I have recently bought IL 2 forgotten battles which is great!!! Initially I used a mates usb joystick but he wanted it back. So I got a sidewinder force feedback pro joystick from ebay for what I thought was a bargain price. Unfortunately however Microsoft have stopped supporting this model so its not a simple install with drivers job on XP. I went onto their web site which says that although specific driver are not available the joystick is supported in Win XP. I plugged the joystick into the game port on my sound card, which is a 'C-Media CMI8738/C3DX. Next as instructed I went to: Control panel - game controllers - add - Microsoft SideWinder (auto Detect) - ok - and got the message, "missing game or gameport drivers your gameport or game port drivers are not properly configured please consult the device manager." So I went to the device manager to find the Standard Game Port icon had a little yellow ! mark next to it. I clicked on it and the device status said "This device cannot find enough free resources that it can use. (Code 12) If you want to use this device, you will need to disable one of the other devices on this system." So I then went to MS Knowledge base where I found an article saying "The Force Feedback Pro 1.0 is connected to a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) sound card game port and the computer has an onboard sound card. To resolve this issue, disable the onboard game port and midi/MPU-401 port. You can disable the onboard sound card gameport in BIOS. Some computers include a sound card or audio chip set on the motherboard. If you install a new sound card with the onboard chip set, you may experience this problem because of direct memory access (DMA) conflicts between the onboard audio chip set and the installed sound card. Windows cannot manage the DMA channel that may still be assigned to the onboard audio chip set and conflicts with the DMA channel that is assigned to the installed sound card and game port. To resolve this issue, disable the onboard sound card: Make sure the onboard sound card is disabled in the computer's complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) settings. See your computer's documentation or contact the manufacturer for information about how to do this. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel. (In Windows XP, click Start, and then click Control Panel.) Double-click System. If you are using Microsoft Windows XP, click the Hardware tab, and then click Device Manager. Expand Sound, video and game controllers.Click the onboard sound device, and then click Properties. if you are using Windows 2000 or Windows XP, on the General tab, select Do not use this device (disable) under Device Usage. Click OK or Close until you return to Windows. Restart the computer." I have tried all of this. I have disabled the onboard sound card in the bios.(Nvidia - 42302e31 Phoenix - AwardBIOS v6.00PG Phoenix-Award BIOS v6.00PG, 11/07) I can't see the onboard sound device in the device manager menu, and none of the 'Sound, video and game controllers' menus allow me to disable this device. my multi media reprt from NSW Waveform output devices > C-Media Wave Device Manufacturer Id: 1 (Microsoft Corporation) Product Id: 100 (Unknown) Version: 5.10 Product Name: C-Media Wave Device Formats 11.025 kHz, Mono, 8-bit: Yes 11.025 kHz, Stereo, 8-bit: Yes 11.025 kHz, Mono, 16-bit: Yes 11.025 kHz, Stereo, 16-bit: Yes 22.05 kHz, Mono, 8-bit: Yes 22.05 kHz, Stereo, 8-bit: Yes 22.05 kHz, Mono, 16-bit: Yes 22.05 kHz, Stereo, 16-bit: Yes 44.1 kHz, Mono, 8-bit: Yes 44.1 kHz, Stereo, 8-bit: Yes 44.1 kHz, Mono, 16-bit: Yes 44.1 kHz, Stereo, 16-bit: Yes Channels: 65535 Support Pitch control: No Playback rate control: No Synchronous/blocking: No Volume control: Yes Separate left and right volume control: Yes Microsoft Sound Mapper Manufacturer Id: 1 (Microsoft Corporation) Product Id: 2 (Microsoft waveform mapper) Version: 5.0 Product Name: Microsoft Sound Mapper Formats 11.025 kHz, Mono, 8-bit: Yes 11.025 kHz, Stereo, 8-bit: Yes 11.025 kHz, Mono, 16-bit: Yes 11.025 kHz, Stereo, 16-bit: Yes 22.05 kHz, Mono, 