Windows Vista problems

[Thorn3]

Hello all. I installed the original software for my AV8R-01 joystick. Then, I downloaded and installed the Windows Vista 32 bit update software. The update unistalled the original software, so now I cannot access anything to do with the joystick or SST. The icon in the system tray disappeared as well. There is no longer a listing of the software in the Windows program list either. Windows doesn't even know the joystick is there anymore. I can use the joystick in a flight sim such as Pacific Fighters, but I cannot access SST to change switch functions etc. It is all messed up now. Before, everything worked. I just didn't have a 3D view functional in SST and couldn't change anything. Now it is all gone!

Is the Vista update software not functional? Why did it destroy my original installation of the driver software? Why doesn't any of it work after installing the update software? Very curious. Something is terribly wrong here.

[FrostyFlake]

As it has been mentioned in many other posts... There is no vista sst software available yet.. They are working on it but you will join a list of people waiting for it... There are vista drivers but they uninstalled your current SST software... So i guess you will have to be patient like the rest of us

[Thorn3]

I suppose my confusion with the Vista driver available, is that I did not see mention that it is simply a tool to remove the present SST software. My impression and the shear size of the software package, is that it is the Vista driver.

As described: AV8R with Vista 32 Drivers
Saitek_Aviator_Joystick_300107_32.exe

Does this not give the impression that this is the Windows Vista 32 drivers? If it is not the drivers, then what is it?

[BUFF]

It is the Vista driver.
It is not, however, the Vista version of the SST programming software.

[Thorn3]

Okay, this clears things up a bit. My understanding was that since the drivers and the SST software came on one disk, they would both be included in the new driver as well. This is what was not mentioned on the Saitek site (that I saw).

Thanks for the information.

[capnskyrider]

I guess I'm a little dense. Is there a Vista driver available, but no SST s/ware? And, if the SST s/ware isn't available then the Vista driver is useless? IF that's the case is there any way for Vista to emulate XP for the game port to work?

It looks like it's been 3 weeks or so since this last post and nothing is available as of tonight from Saitek. Maybe Microsoft jumped the gun putting the OS out when there are so many vendors that either don't have a driver yet, or won't be writing an upgrade anytime soon. Just a thought.

[Thorn3]

Apparently, you can purchase the joystick and use it as a common joystick, but you can't use it in the ways you purchased it for. Not yet. In fact, the original software that came with the joystick does the exact same thing that the 'upgraded' Vista software does but still without SST. So, I don't see the point. It really must be accompanied by an appropriate description saying what it is. It is not a full driver solution for the joystick.

My following comments are NOT specifically regarding Saitek:

My understanding regarding Windows Vista, is that it has been in development for several years. All companies knew it was in development and all companies knew they would need drivers to go with it. Why the vast majority of companies sat on their laurels until Vista was released before beginning work on compatible drivers is honestly beyond me. It placed the vast majority of Vista users in a tough financial bind. Thousands of dollars of software and hardware that doesn't work properly, due to a lack of appropriately planned development. Most all new (Windows OS) computers that I have seen, are sold with Windows Vista.

Don't think I am insensitive to companies when it comes to all the work they have to do in order to keep with things. I have an engineering company and I know better than most how difficult it is to keep with things. Honestly, there is no excuse that several years warning is not enough time. Especially not since the OS was distributed worldwide for both examination and development long before it was released publicly. It is not like Windows Vista suddenly appeared out of a puff of smoke. Everyone had time to plan for its arrival.

To this day and till who knows when, I have software and hardware that I just purchased, that will probably be far outdated by time any Vista drivers are available. So much for my hard earned dollar.

[BUFF]

I guess I'm a little dense. Is there a Vista driver available, but no SST s/ware?
Correct
And, if the SST s/ware isn't available then the Vista driver is useless? IF that's the case is there any way for Vista to emulate XP for the game port to work?
the Vista driver isn't useless but there is currently no software from Saitek to let you use programming in Vista other than in-game options.


My understanding regarding Windows Vista, is that it has been in development for several years. All companies knew it was in development and all companies knew they would need drivers to go with it. Why the vast majority of companies sat on their laurels until Vista was released before beginning work on compatible drivers is honestly beyond me.
Whilst Vista has been in development for years apparently a sizeable chunk of the gaming related aspects were broken until the RTM version in late Autumn so that the gaming peripheral manufacturers didn't have anything solid to work with as it was a constantly moving target.
Would you believe that MS are saying that they hope to have Vista compatible software for their own Reclusa gaming keyboard in June? :rolleyes:

[granpa]

As it has been mentioned in many other posts... There is no vista sst software available yet.. They are working on it but you will join a list of people waiting for it... There are vista drivers but they uninstalled your current SST software... So i guess you will have to be patient like the rest of us

It's not good enough to have the attitude 'you'll just have to be patient like the rest of us'. Saitek have had ample time to develop a version of the SST software to work on Vista. At the moment I have an X52 joystick, which wasn't cheap by any means, and I can't use the full functionality in Vista because the powers that be at Saitek can't be bothered to support their customers. This is the last item of hardware I'll be buying with the Saitek brand name.

Not only are they not supporting their customers they are letting down the retailers who stock products that can't be fully used in Vista. What hope do they have of selling the hardware to new customers who have just bought a computer with Vista installed as standard?

