Difficulties with Game Controllers

With the popularity of computer games comes the onslaught of game controllers. There are all kinds of available game controllers, including joysticks, flight yokes, gamepads, and others. Most of the game controllers are hooked up to a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port, or they can function over an infrared port if your computer is equipped with one. Generally, they work like any other peripheral.

My game controller does not work.

Cause: As with any hardware, you need to make sure that the game controller you want to use is compatible with Windows XP. If compatibility does not seem to be an issue, then Plug and Play may have a difficult time detecting the device for one reason or another or may have trouble installing the correct driver. Make sure you follow the manufacturer’s setup instructions.

I need to stop a device from working without uninstalling it

Cause: Windows XP gives you the option to disable a device for a period of time instead of uninstalling it. This feature gives you the chance to troubleshoot problems or make configuration changes.

To disable a device, follow these steps:

1. Log on with an administrator account.
2. Click Start--> Control Panel--> System.

3. Click the Hardware tab--> click the Device Manager button.

4. Expand the desired category--> then right-click the desired device and click Disable--> Click Yes to the message that appears. You can return to the device at any time--> rightclick it--> and then click Enable to begin using it again.

Prevention: Do not try to disable a device by removing its driver. This uninstalls the device from your computer. If you do, Plug and Play will redetect it on the next reboot, so it will end up working again anyway. Always use the Disable option.

I don’t know how to install a new driver

Cause: If a new driver becomes available for a hardware device, Windows XP will help you install it so that you can begin using the new driver.

I can’t uninstall a device

Cause: At some point, you may want to uninstall a device from Windows XP. For example, let’s say that you replace your keyboard with a newer model. Windows XP should detect that the old keyboard is no longer attached to the system and remove it. Sometimes, though, Windows XP may not get the message that a hardware device has been removed, and the device may keep showing up on your computer.

I can’t use an older hardware device with Windows XP

Cause: In order for any hardware device to work with Windows XP, there must be a driver that will work with Windows XP. The problem with older hardware devices is that a new driver for the device may not be available. You can check out the manufacturer’s Web site and see if a new driver software is available. If not, you may simply be stuck.

Windows XP does not detect my new device

Cause:  

If you attach a new device to your computer and Windows XP does not detect and automatically install the new device, there are several different possible solutions. First, you need to carefully check the device to make sure you have plugged it into the correct port. Devices usually work with some type of port found on the back (or even the front) of your computer. Common examples are parallel ports (printers), serial ports (mice, keyboards, modems, and so on), and USB ports (for all kinds of devices). Some devices even work with infrared wireless ports (called IrDA ports), if your computer has one. The trick is simply this: 

• You have to plug the device into the right port in order for it to work, so check the device documentation to make sure you have it hooked up correctly before going any further.

• Once you are sure that the device is attached correctly, restart the computer. Even though Windows XP can usually detect devices without a reboot, the reboot may help get the device installed. If this doesn’t help, do the following:

1.  Check the device’s documentation for instructions. If a device came with a CD or floppy disk, follow the manufacturer’s instructions to install it.
   
2.  Check the HCL
   
3.  If both of these options do not help, use the following Pain Killer.

I can’t connect my new device to my computer

Cause: Hardware devices attach to a computer in some way. Some devices, such as sound cards and video cards, are installed into internal slots inside of the computer’s case; most attach to ports that are available on the back (or even front) of your computer. Common ports used on Windows XP are

• ParallelParallel ports are mostly used for printers. They are wide ports with rows of pins that look like teeth.

• SerialSerial ports are small and square, with pins inside of them. Mice, keyboards, external modems, and other devices may connect to serial ports, especially if you are using older mice and keyboards.

• Keyboard and Mouse PS/2These connections are often round with small pins inside. These kinds of connections are more commonly used today instead of serial ports.

• Universal Serial Bus (USB)First used in Windows 98, USB ports are square and
flat. You can connect all kinds of devices to USB ports—everything from printers to digital cameras.

• InfraredMany computers today ship with an infrared port, which allows you to use wireless keyboards, mice, and game controllers.

• FireWire (IEEE 1394)FireWire ports work like USB ports, but they are capable of very high data transfer. Some new computers now support FireWire.

Installing and Uninstalling Hardware

Let’s say you buy a new mouse for your computer. You open up the box, read the instructions, attach to the correct port on your computer, and begin using the mouse right away. How? Simple enough. Windows XP works with your computer hardware to detect changes. When you attached that mouse to the port on the computer.

• Windows XP detected that a new hardware device had been attached to the port.

• Understood that the device was a mouse.

• Grabbed a file, called a driver, from an internal Windows XP database that enables XP to manage and use the mouse. This driver is a generic driver designed to work with several mice. You may have better results installing the manufacturer’s driver.

• Installed the driver for the device.

To you, it looks like nothing happened. You plugged in the mouse and began using it, and that’s the way it should be. However, in some cases, Windows XP is not able to detect the hardware device you attach, or the hardware device may not work well without the correct driver. Again, a driver is a piece of software that enables Windows to communicate and manage, or drive, the device. You can think of a driver as the steering wheel in your car. The steering wheel enables you to drive the wheels so that the car goes where you want it to go. In the computer system, a driver enables Windows XP to drive the hardware so that you can use it with the operating system. With all that said, you can experience some problems installing and uninstalling hardware.

Make Mouse Navigation Faster

 You might not be a Keyboard Ninja, but would like to be able to navigate through Windows with the mouse more quickly. You can make mouse navigation faster by increasing the pointer speed and using the “Snap To” option  available in XP, Vista, and Windows 7.