Question Windows 10 seems to end support for older steering wheels.

[Harry SIebert]

I have several Windows 10 computers and had made a supercomputer for my games. I had a few very good Windows 7 computers with all my games already.

So here is the issue. I have two old wheels. A Saitek R660gt force feedback wheel(2008) and a Driving force pro GT force feedback(2008)

Both of these wheels work great with all my Windows 7 computers both desktops and laptops alike.

Not so with my Windows 10 computers both desktops and laptops alike. Here is a quick explanation.

I downloaded the latest drivers for 64bit OS and installed them for both wheels for all my Windows 10 computers.
Every one of the Windows 10 computers installs nicely and show up in the device manager location. I can test all their functions including FF and everything checks out OK.

Here is the problem. No game will use the wheel.! It is like they are not there. Even older games. Any games from 2003-2019 installed. The wheels are not seen by the games. ON ANY WIN 10 COMPUTER.

I can use a Logitech gamepad and all is well. All games see and use it. But these wheels cannot be used. Win7 no problem and with the same games.

I do not think I have left anything out. Windows 10 has blocked the use of older wheels??? It can see them and test the functions why do the wheels fail completely in the games?

OK Techs is there anyone who can solve this one? --Harry

 

[AllanGH]

As with all unsupported hardware, update your old hardware....

 

[Harry SIebert]

Thanks for the quick reply.

I would rather not throw away good hardware just because I was "incentivized by someone" to spend money. I hope maybe someone might give some insight into the specifics of my situation. What do they think is the reason here. If the wheels are seen by Windows 10 why are they not used even in older games? Has someone thrown the switch so to speak?

 

[sizzling]

It’s just the manufacturers of the wheels not wanting to develop new drivers. Could be a cost thing or could be they want to push you to buy new.

 

[AllanGH]

I would rather not throw away good hardware just because I was "incentivised by someone" to spend money.

For peripheral hardware, 11 years is a decent enough run. Probably time to let go and move-on.

Unless, of course, you can incentivize the manufacturers of your old hardware to write Win10 drivers for them.

 

[Harry SIebert]

Thanks for everyone thoughtful response.

Can anyone comment on the fact that Windows 10 sees the Wheel and once you install the latest drivers the wheel works and all Force feedback functions work and can be tested in Windows but you can not get the Game to see it? Windows 10 sees it just fine.

I would understand better if Windows did not recognize the wheel. But it knows what it is and all axis and buttons test fine.

The wheel drivers seem to be doing their job fine but Windows 10 does not seem to be passing this information on the games.

In Windows 7 the wheel is appearing and is being treated the same way the only difference is this information is being passed on to the Game.

This is a true mystery. I hope someone that might have specific information they know can shed some light on this or I will have to stay with my Windows 7 computer for my Wheel games. NO, I do not want to spend $150 on a new wheel.

Harry

 

[AllanGH]

I would assume that you have already tried multiple USB ports?

Is there, perhaps, a peripheral configuration option that would address reporting rate and axis adjustment that needs some tweaking?

 

[USAFRet]

Not a mystery at all.
Microsoft and Win 10 have not blocked the wheel functionality...rather the wheel manufacturers have not updated their driver subsystem to talk to Win 10 properly.

This happens with a lot of old hardware. I have/had a very nice HP scanner. Could not forcefit it to work in Win 10.
Because HP did not devote the resources to create a driver for it.

 

[AllanGH]

If I was the gamblin' sort-o-guy I'd bet that it still works with SANE, though.

 

[USAFRet]

If I was the gamblin' sort-o-guy I'd bet that it still works with SANE, though.

I did not know about that project. Thanks.

Alas...

And seeing as it has been on the shelf in the garage for several years, I am not sufficiently motivated to do much more investigation.

 

[AllanGH]

Ah....yeah...there are holes in the project, and most of them seem to be in the USB interfaced devices with proprietary protocols.

Fortunately, though, all of my Epsons are on very friendly terms with SANE.

 

[Harry SIebert]

Thanks for your kind help. You never know when a few nuggets of wisdom will fall in your lap and totally solve your problem.

 

[Major_Trouble]

Have you tried setting the default controller in control panel?

Click Start, click Run, type joy.cpl in the Open box, and then click OK. With the Game Controllers dialog box open Click Advanced....... and choose the Preferred Device:

Previous versions of Windows would allow you to choose your preferred controller like that as well.

 

[Harry SIebert]

I tried this out and the wheel was already selected as the preferred device. Everything about the Driving Force Pro wheel works fine in Windows 10 but it is not communicating with the games themselves.