Be patient be buggered. I've been patient for 3 months now and my patience has evolved into ANGER :mad:

[UKSupport]

It's not good enough to have the attitude 'you'll just have to be patient like the rest of us'. Saitek have had ample time to develop a version of the SST software to work on Vista.

Again, no we didn't. If you read BUFF's post above you'll see why - a lot of the parts of Windows that game controllers use were broken in Vista until the RTM version.

Since the RTM version we've been working hard to implement the software again but as we've rewritten it from the ground up, it's taken longer than we expected. It was supposed to have been out on Friday but due to the 'flu virus hitting our software team during the last couple of weeks, our schedule was unfortunately pushed out.

We understand people getting annoyed at the delay, but I'll point out once again that we're still ahead of the curve compared to other game controller manufacturers. Logitech won't have programming software for Vista until June and neither will Microsoft(!). Thrustmaster still haven't released 64-bit drivers/software for the Cougar and show no signs of doing so for Vista either at the moment.

[MoonDoggie]

we're still ahead of the curve compared to other game controller manufacturers. Logitech won't have programming software for Vista until June and neither will Microsoft(!). Thrustmaster still haven't released 64-bit drivers/software for the Cougar and show no signs of doing so for Vista either at the moment.

10 miles ahead of someone who isn't running might seem like alot, but not when you're still 100 miles from the end.

It's all about perspective, which we're all trying to exercise. We just really want our products to work. We're very happy and all Saitek is ahead of their competitors, but our products still don't work. Your perspective comes from your competition while ours is much more concrete being that we all have expensive paper weights.

I appreciate the hard work you're doing, keep it up, but please stop referring to your competitors, I didn't buy a logitech, I bought a Saitek, and even after all this I'm still happy with my decision.

-Colin

[UKSupport]

I'm mainly referring to our competitors to try and give everyone an idea that this isn't as straightforward as some might believe it is. If companies like Logitech and Microsoft are struggling (with the massive resources that they have at their disposal) then that should surely give you some indication of that.

But it is also because some people keep mentioning that this is the last time that they'll be buying Saitek - I'm merely pointing out that in fact buying Saitek was the right decision, because when you have the new software, customers of other companies will still be waiting a fair amount of time to receive their support.

[throx]

Can we expect 64 bit SST at the same time as the 32 bit SST in Vista, or will it lag behind? I can understand them lagging (obviously 2 targets is harder to test and bugfix than one when you're trying to get something/anything out for the customers), but just trying to figure what to expect so I can plan accordingly.

Cheers.

[osmith]

64bit SST will be released at the same time as 32bit SST.

[throx]

That's great news. Thanks!

[omit]

I suppose my confusion with the Vista driver available, is that I did not see mention that it is simply a tool to remove the present SST software. My impression and the shear size of the software package, is that it is the Vista driver.

As described: AV8R with Vista 32 Drivers
Saitek_Aviator_Joystick_300107_32.exe

Does this not give the impression that this is the Windows Vista 32 drivers? If it is not the drivers, then what is it?

PS.
300107.exe can not be the driver for x45 in Vista, because you can not get x-axel stay in middle position and the calibrations are not stable after loggin off from the system ?

[bizerker]

I'm glad you brought this up omit, because I have had the same problem. I have one of the "older" x-45's because it has to be calibrated in windows. When I try to calibrate with the Vista drivers, the x axis always drifts off to the right and my plane in IL-2 always drift off to the left when I try to fly. As you say, the other axes also have to recalibrated often because they are not stable. I don't remember having this problem with the XP drivers. Is this happening to other people or is it just us?

[UKSupport]

It's a known issue with the current release of the Vista drivers and will be fixed in the next release which is now very close (keep an eye on the forum towards the end of the week).

[Eisbaer]

It's a known issue with the current release of the Vista drivers and will be fixed in the next release which is now very close (keep an eye on the forum towards the end of the week).

....so eversbody is fine and healthy ? You're sure that the election in France won't impact the possible release end of this week ? ;)

Really looking forward to a working x64 driver, an especially the new SST !

Well, I'll keep my fingers cross.

[bizerker]

It's a known issue with the current release of the Vista drivers and will be fixed in the next release which is now very close (keep an eye on the forum towards the end of the week).

I appreciate you getting back to me so quickly, Richard. Thanks!!

[rbphot]

All this crying about Saitek not having software ready is pathetic really, Microsoft and Vista are the ones to blame, as a X52 owner there are more problems with trying to get my games software running at all on Vista due to Creative and Nvidia drivers not working, and no patches from the games companys.

Basicly Vista has changed the way drivers work with DirectX and loads of other stuff, so everyone who make software/hardware have to code from scratch.

If your running Vista you have paid microsoft for beta testing there software(I work in IT and bought a copy to use/test at home and to be honest I will be going back to my XP version for at least 1 year till they sort out there crap)

[project6]

Well, it has to happen sometime. I'm actually glad Microsoft dropped lots of its backwards compatibility. It's not good for the general IT development to be having the MASSIVE backwards compatibility earlier windows version had. It's just a backpack that grows heavier and heavier.

Imagine in 10 years, if software and hardware would be built on the same basis as today. It needs to change to evolve.

If game, software and hardware development is to move forward, someone has to step on the throttle - even if it means leaving a lot of things behind.