Joystick not connected error

I'm running Windows XP Home. I have a Sidewinder joystick connected to the
game port on the back of a Creative Labs Soundblaster 16 PCI card.
Occasionally I'll be running an old Windows 95 game(Hellbender) in
compatibility mode and the joystick will suddenly stop responding. It will
eventually correct itself but sometimes it fires off most or all of my
ammunition. If I shut the game down when this happens and go into the game
controllers section in the control panel I'll see a message saying the joystick
isn't connected. The game works perfectly using the keyboard but it's too
cumbersome. The joystick works fine on my 95 machine but the graphics and
frame rate are so much better on my XP machine. Has anyone else ever had this
problem?

DJS0302 wrote:
 > I'm running Windows XP Home. I have a Sidewinder joystick connected
 > to the game port on the back of a Creative Labs Soundblaster 16 PCI
 > card. Occasionally I'll be running an old Windows 95 game(Hellbender)
 > in compatibility mode and the joystick will suddenly stop responding.
 > It will eventually correct itself but sometimes it fires off most or
 > all of my ammunition. If I shut the game down when this happens and
 > go into the game controllers section in the control panel I'll see a
 > message saying the joystick isn't connected. The game works
 > perfectly using the keyboard but it's too cumbersome. The joystick
 > works fine on my 95 machine but the graphics and frame rate are so
 > much better on my XP machine. Has anyone else ever had this problem?

I'm afraid you're going to have to wake up and smell the Java. If that's an
original Sidewider, then all support ceased *FIVE* years ago. It works under
95 because it was designed to (it was released 09/10/95). If you want a
joystick that's going to work properly under XP, then you're going to have
to replace it. There are no drivers, before you ask, as the last supported
OS was 98.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->