8-bit: Yes 22.05 kHz, Stereo, 8-bit: Yes 22.05 kHz, Mono, 16-bit: Yes 22.05 kHz, Stereo, 16-bit: Yes 44.1 kHz, Mono, 8-bit: Yes 44.1 kHz, Stereo, 8-bit: Yes 44.1 kHz, Mono, 16-bit: Yes 44.1 kHz, Stereo, 16-bit: Yes Channels: 2 Support Pitch control: No Playback rate control: No Synchronous/blocking: No Volume control: Yes Separate left and right volume control: Yes < Waveform input devices > C-Media Wave Device Manufacturer Id: 1 (Microsoft Corporation) Product Id: 101 (Unknown) Version: 5.10 Formats 11.025 kHz, Mono, 8-bit: Yes 11.025 kHz, Stereo, 8-bit: Yes 11.025 kHz, Mono, 16-bit: Yes 11.025 kHz, Stereo, 16-bit: Yes 22.05 kHz, Mono, 8-bit: Yes and system info ******************** * System Summary * ******************** Processor: AMD Athlon(tm) XP 2400+ 2.0 GHz Math Support: Present BIOS: Nvidia - 42302e31 Phoenix - AwardBIOS v6.00PG Phoenix-Award BIOS v6.00PG, 11/07 Bus Type: PCI, ISA, USB Ports: 1 Parallel, 3 Serial Memory: 512 MB (26% Utilized) Floppy Disks: 1.44 MB Hard Disks: 37.27 GB Multimedia: Sound, CD-ROM Video: 1152 x 864 in 32-Bit Color, RADEON 9600 SERIES Ver. 6.14 22.05 kHz, Stereo, 8-bit: Yes 22.05 kHz, Mono, 16-bit: Yes 22.05 kHz, Stereo, 16-bit: Yes 44.1 kHz, Mono, 8-bit: Yes 44.1 kHz, Stereo, 8-bit: Yes 44.1 kHz, Mono, 16-bit: Yes 44.1 kHz, Stereo, 16-bit: Yes Synchronous/blocking: Yes Channels: 65535 < MIDI output devices > Microsoft GS Wavetable SW Synth Manufacturer Id: 1 (Microsoft Corporation) Product Id: 102 (Unknown) Version: 5.10 Technology MIDI hardware port: Yes Square wave synthesizer: Yes FM synthesizer: Yes Microsoft MIDI Mapper: Yes Support Volume control: Yes Separate left and right volume control: Yes Patch caching: No MPU-401 Manufacturer Id: 1 (Microsoft Corporation) Product Id: 102 (Unknown) Version: 5.10 Technology MIDI hardware port: Yes Square wave synthesizer: No FM synthesizer: No Microsoft MIDI Mapper: No Support Volume control: No Separate left and right volume control: No Patch caching: No Microsoft MIDI Mapper Manufacturer Id: 1 (Microsoft Corporation) Product Id: 1 (Microsoft MIDI mapper) Version: 5.0 Technology MIDI hardware port: Yes Square wave synthesizer: No FM synthesizer: Yes Microsoft MIDI Mapper: Yes Support Volume control: Yes Separate left and right volume control: Yes Patch caching: No < MIDI input devices > MPU-401 Manufacturer Id: 1 (Microsoft Corporation) Product Id: 103 (Unknown) Version: 5.10 < Auxiliary devices > Auxiliary Mapper Not Installed < Joystick devices > No drivers installed or configured < MCI devices > AVIVideo Description: Video for Windows Device Type: 520 (Digital Video) Can eject the media: No Can play the media: Yes Supports recording: No Can save a file: No Uses device elements: Yes Has audio output: Yes Has video output: Yes Requires an element file: Yes CDAudio Description: CD Audio Device Type: 516 (CD Audio) Can eject the media: Yes Can play the media: Yes Supports recording: No Can save a file: No Uses device elements: No Has audio output: Yes Has video output: No Requires an element file: No Sequencer Description: MIDI Sequencer Device Type: 523 (Sequencer) Can eject the media: No Can play the media: Yes Supports recording: No Can save a file: No Uses device elements: Yes Has audio output: Yes Has video output: No Requires an element file: Yes WaveAudio Description: Sound Device Type: 522 (Waveform Audio) Can eject the media: No Can play the media: Yes Supports recording: Yes Can save a file: Yes Uses device elements: Yes Has audio output: Yes Has video output: No Requires an element file: Yes MPEGVideo Description: DirectShow Device Type: 520 (Digital Video) Can eject the media: No Can play the media: Yes Supports recording: No Can save a file: No Uses device elements: Yes Has audio output: Yes Has video output: Yes Requires an element file: Yes MPEGVideo2 Description: DirectShow Device Type: 520 (Digital Video) Can eject the media: No Can play the media: Yes Supports recording: No Can save a file: No Uses device elements: Yes Has audio output: Yes Has video output: Yes Requires an element file: Yes  Please, please help I'm stuck. oh why is it never easy!!

