FS Force cannot find joystick

[Thorolf]

I'm running P3D 4.4 with MS SW FFB2, however, Windows has it automatically registered as a generic 4-axis 8-button stick, whereas in P3D it shows up properly as MS Sidewider. When I start the sim, I get an error message that FS Force can't find the "4-axis 8-button" stick that I have selected in the FS Force desktop app, and therefore FFB doesn't work. The axes work normally, and when I push the trim buttons, the a/c trim wheel moves, but there are no trim effects in FFB and there is no trim gauge showing up.

Any ideas how to explain to the program that this is the same stick?

[RussDirks]

Click on Start, type "USB Game Controllers". How is your joystick recognized there? If it is not as a MS Sidewinder FF2, then you don't have the correct drivers installed. Make sure Windows is configured to automatically download necessary drivers

Another thing to try is configure P3D to use DirectInput, under Settings.

[Thorolf]

DirectInput did the trick, although I am unsure if it has any side effects on my other setups. The force effects work now, but it seems to go on an off (mostly off), especially when changing focus. I need to do more testing.