[Vullcan]

See if you can get ahold of more computers to try it on. I ended up borrowing a old laptop with USB 2.0 ports from a friend that had an older version of windows on it and that worked for me.

[apoll]

Thanks, but did all of the above. The Asus x99 has majority of usb 3 ports; tried everyone in the back, including the two usb 2 ports. I have also tried an older computer, seperate from my main one. No good; joystick is seen as a Bootloader', whatever that is, and it fails at stp 2. No good.

 

Other ideas? Please help if you can...

 

Apoll

[Vullcan]

You may need to send it in to Thrustmaster for repair if using another computer doesnt work. I know you tried one (other) old computer, but I would see if you can try a 3rd or 4th computer.

 

There are people here who tried 3 computes in their house and NONE worked, then they brought it into work or tried a freinds computer and it worked fine.

 

Its very picky about which computers it works on when its stuck in this mode and no one can seem to come up with a specific set of technical specifications that it works 100% of the time on.

[apoll]

Ok Vullcan. I'll try that and see what happens. If I can ever get a response from Thrustmaster, that would be a start. Thanks for your replies, much appreciated.

 

Apoll

[apoll]

Solved I think. See above post.

 

ThZnks to those who replied.

 

Apoll

[Trubshaw]

Felt your desperation apoll.But tell us exactly how did/have you fixed it?

 

Cheers

[TwoLate]

I am now having same issue. Joystick has no firmware. Tried the bootloader method and still no go to update firmware. Throttle is fine. Might have to contact Thrustmaster. Wonder if it is a windows 8.1 issue. I hope apoll awnsers his workaround.

[CaptJackG]

I am a new warthog owner and I've done a lot of research on TM problems. I recently had to replace my desktop due to a lightning strike in the home. My new machine has an ASUS X99. At the same time I went from CH to Warthog Hotas. I could not get the new computer to boot with TM plugged in, or for that matter anything more that a mouse. After a couple of calls to IBuyPower (where purchased) tech support I updated the Bios on the MB and most of my problems went away. I also had to run a program to find unrecognized devices to update their drivers to fix some problems in Device Manager.

 

The long and short is now everything is working mostly fine...a few little boot glitches every once in a while.

 

I found this post from a few years ago and have saved it for future use just in case.

 

Warthog on Asus x99

 

Hello. I have been having real problems with my Warthog, and indeed my MFDs after a major computer update. I now seem to have solved them, with the help of Thrustmaster Technical Department. I want to outline what worked for me so any other poor bugger having the same problems has a head start in solving them.

 

The Problem. I upgraded to an Asus x99 Deluxe motherboard and SLI 980s ect. I also went from Win 7 to Win 8.1 64 bit. As you may know, the new motherboard had predominantly USB 3 slots, and as you probably won't know, Win 8.1 introduced a new way of managing power to these USB ports. Both facts are relevant, as it turned out.

 

The Symptoms. The computer suddenly became unstable when it booted up with the USB peripherals attached. In particular, Win would not recognise my Warthog joystick: it was listed as a 'Bootloader', and to make matters worse, when I tried to update the firmware, it would not load, and consistently failed at step 2 with the error message of 0x0000000c. I ended up with both my joystick and throttle without any firmware at all, and always being listed as Bootloader when I attached the cables into the USB slots. So..unstable computer that hung randomly on loading, and Warthog throttle and joystick not working.

 

What I Tried. I first unloaded everything to do with the Warthog, re downloaded all the latest drivers and tried to reload drivers. No good; did not work. Then I followed the Thrustmaster advice on their website to 'wake up' Bootloader joysticks. I followed the instructions to the letter; this did NOT work, no matter how many times I followed it. Next, I tried setting up the Warthog on a seperate, older machine, with only USB 2 ports. No good. Did not work either; the firmware update kept failing at step 2 with error 0x0000000c. I was in despair.

 

What Finally Worked For Me. I sent an email, in my despair, to TM support. In the meantime, I trawled the web. There was ONE post on the SimHQ website, just one, about a guy complaining about Win nit booting properly with a Warthog attached. The solution was to go into the BIOS to disable something called xHCI mode in the USB configuration settings. The guy disabled the xHCI mode and it sorted the problem. Upon doing research, I discovered that Intel xHCI controlled the USB ports: xHCI equalled having the USB ports active. Turn it off, and the ports reverted to USB 2. So the problem had something to do with peripherals, especially the Warthog HOTAS, being plugged into this Intel controlled xHCI USB 3 ports. Something was not gelling. So what I tried was to turn off in my BIOS the xHCI mode, then reloaded the Warthog drivers, following the prompts, and IT ALL WORKED! Especially, the firmware updated with no problems. My HOTAS was with firmware again, and recognised by the computer again, and working. I then turned the xHCI back to enabled again, and the settings stayed, and the HOTAS was still ok. I might point out here that I had it plugged into USB 3 ports; putting it into the USB 2 ports did not help when it was playing up.

