Code 43 on USB Devices and Windows 10

[blueskydriver]

Has anyone had problems with Windows 10 failing to recognize perfectly working USB devices; thereby, giving the notorious Code 43 error?

I had a USB keyboard encoder that previously worked on a Windows 7 PC like forever, then after I got the 3 new exact same Dell/Windows 10 PC's it worked on one of those just fine (for a couple of months). However, last night I got the Code 43 and now, it's unrecognizable.

Next, on one of the other Windows 10 PC's, where I have ProSim737 and all my hardware connected, it gave a Code 43 on one of the USB hubs. Whereas, it has been working for months on that very same PC.

For some reason I believe Windows 10 updates are causing this by changing drivers or MS is changing the approved hardware drivers lists; thus, making older drivers go blank/not recognized.

Lastly, I may add that when I started ProSim it had a heart attack and gave a crash out error (not closing, but dumping all the hardware config files). Assuming, this is an end result of the USB device not being seen, but I cannot verify it without resolving the Code 43 errors first.

If anyone has experienced this, please do tell as to how you fixed it...

John

[ame]

Thanks, Obama Microsoft.

[Joe Lavery]

John,
I imagine this has happened since the last Microsoft Update, which means Microsoft has screwed with the detection of HID equipment. See if this has been reported on the Microsoft forum.

You could also try the keyboard in another computer to see if it works okay; it wouldn't hurt to try it in another USB port as well. If you've done all that then see if there's a driver on the keyboard manufacturers website.
Of course you may have tried all this already.. if that's the case keyboards are not too expensive..   

I don't know if others have had the same related issue with Saitek devices. While they work fine in FSX P3D and X-Plane, FS2020 doesn't even recognise them properly. You have to go through every axis and button to get them to work, whereas Thrustmaster pops up with a picture of the joystick and all the axis and buttons pre-programmed.
Also Saitek are not exactly swift in supporting devices once they pass the warrantee period.

Joe.

[blueskydriver]

Hey Joe,

Okay, here is what I figured out. When looking at the Device Manager you will no longer see Ports listed (ports as in com ports). In which case, I believe this some how deleted the com port/USB port addressing for all my FDS cards, and since PROSIM737 could no longer see them it turned off the FDS Hardware enable check mark in the hardware configuration.

So, I turned the Ports back on in Device Manager, but it shows a COM5 with needing a new driver. Anyway, the FDS Cards are plugged into power hubs and the hubs show up fine with no more Code 43 errors. Okay, I then I went back into PROSIM737 config and checked the FDS Hardware and had to recheck the use FSUIPC as well.

All the FDS cards and FSUIPC then showed up; however, all my hardware mapping was gone. Why? Some how PROSIM dumped the config file, likely by me trying to fix things. Good thing I had a backup elsewhere. And, I did look at the config-old file and it was blank per se (no mappings).

Morale to the story, Windows 10 updates can and will screw things up! I love this hobby, but spending more time troubleshooting then flying is getting old. Sadly, I haven't even started installing or trying P3D ver 4, let alone MSFS 2020. I gotta get everything working in FSX first, then slowly migrate.

My next step is to turn off automatic windows 10 updates and instead, have it where I can look at what's in the update(s) themselves. Like Win7, it was easy too do that; just gotta check this all out for Win10...

Note: For users of PROSIM737, Project Magenta (PM), SIM A and etc, make sure you back up your config files somewhere off the PC. I know PROSIM uses XML, PM uses .ini files, and not sure about SIM A...in any case back them up...did I hear an echo in here...back them up!

John

[Joe Lavery]

So it seems the "Welcome to Windows 10 Updates" was a pretty accurate diagnosis     

You seem to have it pegged!