Constant issues with DCS not reacting to connected controllers

[Eldur]

As the title says... I constantly have to restart DCS or even Windows just to make my input devices work. They're detected every time, I can even see them available in the options, but randomly they still don't react in the actual sim. I tried things like replugging them and it's great to see DCS is capable of recognizing that, well, somewhat. If my FFB2 is affected, it's then dead force-wise. If it's my TrackIR I have to reboot completely. And if it's my WH throttle, I have to mess with the TARGET software, mostly without luck. But they all appear and work normally in the totally hidden Game Controller page (C:\Windows\System32\rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL joy.cpl,,1). MS probably hid that, 'cos it just tosses out junk as DCS proves

 

Why is all that happening? And why is it probably just me? Couldn't find any accounts of others having issues like this. Or is it just that Microsoft Windows Seven is, to quote a Harrier GR.7 pilot on his "day off" that probably everyone has heard here already, just a "complete and utter dickhead"? By the way, Windows loves to play the "USB disconnected" sound a lot when I plug my devices, especially if it's the FFBs. Maybe the issues are related to that, most probably they are. Basically all of the problems I've ever had with Win7 over the last decade are USB related. The only exceptions are the Explorer Alzheimer's and the audio stack that likes to rotate my 5.1 setup around randomly and needs a buck to it's booty sometimes (I just set it to stereo and back to 5.1 and it's OK again, it just takes ages). But these are well-known issues and that's what Win 8 and 10 are made for

 

But Windows doesn't seem to be made for plugging in 7 or 8 gaming devices at the same time since 90% of the users won't even plug in a single one at all

 

It's like playing a lottery multiple times and wait for a full streak to be able to run a solid DCS session... which is a major waste of time in the first place. I could fly at least twice as much if I didn't have these issues

 

 

Win 7 64 Pro · Gigabyte GA Z77-D3H (BIOS v.23b) · Intel i5 3570k · Crucial Ballistix Tactical 32GB CL8 DDR3-1600 · Corsair Force GT SSDs 120GB (Win) + 240GB (Games/Sims) on an ASUS U3S6 PCIe x4 controller card

MSI GTX 970 Gaming 4G (390.65) · SB X-Fi Elite Pro (drivers dated 05 May 2010, ver 6.0.1.1375) · VIA HD onboard audio (drivers dated 04 Aug 2010, ver 6.0.1.8700)

MS FFB2 + MFG Crosswind + Precision 2 + Precision Pro (latter 2 just for sliders) + Dual Saitek Pro Flight Throttle Quadrant + HOTAS Warthog Throttle · TrackIR 4 + 5.1.3 software

 

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Edit: Sometimes I have a PS3 controller attached as well. Great for TDC actions. Just checked the log:

 

2018-04-12 00:50:30.569 INFO INPUT: Device [Keyboard] created deviceId = 1

2018-04-12 00:50:30.573 INFO INPUT: Device [vJoy Device {6C77F780-24CB-11e4-8002-444553540000}] created deviceId = 2

2018-04-12 00:50:30.573 INFO INPUT: Joystick created[vJoy Device {6C77F780-24CB-11e4-8002-444553540000}], ForceFeedBack: no

2018-04-12 00:50:30.589 INFO INPUT: Device [Thrustmaster Virtual Game Controller (root) {CD3BC820-7CFF-11e5-8003-444553540000}] created deviceId = 3

2018-04-12 00:50:30.589 INFO INPUT: Joystick created[Thrustmaster Virtual Game Controller (root) {CD3BC820-7CFF-11e5-8003-444553540000}], ForceFeedBack: no

2018-04-12 00:50:30.620 INFO INPUT: Device [Controller (Xbox 360 Wireless Receiver for Windows) {7188AD10-8303-11e3-8001-444553540000}] created deviceId = 4

2018-04-12 00:50:30.620 INFO INPUT: Joystick created[Controller (Xbox 360 Wireless Receiver for Windows) {7188AD10-8303-11e3-8001-444553540000}], ForceFeedBack: no

2018-04-12 00:50:30.646 INFO INPUT: Device [MFG Crosswind Rudder Pedals {A00B1390-5ECB-11e4-8002-444553540000}] created deviceId = 5

2018-04-12 00:50:30.646 INFO INPUT: Joystick created[MFG Crosswind Rudder Pedals {A00B1390-5ECB-11e4-8002-444553540000}], ForceFeedBack: no

2018-04-12 00:50:30.646 INFO INPUT: Device [Mouse] created deviceId = 6

2018-04-12 00:50:30.648 INFO INPUT: Device [TrackIR] created deviceId = 7

2018-04-12 00:51:00.392 INFO INPUT: Device [Keyboard] created deviceId = 9

2018-04-12 00:51:00.395 INFO INPUT: Device [vJoy Device {6C77F780-24CB-11e4-8002-444553540000}] created deviceId = 10

2018-04-12 00:51:00.395 INFO INPUT: Joystick created[vJoy Device {6C77F780-24CB-11e4-8002-444553540000}], ForceFeedBack: no

2018-04-12 00:51:00.409 INFO INPUT: Device [Thrustmaster Virtual Game Controller (root) {CD3BC820-7CFF-11e5-8003-444553540000}] created deviceId = 11

2018-04-12 00:51:00.409 INFO INPUT: Joystick created[Thrustmaster Virtual Game Controller (root) {CD3BC820-7CFF-11e5-8003-444553540000}], ForceFeedBack: no

2018-04-12 00:51:00.463 INFO INPUT: Device [MFG Crosswind Rudder Pedals {A00B1390-5ECB-11e4-8002-444553540000}] created deviceId = 12

2018-04-12 00:51:00.463 INFO INPUT: Joystick created[MFG Crosswind Rudder Pedals {A00B1390-5ECB-11e4-8002-444553540000}], ForceFeedBack: no

It's very suspicious that all of my Microsoft Sidewinder devices are not loaded - which I noticed just 'cause my stick wouldn't react, but still it was listed in the mappings options which I immedeately checked. Normally devices that are not connected aren't listed there. So it could be a remote driver issue with MS SW sticks. And as we all know, these come out of the box since Vista with no proper software support. Too bad I still love my FFB2 since there's no alternative still. The PP and P2 ones I use are just for WW2 elevator and rudder trim, but I fly them so rarely...

