Microsoft Sidewinder Force Feedback 2 Joystick Drivers Windows 10 Upd Link

1. The Core Truth: No Official Drivers Exist

Microsoft stopped supporting the SideWinder line after Windows XP.
Windows 10 does not have native drivers for this stick.
If you just plug it in, Windows will either:

• Show Unknown USB Device (Device Descriptor Request Failed)
• Or install a generic HID game controller without Force Feedback.

✅ The solution – Use community-signed drivers (based on the original XP drivers). Show Unknown USB Device (Device Descriptor Request Failed)

2. Automatic Windows Driver Works — With a Manual Fix

• When first plugged in, Windows 10 often shows “Unknown Device” or “Device Descriptor Request Failed” in Device Manager.
• Solution (verified by many users):
  1. Open Device Manager.
  2. Right-click the unknown USB device → Update driver → Browse my computer → Let me pick from a list.
  3. Select USB Input Device or HID-compliant game controller.
  4. Apply and restart.
• After this, the joystick appears as “Microsoft SideWinder Force Feedback 2” in Game Controllers (joy.cpl).

What you need

• Windows 10 (any build, 32 or 64-bit – 64-bit works fine)
• Driver files – Search for SideWinder_FF2_Drivers_x64 (or x86) by R.I.P. Vin64 (most stable).
  Alternative: Use the older SW_FFB2_Drivers_2.0 package.

Part 7: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Limitations

• No official Microsoft profiler or mapping software.
• Force feedback absent in modern XInput games (e.g., Forza Horizon 5, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 — though FFB can be modded).
• Requires the AC power adapter for force feedback (USB alone only provides buttons/axes).

The fix: Block automatic driver updates

1. Open Control Panel → System → Advanced System Settings → Hardware → Device Installation Settings.
2. Select "No (your device might not work as expected)."
3. Use Group Policy Editor (Windows Pro/Enterprise only):
   • gpedit.msc → Computer Config → Admin Templates → System → Device Installation → Prevent installation of devices not described by other policy settings → Enable.
4. Alternatively, download wushowhide.diagcab (Microsoft’s Show/Hide Updates tool) to hide the generic HID driver update.

After every Windows 10 feature update, simply re-run Install.cmd as admin—it re-applies the correct driver. ✅ The solution – Use community-signed drivers (based

Method A: Using the Community-Signed Driver (Recommended)

1. Unplug the SideWinder FF2 from USB.
2. Right-click Start → Device Manager.
3. View → Show hidden devices.
4. Under "Human Interface Devices," uninstall any existing "HID-compliant game controller" that appears when you plug the joystick in. Actually, for safety, uninstall all grayed-out game controllers.
5. Extract the downloaded driver pack to C:\MSFF2_Drivers.
6. Right-click Install.cmd → Run as Administrator.
7. Follow the on-screen prompts. It will register the driver with Windows.
8. Plug in the SideWinder FF2.
9. Windows will say "Setting up device... Microsoft SideWinder Force Feedback 2."
10. Open joy.cpl (Start → Run → joy.cpl).
11. Select the SideWinder → Properties → Test Force Feedback tab.

If you feel resistance in the "Spring" test, congratulations – it worked. congratulations – it worked.