I just began using Project64 and love it. However getting the analog stick to resemble what it is on my actual N64 is a problem. My Sidewinder Gamepad Pro USB is almost good, but I am finding moving Mario around in SuperMario 64 or tireing my thumb out on Cruis'n USA to be troublesome. The pad just doesn't seem as easily controllable as the stick, even though the Sidewinder is analog. It's okay, but not ideal.
Here's the thing. I have a Saitek Gamepad P-880 that works perfectly on Windows XP and also will run on Windows 98, but the Saitek drivers somehow mess up things on 98. I've experienced this before and have basically resigned myself to only using the Saitek on my XP box. But, you see I only use one machine at a time and am now on my 98SE computer for awhile so that's the one I'm using Project64 on.
I would love to solve the Saitek/98 problem as the pad's analog stick is perfect. I'll try to explain what happens. All the drivers in Device Manager are there and proper. The joystick control panel tests show perfect and the pad runs perfectly. The first problem happens if I try to choose the "About" tab in the Saitek control panel. I click it, then the panel freezes and I must end task on the joystick control panel and reboot to make things right again.
Which brings up the second thing that happens. With the Saitek drivers installed Windows cannot reboot or shutdown (except for the initial reboot). I must reset or turn off the computer. This is a problem since any changes I made aren't saved from memory to the hard drive, such as if I changed my speaker setup or volume, etc. But I can use the pad. Just Windows won't properly shutdown. But that isn't all.
With the Saitek programming software installed, the first reboot after installation and the subsequent reboot go fine. After that, not only can I not shutdown but also Windows will freeze at boot up as well! I needed to uninstall the Saitek stuff from Safe Mode. I noticed a suggestion from Saitek's site about disabling the Magic Mouse if I want to use the Intellipoint special mouse settings. I do have Intellipoint installed but don't set anything in it. Well, I tried disabling Saitek's Magic Mouse but that didn't solve anything. (I thought that perhaps it was conflicting with something.) Uninstalling Saitek stuff (whether only the drivers are installed or both the drivers and programming software) fixes Windows.
None of this occurs on XP, only Windows 98. This stuff happens whether the Saitek pad is the only pad installed or if I also have the Sidewinder Gamepad with its 3.02 software and the Sidewinder Gamepad Pro USB with its 4.0 software installed. No Sidewinder stuff ever has caused Windows problems for me. But I've had the Saitek for awhile and I can never use it with Windows 98 because of these problems.
I tried using the older Saitek drivers that came with the pad but got the same result as the latest ones.
I believe this may be a problem unique to a small segment of users as searching the net or Saitek FAQ's make no mention of anyone complaining about Saitek on 98. There are complaints about XP, but it works fine for me on XP.
Does anyone have any ideas on how to fix the problem?
Addendum - I have a PSX/N64 USB adapter on order. So using my actual N64 control pad will likely be my best solution to getting the stick right! But I would sure like to know why I'm one of the few (if any) with problems using the Saitek on Windows 98.
Here's the thing. I have a Saitek Gamepad P-880 that works perfectly on Windows XP and also will run on Windows 98, but the Saitek drivers somehow mess up things on 98. I've experienced this before and have basically resigned myself to only using the Saitek on my XP box. But, you see I only use one machine at a time and am now on my 98SE computer for awhile so that's the one I'm using Project64 on.
I would love to solve the Saitek/98 problem as the pad's analog stick is perfect. I'll try to explain what happens. All the drivers in Device Manager are there and proper. The joystick control panel tests show perfect and the pad runs perfectly. The first problem happens if I try to choose the "About" tab in the Saitek control panel. I click it, then the panel freezes and I must end task on the joystick control panel and reboot to make things right again.
Which brings up the second thing that happens. With the Saitek drivers installed Windows cannot reboot or shutdown (except for the initial reboot). I must reset or turn off the computer. This is a problem since any changes I made aren't saved from memory to the hard drive, such as if I changed my speaker setup or volume, etc. But I can use the pad. Just Windows won't properly shutdown. But that isn't all.
With the Saitek programming software installed, the first reboot after installation and the subsequent reboot go fine. After that, not only can I not shutdown but also Windows will freeze at boot up as well! I needed to uninstall the Saitek stuff from Safe Mode. I noticed a suggestion from Saitek's site about disabling the Magic Mouse if I want to use the Intellipoint special mouse settings. I do have Intellipoint installed but don't set anything in it. Well, I tried disabling Saitek's Magic Mouse but that didn't solve anything. (I thought that perhaps it was conflicting with something.) Uninstalling Saitek stuff (whether only the drivers are installed or both the drivers and programming software) fixes Windows.
None of this occurs on XP, only Windows 98. This stuff happens whether the Saitek pad is the only pad installed or if I also have the Sidewinder Gamepad with its 3.02 software and the Sidewinder Gamepad Pro USB with its 4.0 software installed. No Sidewinder stuff ever has caused Windows problems for me. But I've had the Saitek for awhile and I can never use it with Windows 98 because of these problems.
I tried using the older Saitek drivers that came with the pad but got the same result as the latest ones.
I believe this may be a problem unique to a small segment of users as searching the net or Saitek FAQ's make no mention of anyone complaining about Saitek on 98. There are complaints about XP, but it works fine for me on XP.
Does anyone have any ideas on how to fix the problem?
Addendum - I have a PSX/N64 USB adapter on order. So using my actual N64 control pad will likely be my best solution to getting the stick right! But I would sure like to know why I'm one of the few (if any) with problems using the Saitek on Windows 98.