Hi Mark, Sorry if this seems too obvious, but did you select to save the settings when exiting the BIOS after disabling the onboard soundcard? Here's something you can try: ControlPanel>System>Hardware>DeviceManager Find the "Ports(COM & LPT)" entry, and then rightclick on one of the COM ports, or the LPT port. Disable it in its properties (at the bottom of the general page). Now restart the computer. Hopefully, that should make XP reshuffle the channels a bit. XP automatically assigns resources now - earlier Windows versions allowed manual settings. Once the gameport works, you can try re-enabling the ports you disabled - XP might just reshuffle it so that all ports can be enabled without conflicts. ___________________________________________ ☺ [Belgium, GMT+1]_________________________svg

Hello SVG Thanks for the quick reply Definatly saved the cahnges that I made in the BIOS and am 90% sure I disabled the right bits. Tried what you sugested "ControlPanel>System>Hardware>DeviceManager Find the "Ports(COM & LPT)" entry, and then rightclick on one of the COM ports, or the LPT port. Disable it in its properties (at the bottom of the general page). Now restart the computer." Unfortunatlry it didn't make a diference also tried unistalling and then reinstalling the Standard Game Port with these diabled to see if that made any difference. Plus tried reinstalling all of the driver for both my sound card and motherboard. Still get that horrid little yellow exclimation mark and "Input/Output Range 0201 - 0201 not available." with the change settings option greyed out. Any more advice very very welcome. Mark. oh why is it never easy!!

▫ SynchroTech forum (Note: it's a page for Windows95) Okay, try this to change the range: ControlPanel>System>Hardware>DeviceManager Find the "Sound,Video & GameControllers" section, and then rightclick your gameport driver (the one with the nice yellow !mark :) ). On the "Resources" page of its properties, UNcheck "Use automatic settings", and then do one of these two: ▫ Select a different configuration in the "Setting based on" combobox. ▫ Press the "Change Setting" button and set it to a different range. Try 0200-0207 if you can alter the setting. You might get a message you can't, though. ___________________________________________ ☺ [Belgium, GMT+1]_________________________svg

Hello SVG Thanks for all of your kind help it is greatly appreciated. Unfortunatly however I cant do either of these things: Select a different configuration in the "Setting based on" combobox. ▫ Press the "Change Setting" button and set it to a different range because the check box and buttons are greyed out. I have tried changing the pci slot the sound card was plugged into but that hasn't helped and I've written to my sound car manuafctuer Q-tec to see if they can help. Thanks again Any further advice is greatly appreciated. Mark. oh why is it never easy!!

