# Game port problem



## 928Porsche (Apr 5, 2003)

I have a problem I hope someone can help me with.

My system will not recognize whether or not anything is attached to the game port.  I have tried using the onboard game port and then switched to a sound card with a game port and the problem still persists.  Windows recognizes and installs the drivers for the game port(s) and reports that there are no problems or conflicts.  I upgraded to XP from 98 in the hopes that would solve the problem with the new system, but it has not.  I have upgraded *everything* from the bios to the joystick driver and still the same problem.  I have tried two different joysticks and a force feed back wheel.

Anyone have a clue as to what the prob is or where to turn?

Here's are some system specs :

Gigabyte MB w/AMD 2000XP running@1.7ghz
ATI Radeon 9500
256 mb ddr 
Windows XP

Thanks


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## Cryozombie (Apr 8, 2003)

Have you tried Disabling the onboard port and JUST using the port on the soundcard?  I suppose it could be a confilict between the two ports...

But honestly it sounds like you did everything right in the upgrade...


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## Bob Hubbard (Apr 8, 2003)

Make certain you have installed all the extra drivers for the motherboard.  Also, make sure you are using the XP drivers for the soundcard.

What soundcard is it, and what motherboard?


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## 928Porsche (Apr 8, 2003)

Thanks for the replies.

Yes, I only have one game port active at a time.

My mother board is a Gigabyte Ga-7VAXP.  The sound card is a Soundblaster PCI128.  I've downloaded and installed the newest VIA 4in1 pack (drivers) and the latest drivers for the sound card.  I'm still at a loss as to why nothing is detected when attached to the game port.

Arrrrrg!


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## Bob Hubbard (Apr 8, 2003)

What does device manager report for them?


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## Michael Billings (Apr 9, 2003)

Did you format the hard drive as part of the "upgrade", or just try to upgrade from an earlier version?

If you imaged or backed up your system prior to the "upgrade", I would recommend a format then a clean install of XP.  There are all sorts of conflicts, usually drivers, that happen with the upgrade.  I am sticking to Win 2000 (pro) for as long as I can.  Everything else likes to talk to Microsoft too much.  But since you are already there, the reformat is what I have heard lots of people saying they had to do.  

-Michael


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## 928Porsche (Apr 10, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Kaith Rustaz _
> *What does device manager report for them? *



"This device is working properly"

"No conflicts anywhere and everything is peachy keen.   Its only your imagination that's not working properly."


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## 928Porsche (Apr 10, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Michael Billings _
> *Did you format the hard drive as part of the "upgrade", or just try to upgrade from an earlier version?
> 
> If you imaged or backed up your system prior to the "upgrade", I would recommend a format then a clean install of XP.  There are all sorts of conflicts, usually drivers, that happen with the upgrade.  I am sticking to Win 2000 (pro) for as long as I can.  Everything else likes to talk to Microsoft too much.  But since you are already there, the reformat is what I have heard lots of people saying they had to do.
> ...



Reformat, hmmm, interesting.  Here's a piece of info I didn't mention before.  This is a system upgrade consisting of the new MB, vid card, and hard drive.  I first installed a fresh copy of '98 on the new hard drive, then installed the drivers and then upgraded drivers.  It was then that I noticed that nothing would be recognized when attached to the game port.  After fiddling around with it and thinking maybe that '98 was not compatable with the new MB and/or vid card, that's when I upgraded to XP.
The problem is the same for XP as it was for Win'98.  At first that suggests a hardware problem.  I would agree if it were only the onboard game port that was porked.  But when I installed my old sound card (with new drivers and disabling the onboard port/sound), there was still the exact same problem.  I did make sure that after installing XP that I had the XP drivers.  '98 and XP have no problem recognizing the game port itself and installing the correct drivers automatically.


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## Yari (Apr 10, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Michael Billings _
> *Did you format the hard drive as part of the "upgrade", or just try to upgrade from an earlier version?
> 
> If you imaged or backed up your system prior to the "upgrade", I would recommend a format then a clean install of XP.  There are all sorts of conflicts, usually drivers, that happen with the upgrade.  I am sticking to Win 2000 (pro) for as long as I can.  Everything else likes to talk to Microsoft too much.  But since you are already there, the reformat is what I have heard lots of people saying they had to do.
> ...



I'd do the same. Scratch the system ; do a format of the disk and install XP as new. Then get the newest drivers. Leaving stuff behind from win98 is going to bring you trouble. Even though it says it has installed the new drivers, it only installs what it thinks it needs. So to "få en ren røv a trutte i" as we say in Denmark, I'd make a new installation of XP.

/Yari

ps. "Få  en ren røv a trutte i" means directly translated: to get a clean a$$ to make trumpet (or fart) sounds with ;-)


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## 928Porsche (Apr 10, 2003)

Ok, I'll start from scratch with XP.  The problem I think is that my copy is and upgrade only copy, not a new install.  Is it possible to install XP as new with this copy?  And how?

I'm still not convinced its an XP problem though.  The problem was there with '98, and as a new install on that.


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## Yari (Apr 10, 2003)

Nothing is sure with windows, and dont use any old drivers. Use only new ones that are compatible with XP. 

/Yari


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## 928Porsche (Apr 15, 2003)

Thanks again for the help.

Now the bad news...I started from scratch and reformatted my HD and installed XP as new.  No change.  When I installed the xp software for the joystick, the software looked for it but couldn't find it either.  Frustrating.


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## Yari (Apr 15, 2003)

I'm sorry that didn't help.

Sounds like a a compatible problem.

The following is establish:

            * The joystick works
            * The port works
            * The joystick is compatible with win2000(works here)
            * There exsists joystick WIN-XP SW
            * The installation is clean (XP clean installation)

Can you see the port in XP, and does it say that it found new HW, when you plug the joystick in? When it does do you install the joystick SW?
I'm guessing you did, and I owuld think it's a compatible issue. Have you check the joystick manufactures homepage, they might have experienced this? And maybe you can contact them?

/Yari


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## 928Porsche (Apr 15, 2003)

XP does not report that it found new hardware when I plug the joystick in.  XP does report that the game port is working properly (device manager).  I've had XP look for the joystick and it can't find it attached.  The software for the joystick also looks for it, but can't find it.  It seems like a hardware problem on the MB, but it does the same thing whether or not I enable the onboard game port or use the port on a sound card (not at the same time).  It did the same thing when I first tried it with the new MB and ran '98.

I'm going to try and contact the Co. I bought the MB from and see if I can get either some answers or a new MB.

Thanks.  Any more clues?


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## Yari (Apr 15, 2003)

> _Originally posted by 928Porsche _
> *
> I'm going to try and contact the Co. I bought the MB from and see if I can get either some answers or a new MB.
> 
> Thanks.  Any more clues? *



As kaith said earlier ; make sure you have the correct SW installed for your motherboard. If you have that contact the company.

/yari


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## GPFontaine (May 8, 2003)

You can check your drivers against the following:
http://tw.giga-byte.com/Motherboard/Support/Driver/Driver_GA-7VAXP.htm

The users manual can be found at the following:
http://america.giga-byte.com/MotherBoard/FileList/Manual/manual_7vaxpu_e.pdf

The companys phone number:
(626) 854-9338

I recommend that while trying to get the port to work on the motherboard you remove any secondary sound cards that may have conflicting needs, such as IRQs.


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## fringe_dweller (May 30, 2003)

One other thought... not sure who the built in game port is supplied by but I remember an issue with Sound Blaster cards whereby their standard driver didn't install the gameport correctly (go figure) had to download a patch from their website in order to fix the problem.

Repsectfully,


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