 

The second thing I did related to the way Win 8.1 managed the power settings of the USB ports. There was a work around in the TM message to me that dealt with apparent problems that this new power management arrangemnet of the USB ports that Win 8.1 used. Microsoft has acknowledged that the way Win 8.1 manages the ports has caused lots of compatibility y problems with USB devices. Apparently, the new power arrangement turns power off to the device when Windows thinks it is sleeping or not active. This causes problems, loading, disconnecting and reloading devices to the computer seemingly randomly. It was particularly evident when I attached the TM MFDs. They flicked on and off constantly, flashing lights and causing the computer to bleep constantly, and generally have a heart attack. What I did was to go into device manager, and located the HID device of game controller, click on it, go to device details and find the device path in the registry. I copied the HID/PID unique numerical line, opened Regedit, found the appropriate line under Current, System, Enum, USB, and then TURNED OFF a thing called EnhancedPowerManagement by setting the string entry to 0. This stopped Windows from managing the power of devices attached through the problematic USB ports. Microsoft has a detailed set of instructions on their site to specifically allow people to use this workaround to deal with problematic USB devices. It absolutely worked; the computer became more stable and the MFDs stopped disconnecting, and now behave themselves. I have yet to get to the bottom of the Intel xHCI thingy, but there is a problem I think with the way it relates on newer motherboards and legacy USB devices, which is what all of us have.

 

Conclusion. What did I learn? The way Win 8.1 mangers power to the USB ports, especially USB 3 ports, is problematic and causes problems with devices, such as Warthog joysticks and throttles and MFDs. (Btw, it also caused issues with my Saitek combat flight pedals.) the way to fix it was to turn off in Registry by Regedit this enhanced power management. I also switched the BIOS setting of USB configuration of Intel xHCI to Enabled from AutoSmart...after I had disabled it to fix the Warthog (which did the trick). Any instability, and I will play around with the xHCI setting in the BIOS.

 

Hope this is/will be helpful to users in the future. Happy to expand on anything I wrote here.

[Zapper35]

I have a similar problem. After a few days away with PC shutdown I return and only see the lights on WH Throttle flash briefly and then get Windows message "USB Device Malfunctioned. Invalid Device Descriptor" Went through each of the steps enumerated by Capt Jack but still no joy. PC updated itself to Windows 8.1 a little while back (not happy about that either) but is theer anything else I can do? Cheers, Zap Maybe the throttle is just upset with me for using to fly BMS ;)

[Oydoron]

My curiosity is peaked on these. Any chance someone could do a usb packet capture for me? Or maybe just the corrupted descriptors?

[Zapper35]

I have a similar problem. Have done all of the above with no joy. Plug stick in, lights flash then Device not recognized. the I have spoken to the supplier and it appears there is a prob with how W8.1 manages USB devices and he said a few guys have had similar probs. If W8 decides it doesn't like a particular device you can do what you like but it can't be got around. He also advised that MS are aware of the problem and that there is a 'Fixit' for it .. I just haven't found it yet. The one I did get from MS (and they email a link for the downlaod) tells me it is not applicable to my PC. Still working on it .. and yes the throttle is fine plugged into my other rig. Why or why did I try W8? ;D Gotta love MS.

 

Tried REGEDIT to remove the appropriate key but same prob. Interstingly I can't access the key properties .. Access Denied.

 

Has anyone seen the fixit tool? I found another from WindowsClub it it too says it is not for my OS.

Edited January 7, 2015 by Zapper35
Update on progress .. or lack thereof...

[adamski66]

just had this problem of unable to update firmware with just the throttle .. but after putting it into a usb2 port directly and not in my usb hub, where it used to be... it worked directly.

[ZaltysZ]

Tried REGEDIT to remove the appropriate key but same prob. Interstingly I can't access the key properties .. Access Denied.

 

Do you run regedit with admin rights?

[alfredo_laredo]

I have a similar problem. After a few days away with PC shutdown I return and only see the lights on WH Throttle flash briefly and then get Windows message "USB Device Malfunctioned. Invalid Device Descriptor" Went through each of the steps enumerated by Capt Jack but still no joy. PC updated itself to Windows 8.1 a little while back (not happy about that either) but is theer anything else I can do? Cheers, Zap Maybe the throttle is just upset with me for using to fly BMS ;)

 

 

DId you manage to fix the issue? exact same problem, no lights and no Windows recongizing the device

[hansangb]

There were earlier reports that said WH's and USB 3 didn't play nice - during firmware updates. Try it again with USB 2.0 ports.

 

hsb

[Weidlich]

Hey guys, a quick update for modern systems.

 

I have an Asus Maximus X Hero Z370 board.

On this board there is no way to disable the xHCI mode in the bios anymore.

 

I tried to flash my stick (connected to USB2 port), however during the update the progress was 0 with a failure message shortly afterwards.

Even afterwards using the bulk mode there was no success and stick seemed to be dead.

I tried all USB2 and USB3.0 ports, all failed.

 

What saved me:

Using the onboard ASMedia 3.1 Gen2 port on the backpanel!

The ASMedia controller had no issues, update went through instantly :)

 

best regards

Andre