"Other Devices" in XP

HighLordDave · Post by **HighLordDave** » Mon Jun 23, 2003 5:29 am

I have finally gone over the edge; I installed XP Pro on one of my machines.

I am trying to install some legacy hardware (my Suncom SFS joystick and throttle) and am having problems. To install this device in 98SE, I have to run the Add New Hardware wizard, but instead of using the Sound, Video and Game Controllers category, I pick Other Devices from the list, click on Have Disk, then pick the .inf file to install the driver.

In XP, there is no Other Devices on the list of device categories and the stick/throttle won't install under any other category. You see the SFSFC.inf file, but each time I click on it, it says "That file contains no information about your hardware."

Suncom, the manufacturer of this stick, has gone out of business and has no available technical support. Any advice?

Thanks in advance.

Mr Sleep · Post by **Mr Sleep** » Mon Jun 23, 2003 7:07 am

Unfortunately I doubt it will work, if Xp won't pick up the driver information it probably means the drivers won't work with it. It's unfortunate but I'd say it won't work. Of course Flibble will come along and prove me wrong as always but that's my two pennys worth.

Edit: Okay, this is one of the worst sentences I have ever constructed but I don't have the inclination to alter it. So HLD, I'll say your doohickey won't work, that's better.

Yshania · Post by **Yshania** » Mon Jun 23, 2003 1:47 pm

:Stupid Question Alert:

You are right in that XP does not have an "other devices" category, this I don't know why, maybe because it is confident enough that it can find a driver and install it in a more specific setting?

Have you tried installing it without the "have disk" option? Seeing what XP comes up with for it as a plug and play device?

<<Edit>> I found this:

"gents, I had the same problem and gave up. Just to find out that Windows XP does NOT NEED a driver for the Suncom SFS and Flight Controller Combo.
I have both working PERFECTLY in of all games in MS Flight Sim 2002 and Falcon 4.0.

All I did was choose 4 Button Joystick /With POV and Throttle and then calibrated. No problem since.

I suggest you all do the same... IT WORKS.. Just as the driver I had on Win ME did..... NO HICCUPS !!!"

I got that comment from a search that threw up http://www.driverguide.com/

Mr Sleep · Post by **Mr Sleep** » Tue Jun 24, 2003 2:32 am

That's a lesson to all of you young ones, don't listen to Sleep, he knows not what he's on about. Neither can he construct sentences.

HighLordDave · Post by **HighLordDave** » Tue Jun 24, 2003 6:00 am

@Yshania:
I tried that and it worked; thanks a bunch. I thought for a minute I was going to have to reformat and reinstall 98SE (I can't survive without my SFS stick and throttle).

Yshania · Post by **Yshania** » Tue Jun 24, 2003 7:09 am

@Sleepy ROFL!

@HLD, LOL! well I am glad it worked. I am still stumbling my way around Win XP Pro myself, and my occasional frustration at being patronised by a piece of software is offset by my regularly being impressed as to what it can do, especially when it comes to drivers or plug and play devices. It didn't like the driver disk to my printer, either, but when I checked to see what it had installed under plug and play, it was the exact printer I have

HighLordDave · Post by **HighLordDave** » Tue Jun 24, 2003 8:06 am

My biggest problem with XP is that it wants to do everything for me. While this is fine most of the time, there are just some things I want to set myself (like network and security settings).

Ned Flanders · Post by **Ned Flanders** » Tue Jun 24, 2003 12:13 pm

What network and security settings are you unable to change?

That's pretty sweet regarding the joystick, just went through some similar troubles with an HP 3100 laser jet but hacked my way through and got it working.

After a little while with XP HLD, I think you'll find it to be a more than adequate replacement. I was so hell bent on win2k for a long time after Windows Teletubbies came out, but now that I've had a lot of time to tinker, I won't go back.

Yshania · Post by **Yshania** » Tue Jun 24, 2003 3:49 pm

@HLD and Ned, I agree with both of you

I feel that Win XP patronises me because it hides things for my own safety, that I used to be confident enough to do for myself before

Not only that, it puts them in strange places too. An example, it took me a while to find out where defrag was (thank God for Tweak XP!!) oh!! btw, do I need to be able to scandisk in NTFS?? I still haven't found that option!

and also - try cleaning out your temporary internet files, or cookies, or history!! No more C:\windows\temporary internet folder etc, now it is in some hidden local user setting folder!!

But I am growing to like it as I find out where all this hidden stuff is

I love being able to - say - plug in a digital camera, and the camera wizard comes up immediately giving the download options...erm, oh! and the new revamped Windows Media Player does away with my previous reliance on Nero and Creative Labs...

So far so good!

Ned Flanders · Post by **Ned Flanders** » Tue Jun 24, 2003 4:23 pm

The help is very effective in xp, assistance in finding where things have moved. Most things are still in similar places in the realm of NT architecture but this is new for most folks who have stuck with 98SE/ME over the years.

All temp files are now stored in profiles. If you upgrade win98 to xp (which I wouldn't recommend), I don't where the profiles are stored but in XP, you'll find them under the 'documents and settings' folder where each users' profiles is stored. It is certainly best to show hidden folders (to view the entire profile) and even the system files (by default NT has these, well, hidden).

Switch everything you can to classic view and in no time things will be quite familiar.

I'm not sure if xp has 'scandisk'. It does have chkdsk, which you can access from a command prompt. Use chkdsk /? to see the flags you can apply.

Again, as NT is more of buiness architecture, things are hidden from users intentionally, so as to keep them from dinking around with their machine. The less they can do, the easier my job is. I find it kind of humorous because, as kids have more time than their parents, they will quickly become the local administrators of PCs in the household. Imagine dad scratching his head wondering why he doesn't have 'permission' to install a piece of software. Kids ego's just got bigger.

Mr Sleep · Post by **Mr Sleep** » Wed Jun 25, 2003 2:39 am

Originally posted by Yshania
oh! and the new revamped Windows Media Player does away with my previous reliance on Nero and Creative Labs...

But Nero's great! You can do a lot more things with Nero that Media Player just wont do, such is life though...as for Creative Labs, well, yeah, that playcenter is a little, erm, crap.

KidD01 · Post by **KidD01** » Thu Jun 26, 2003 12:50 am

Originally posted by HighLordDave
My biggest problem with XP is that it wants to do everything for me. While this is fine most of the time, there are just some things I want to set myself (like network and security settings).

*Waves hand trying to get attention really hard*

Well I've posted a while ago about that comforting yet nuisance feat of XP. That's why I kinda allergic to it.