Can't get Xbox 360 Wireless controllers working on PC

ThraxThrax 🐌Austin, TX Icrontian
edited May 2012 in Hardware
Hello, friends. Recently I bought an Xbox 360 Wireless Gaming Receiver for Windows so I could use the two wireless 360 controllers I have on my PC.

I have been able to get the device installed, and the controllers paired with the receiver. When I press the Xbox Guide button, the software reports that controllers are connected and shows their battery charge.

However, device manager still throws yellow triangles for the two controllers, so I cannot get them configured as gamepads to use in my favorite ROMs and emulators games. Windows does not appear to have drivers for them, and neither does the latest version the Xbox 360 PC software. If I try to manually select the "Xbox 360 controller" driver from the list of all device drivers, I get a Code 10 "cannot start" error for the controllers. Windows Update offers no drivers.

Has anyone experienced this issue? Does anyone have a solution?

Windows 7 x64 on a Core i3 & Gigabyte H55N-USB3.

Comments

  • CBCB ΖΈΜ΅Μ‘ΣœΜ΅Μ¨Μ„Ζ· Der Millionendorf- Icrontian
    I don't have any suggestions at this point, but I can offer info:

    I have the same wireless adapter. When I go look at the 'driver information' for the controller, I get a dialog box letting me know that "no drivers are required for this device.

    When looking at my device manager, it only has an entry for the receiver, not for the game-pad itself, whether it's 'on' or not, and that entry appears in its own class, rather than under game controllers (image attached for reference). It does show up in my 'devices and printers' list, however, which is how I got to the 'properties' dialog for the controller itself. That dialog looks nothing like other gamepad properties boxes I've seen. It has no calibrations settings, and no button remapping, nothing but that driver info button with no info behind it.

    I've only used the controller in games which specifically support the X-Box controller (like Assassin's Creed), and have never tried to use it as a generic gamepad.
  • erichblas2005erichblas2005 Your Native Texan Houston,Texas Member
    I have that controller. Remove the current installed drivers. Go to ms web site and download the driver .

    microsoft.com/hardware/en-us/d/xbox-360-wireless-controller-for-windows
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    Thanks for your info, CB. In my case, the controllers are definitely showing up as a distinct device, though the receiver is in its own device tree.

    The controllers also show up in devices and printers, but can't start because of the driver issue.
  • PirateNinjaPirateNinja Icrontian
    I had a similar issue with the Logitech clone of this controller a while back and I ended uup fixing it by switching the controller from "x" mode to direct mode or something like that. There was an actual switch on the controller to do this. That's all I can think of.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    When in doubt, format Windows. I'll return in ~90 with an update.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    Fixed! Both controllers show up as standard gamepads in Windows. We were able to play Spy v. Spy and Donkey Kong Country without a problem.

    I was tipped off to something being amiss when I tried to update the system to sp1 and was told that Windows was missing components. One reformat later, and all is well.
  • GargGarg Purveyor of Lincoln Nightmares Icrontian
    edited May 2012
    Glad you got it fixed! I think we had different problems, but in case anyone else finds this thread, I found the solution to my 360 wireless controller not working here. Essentially, the knockoff receiver I bought (I don't believe official ones are sold anymore) needed some changes to the driver's INF file.

    Just in case that page goes down, the important bit is here for posterity:
    The problem, it seems, is the USB device ID string: USB\VID_045E&PID_0291&REV_0107. The real culprit is the PID_0291, which doesn't match the value the driver files are trying to match, PID_0719. So what to do?

    Well, I am a software engineer, and I've been digging into Microsoft systems for over 20 years now. After copying the files from the correct directory on the driver disk, and looking into the INF file (Xusb21.inf), I modified all of the references to Pid_0719 to Pid_0291, saved the file, and updated the driver for the device from that directory.

    It found the driver fine, and after confirming I wanted to install the driver form the "unknown vendor", everything came up just fine.
  • midgamidga "There's so much hot dog in Rome" ~digi (> ^.(> O_o)> Icrontian
    Yeah, that's a knockoff receiver. I have one of my own. Got it working by reading this review on that Amazon store page.

    They do, however, still sell the official receivers. They're bundled with a controller, and I picked one up at Best Buy the other day for about $50 (I was having issues getting the knockoff to pair with my headset properly, and I wanted to see if the official one would get rid of the controller input lag I always seem to have (so far it seems to)). My only beef with using the 360 controller for the PC has been that I haven't been able to use my Play & Charge with it, even just to charge the battery up. I think I need to get one of those recharge stations...
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    The play'n'charge cable works with my USB ports to charge the controller. I suspect your USB ports may simply not provide enough amperage to do the job.
  • midgamidga "There's so much hot dog in Rome" ~digi (> ^.(> O_o)> Icrontian
    That might be the case. I might take my Fluke home and check it out. Do you happen to have the reqs at hand?
  • GargGarg Purveyor of Lincoln Nightmares Icrontian
    The play'n'charge cable works with my USB ports to charge the controller. I suspect your USB ports may simply not provide enough amperage to do the job.
    That's my guess too. Midga, do you have any AC->USB adapters? I've used my play & charge with one of those (which provides up to 1 amp) and it worked.
    They do, however, still sell the official receivers. They're bundled with a controller, and I picked one up at Best Buy the other day for about $50 (I was having issues getting the knockoff to pair with my headset properly, and I wanted to see if the official one would get rid of the controller input lag I always seem to have (so far it seems to)).
    I saw those, but a friend gave me his old controller, and I just needed a receiver. Interesting that you had input lag, though. I'll have to pay more attention to see if mine is doing that (or I guess I could try to live in blissful ignorance).
  • midgamidga "There's so much hot dog in Rome" ~digi (> ^.(> O_o)> Icrontian
    @Gargoyle I noticed it the most when I was playing Saints Row The Third and Waves. Admittedly, I haven't tried SRIII yet with the new one.
    [Deleted User]
  • GargGarg Purveyor of Lincoln Nightmares Icrontian
    edited December 2016

    Update for 2016 and Windows 8.1:

    1. After you plug it in, the receiver will be an Unknown Device in Device Manager.
    2. Open the properties of that Unknown Device
    3. Driver tab, Update Driver
    4. Browse my comptuer for driver software
    5. Let me pick
    6. Choose Xbox 360 Wireless Receiver for Windows Version 2.1.0.1349 [8/13/2009]
    7. When the warning comes up, install it anyway
    8. Steal underpants (optional)
    9. Profit
  • BlueTattooBlueTattoo Boatbuilder Houston, TX Icrontian

    @Gargoyle said:
    Update for 2016 and Windows 8.1:

    Don't you mean "Update for 2013..."?

    Gargardichoke
Sign In or Register to comment.