Did you uncheck the "use automatic settings" checkbox first? In DeviceManager, on the View Menu, enable "Show Hidden Devices", and then select "Show resources by type". Then open the input/output section, and look in the list for any other device that's using the 00000201-00000201 range that your gameport is configured to using. What is the other device (if any)? ___________________________________________ ☺ [Belgium, GMT+1]_________________________svg

Hello SVG Once again thanks for all of your help your a star!!! I can't see the confilct any where below is "Show resources by type". "input/output" list and it looks like the Standard game port is the only one using the 00000201-00000201 range. [00000000 - OOOOOOOF] Direct memory access controller [00000000-OOOOOCF7] PCIbus (00000010 - 0000001F] Motherboard resources [00000020 - 00000021] Programmable interrupt controller [00000022-0000003F] Motherboard resources [00000040 - 00000043] System timer (00000044 - 0000005F] Motherboard resources [00000060 - 00000060] Standard 101/102-Key or Microsoft Natural PS/2 Keyboard [00000061-00000061] System speaker [00000062-00000063] Motherboard resources [00000064 - 00000064] Standard 101/102-Key or Microsoft Natural PS/2 Keyboard [00000065-0000006F] Motherboard resources [00000070 - 00000073] System CMOS/real time clock [00000074-0000007F] Motherboard resources [00000080 - 00000090] Direct memory access controller [00000091-00000093] Motherboard resources [00000094 - 0000009F] Direct memory access controller [OOOOOOAO - OOOOOOAI] Programmable interrupt controller [OOOOOOA2-OOOOOOBF] Motherboard resources OOOOOOCO - OOOOOODF] Direct memory access controller [OOOOOOEO-OOOOOOEF] Motherboard resources [OOOOOOFO - OOOOOOFF] Numeric data processor [00000170-00000177] Secondary IDE Channel [OOOOOIFO - OOOOOIF7] Primary IDE Channel [00000201 - 00000201] Standard Game Port [00000274 - 00000277] ISAPNP Read Data Port [00000279 - 00000279] ISAPNP Read Data Port [00000294 - 00000297] Motherboard resources [000002F8 - 000002FF] Communications Port (COM2) [00000376 - 00000376] Secondary IDE Channel [000003B0 - 000003BB] NVIDIA nForce2 AGP Host to PCI Bridge [000003B0 - 00000366] RADEON 9600 SERIES [000003C0 - 000003DF] N1lIDIA nForce2 AGP Host to PCI Bridge [000003C0 - 000003DF] RADEON 9600 SERIES [000003F0 - 000003F5] Standard floppy disk controller [000003F6 - 000003F6] Primary IDE Channel [000003F7 - 000003F7] Standard floppy disk controller [000003F8 - 000003FF] Communications Port (CON11) [000004D0 - 000004D1] Motherboard resources [OOOOOA78 - OOOOOA7B] Motherboard resources [OOOOOB78 - OOOOOB7B] Motherboard resources [OOOOOBBC - OOOOOBBF] Motherboard resources [OOOOOD00 - OOOOFFFF] PCI bus [OOOOOE78 - OOOOOE7B] Motherboard resources [OOOOOF78 - OOOOOF7B] Motherboard resources [OOOOOFBC - OOOOOFBF] Motherboard resources [00004000 -0000407F] Motherboard resources [00004080 -000040FF] Motherboard resources [00004200 -0000427F] Motherboard resources [00004280 -000042FF] Motherboard resources [00004400 -0000447F] Motherboard resources [00004480 -000044FF] Motherboard resources [00005000 -0000503F] Motherboard resources [00005040 -0000507F] Motherboard resources [OOOOC000 - OOOOCOFF] CMI8738 jC3DX PCI Audio Device [OOOOC000 - OOOOCFFF] PCI standard PCI-to-PCI bridge [OOOOD000 - OOOODOFF] RADEON 9600 SERIES [OOOOD000 - OOOODFFF] NVIDIA nForce2 AGP Host to PCI Bridge [OOOOE000 - OOOOEOIF] Nl1IDIA nForce PCI System Management [OOOOE400 - OOOOE407] Ethernet Controller [OOOOF000 - OOOOFOOF] NIlIDIA NForce MCP2 IDE Controller ??? Thanks oh why is it never easy!!