Cougar install failure

[moot]

I can't get this Cougar hotas to respond when I get to the firmware update (step 3 here). It doesn't go from this screen to this one.  Is the stick dead or is this symptomatic of a specific mistake I'm making?

The axes and buttons work in AH, but the rudders connected to the hotas never calibrate. All they show are max, min, median values.

[moot]

Foxy shows all buttons (1-18) on the js are stuck down, if that means anything...

And there's this too.. Not sure if it's related.

[Charge]

What kind of rudders to you have, are you sure the wirings are all OK? Have you tried the upgrading with throttle detached (as is recommended somewhere anyway)?
You do have the new firmware in the same directory where the HOTAS update exe is?

-C+

[moot]

They're CH analog rudders, connected on the stick.  I haven't opened them yet.. Will check later today. The stick might have some wiring or component failure tho, so it may be what's screwing up the rudders.
All the firmware updates I've done were with throttle detached, except once, on another fresh windows installation. It always fails like I described.
I don't know what the firmware files are. I ran the steps like described on this page..  This is what the hotas update.exe's folder looks like:

[Reschke]

When I had a similar thing happened the pots got killed in a firmware flash. TM sent me a new set of pots for the stick and throttle and I was back up and running in about 10 minutes after reconnect and reflashing with the throttle removed.

[moot]

I think the pots are good.. One of em's flakin out to one side, but otherwise they show up fine in the diagnostics...

[FLOTSOM]

i know this is probably gonna be the dumbest of responses, but im gonna ask you anyways. do u have it connected by a powered usb hub? and if so have you tried using a different usb port on your computer? if your are only seeing a loss in usb bandwidth then you may be able to get a pci card that adds extra usb ports and increases the potential band width?

ok so not the brightest of thoughts but some times the biggest problems hide in the dumbest reasons.

FLOTSOM

[moot]

I don't have anything else connected to usb, and the power supply is good quality. I think the bandwidth thing is refering to data only. For some reason it came up these last three days, and today it hasn't popped up once.  But even now the cougar still doesn't work and the buttons on the joystick still show up stuck down. I reckon the install will never work unless I can get that fixed.

[Reschke]

Can you run the Cougar software at all and if so or if you can run the Foxy program does it recognize anything? Have you opened up the stick to check internal connections? This one is odd since I have never seen this kind of problem with a Cougar.

[moot]

Foxy sees it and works like it should, axes and buttons (except the stick's buttons, axes fine). Cougar control panel doesn't open, says firmware is wrong and must be updated.
I don't have any class tomorrow, I'll open the stick and pedals then.

My hunch is whatever (wiring/component) is causing all of the buttons on the stick to stay pressed down is the culprit.

[Reschke]

I would imagine that you have tried clearing the memory within Foxy a few times by now. I wish I could get into the forums over at Frugalsworld so I could look up what I tried with the TM support guys who were working on a new firmware when I had my problems.

[moot]

For some reason it worked.. Flashed it and finally opens CCP correctly. Failed every other time.   Making windows work is like playing lottery...

Thank you Reschke..

edit - buttons still stuck down on the js.

[moot]

Everything works except the buttons on the stick.  I can figure that out later.
The rudders calibrate correctly in windows and CCP/Foxy, but AH doesn't see anything but min/max/median values on the axis.  I don't get it.

[Reschke]

Yep that part is odd. When I had my problem the axis' would only move a little bit at maximum throw/input or would not move at all. At least you are getting those portions registered. I wonder if it is something with the actual circuit board not allowing/recognizing the inputs.

[FLOTSOM]

moot in the ccp you can individually set the band on each axis. make adjustments in that and then recalibrate when in game. made all the difference in the world for me. just remember DONT NOT USE WINDOWS CALIBRATION!

good luck

FLOTSOM