Author Topic: CH Control Manager Nightmare.  (Read 1208 times)

Offline Mayhem

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CH Control Manager Nightmare.
« on: May 19, 2020, 11:50:53 PM »
Just a heads up I have been having a nightmare with installing my CH Pro gear into windows 10.

Basically about a year or so ago I installed the Razer synapse software for my Razer Nostromo and after a windows update and a reboot or two I started getting a BSOD on every boot.

The BSOD was a "DRIVER VERIFIER IOMANAGER VIOLATION" with "CHDRVR03.sys"

This was my CH Control Manager Drivers for My CH gear. I have the CH Products Fighterstick USB, Flight Sim Yoke USB, Pro Throttle USB and Pro Pedals USB.

Since I wasn't really playing any flight sims at the time I went into Safe mode and uninstalled ALL the CH drivers and software, which fixed the BSOD.

I recently decided to give AH another GO for a bit. Installing the hardware was no issue windows detected all my hardware and installed all the drivers no issue. However as soon as I installed the CH control manager software I got a BSOD and went into a BSOD Boot loop until boot options appeared and I could go into safe mode to remove the drivers.

To get control manager to install I used Driver Verifier Manager, selected "Deleted Existing Settings" to delete the existing Settings, Then I opened a command prompt with admin rights and ran "Verifier /reset"

I rebooted wash and repeated and manage to get the software to install after a try or to I think I still has to give the CH installer Admin rights and install it at least once in safe mode.

This was an all day affair but hopefully if any one else runs into this problem this will help them out and turn wasting an entire day into wasting an hour or two.

To add insult to injury when I finally got the controls working in AHIII I found that the default mappings were totally FUBARed .... My toe brakes stop position was mapped to my guns so when I hit my Toe Brake my main gun would fire, but that was easily fixed by re mapping it.

Sadly I'm not even sure CH is in Business any more. They stopped selling spare parts like a decade ago and they no longer support their software which is like 6 or 7 years old as it is.

Virpil is looking really good right now but I also want a Valve Index I can't justify both at this time. :(

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Offline Bizman

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Re: CH Control Manager Nightmare.
« Reply #1 on: May 20, 2020, 01:41:39 AM »
You don't need the CH Control Manager at all for playing AH. AH can see all controllers that Windows can see so all you need to do is to assign the functions properly. Agreed, it'll take some time and some default mappings can be weirdly off but once you've done it you can save a copy of your settings in case some update (Windows more often than AH) causes issues.

If memory serves me there's a couple of things you can do only with the Control Manager, supposedly macros that do a chain of functions, then again the majority of players have never even heard about such functionality.
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Offline TequilaChaser

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Re: CH Control Manager Nightmare.
« Reply #2 on: May 20, 2020, 03:52:50 AM »
Bizman is pretty much spot on.....

As best as my memory tells me, Mayhem, you and your knowledge on computers, are the first person I know of that has managed to figure out a workaround to get CH Control Manager to work on Windows 10....

I know there are numerous posts on these AH boards regarding what you went through trying to get it to work, I don't recall anybody figuring out how to make it work with Windows 10....

I stopped.using it back in the beta of Windows 7.......
"When one considers just what they should say to a new pilot who is logging in Aces High, the mind becomes confused in the complex maze of info it is necessary for the new player to know. All of it is important; most of it vital; and all of it just too much for one brain to absorb in 1-2 lessons" TC

Offline Drano

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Re: CH Control Manager Nightmare.
« Reply #3 on: May 20, 2020, 08:34:27 AM »
I'm still using it in Win10 for the macros and other functions. I've upgraded my stick to a VKB and have MFG pedals but still have the CH throttle. And yes it was a gigantic PITA to get set up in Win10. First thing is to find the very last version, think it was 4.55a. That one was patched for Win10. I didn't have a problem actually installing it or getting it to run, but getting it to function right was a trick. It'd run but as soon as I clicked a button they'd all grey out and it was like the controller didn't exist anymore on the machine! Requiring a restart to get it back.

The windows store service is a conflict. You'll have to disable that one from running at startup. Once you've done that, when you run CM click the off button first. Gotta do this. Then load a profile. Click the mapped button. It should be working, test it. Exit.