 

Then some others are re-loaded again, device id #8 is totally skipped and still no Sidewinders...

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Edit²: When DCS recognizes all devices, it looks like this (just unplugged everything, replugged all and started DCS, no Win reboot was necessary):

 

2018-04-12 01:26:31.562 INFO INPUT: Device [Keyboard] created deviceId = 1

2018-04-12 01:26:31.565 INFO INPUT: Device [vJoy Device {6C77F780-24CB-11e4-8002-444553540000}] created deviceId = 2

2018-04-12 01:26:31.565 INFO INPUT: Joystick created[vJoy Device {6C77F780-24CB-11e4-8002-444553540000}], ForceFeedBack: no

2018-04-12 01:26:31.577 INFO INPUT: Device [Thrustmaster Virtual Game Controller (root) {CD3BC820-7CFF-11e5-8003-444553540000}] created deviceId = 3

2018-04-12 01:26:31.577 INFO INPUT: Joystick created[Thrustmaster Virtual Game Controller (root) {CD3BC820-7CFF-11e5-8003-444553540000}], ForceFeedBack: no

2018-04-12 01:26:31.580 INFO INPUT: Device [Throttle - HOTAS Warthog {37264BC0-30A2-11e5-8001-444553540000}] created deviceId = 4

2018-04-12 01:26:31.580 INFO INPUT: Joystick created[Throttle - HOTAS Warthog {37264BC0-30A2-11e5-8001-444553540000}], ForceFeedBack: no

2018-04-12 01:26:31.583 INFO INPUT: Device [Microsoft SideWinder Precision Pro (USB) {3A22EEE0-A28A-11e1-8001-444553540000}] created deviceId = 5

2018-04-12 01:26:31.583 INFO INPUT: Joystick created[Microsoft SideWinder Precision Pro (USB) {3A22EEE0-A28A-11e1-8001-444553540000}], ForceFeedBack: no

2018-04-12 01:26:31.588 INFO INPUT: Device [sideWinder Force Feedback 2 Joystick {3A2315F0-A28A-11e1-8002-444553540000}] created deviceId = 6

2018-04-12 01:26:31.629 INFO INPUT: Joystick created[sideWinder Force Feedback 2 Joystick {3A2315F0-A28A-11e1-8002-444553540000}], ForceFeedBack: yes, guidFFDriver: {EEC6993A-B3FD-11d2-A916-00C04FB98638}

2018-04-12 01:26:31.633 INFO INPUT: Device [sideWinder Precision 2 Joystick {3A233D00-A28A-11e1-8003-444553540000}] created deviceId = 7

2018-04-12 01:26:31.633 INFO INPUT: Joystick created[sideWinder Precision 2 Joystick {3A233D00-A28A-11e1-8003-444553540000}], ForceFeedBack: no

2018-04-12 01:26:31.665 INFO INPUT: Device [Controller (Xbox 360 Wireless Receiver for Windows) {7188AD10-8303-11e3-8001-444553540000}] created deviceId = 8

2018-04-12 01:26:31.665 INFO INPUT: Joystick created[Controller (Xbox 360 Wireless Receiver for Windows) {7188AD10-8303-11e3-8001-444553540000}], ForceFeedBack: no

2018-04-12 01:26:31.691 INFO INPUT: Device [saitek Pro Flight Quadrant {4509BD60-B9CC-11e3-8001-444553540000}] created deviceId = 9

2018-04-12 01:26:31.691 INFO INPUT: Joystick created[saitek Pro Flight Quadrant {4509BD60-B9CC-11e3-8001-444553540000}], ForceFeedBack: no

2018-04-12 01:26:31.694 INFO INPUT: Device [saitek Pro Flight Quadrant {FDC97740-B9CD-11e3-8002-444553540000}] created deviceId = 10

2018-04-12 01:26:31.694 INFO INPUT: Joystick created[saitek Pro Flight Quadrant {FDC97740-B9CD-11e3-8002-444553540000}], ForceFeedBack: no

2018-04-12 01:26:31.697 INFO INPUT: Device [MFG Crosswind Rudder Pedals {A00B1390-5ECB-11e4-8002-444553540000}] created deviceId = 11

2018-04-12 01:26:31.697 INFO INPUT: Joystick created[MFG Crosswind Rudder Pedals {A00B1390-5ECB-11e4-8002-444553540000}], ForceFeedBack: no

2018-04-12 01:26:31.697 INFO INPUT: Device [Mouse] created deviceId = 12

2018-04-12 01:26:31.700 INFO INPUT: Device [TrackIR] created deviceId = 13

Edited April 12, 2018 by Eldur

[john9001]

Check the windows USB controls, there is a switch in there that allows windows to shut off some USB ports if there is a overload or something.

 

* disclaimer, I am not a computer geek.