Hope this helps!

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Offline Mayhem

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Re: CH Control Manager Nightmare.
« Reply #4 on: May 20, 2020, 12:37:38 PM »
I use the Control Manager for Macro's and to utilize both the shift feature as well as modes functions. So I kinda need it specially for other games.

That all being said I'm sort of at a cross roads.

I want to eventually get into VR so I kinda have my sights set on a Valve Index and I don't think there really is a better true HOTAS set up for VR as the CH gear as it is fairly simplified specially the throttle, You don't really need to look at it which would be hard to do with a VR headset on.

That all being said I don't see CH being a reliable option going forward. They are currently owned by APEM inc and they seem to have given up on their consumer gaming products. They no longer sell spare parts and no longer support their software in the only officially supported version of windows as Windows 7 support died around the start of the year. The way windows handles gaming hardware is crap at best with no native programability.

So if I have to upgrade my CH gear I'm probably going to go with Virpil and that is going to run me a lot of money enough to put VR off another year or two and by then I will probably be looking at upgrading my GTX1080ti to an  RTX3080ti  which will probably run me another grand pushing vr off for another year.

What we really need is some one to sit down and build us a cross platform cross vendor program that can program just about any controller ... Thrustmaster, CH, VKB, Virpil, logitech/saitek, and such. I would be willing to pay $50 bucks for said software.

The closest thing we have to it is JoyToKey (Paid) which is more for Gamepads and Universal Joystick Remapper (Using vJoy) which is in alpha and probably harder to set up than nightmare unControled Manger.
« Last Edit: May 20, 2020, 12:53:47 PM by Mayhem »
"Destination anywhere! So Far Gone, I'm almost There."
The Damned! (Est. 1988) Damned if we do - No fun if we don't!
S.A.P.P.- Secret Association Of P-38 Pilots (Lightning In A Bottle)

Offline Drano

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Re: CH Control Manager Nightmare.
« Reply #5 on: May 20, 2020, 02:49:41 PM »
Agree with all you've said. I'm using it for the exact reasons you are. I've taken a staged approach upgrading too. I went to VR last year with a RiftS. Couldn't go back to a monitor from that now! Built a new PC this year but recycled my 2060 to see what happens in the GPU world. Might update that in the next year depending on whether VKB comes out with the throttle they've been taking about for a couple of years. Really want/need that. If they do I'll keep plugging with this video card for a bit as that throttle will cost a decent buck if the stick is any indicator. I just hope this CH throttle holds up either way! The buttons and hats are starting to get a little flaky. I can keep the rest of it going.

All that said you can get the CM to work on Win10 with a little effort. Follow the tips I gave you before.
 Another trick is to put a program called CMStart.exe in your start folder. It'll run at startup and start CM in mapped mode then terminate. Find the exe in your chproducts folder.

Here's instructions on that:

http://snomhf.exofire.net/cmstart.html

And there's a link on this page to the last version of CM:

http://www.chproducts.com/Multi-Function-Panel-v13-d-724.html

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« Last Edit: May 20, 2020, 02:55:26 PM by Drano »
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Offline Drano

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Re: CH Control Manager Nightmare.
« Reply #6 on: May 20, 2020, 03:00:40 PM »
I found the solution to the thing not running in Win10 from when I had the problem last year when I went to VR and HAD to go to Win10. Found it somewhere on the net after pulling my hair out for a while. I'd copy/pasted it to a text file and it was in my downloads file. Check it out.


This worked when the manager hung up on me tonight.

What I have just found that so far has worked for me several times in a row is to........
 
1. Open / launch the Control Manager software using "Run As Administrator"
2. Before loading a profile, ensure the mode is set to OFF (ie. don't have it in DIRECT mode or MAPPED mode)
3. You can now load a profile, edit it and then press the DOWNLOAD button and the buttons won't grey out  (well, at least for me they didn't)
 
You can then play whichever game you want to play and the key assignments will be working as you have programmed them.
 
Please note that for me if I go back to Control Manager program after playing a game and then load and download a different profile the buttons grey out again. 
The workaround for that so far for me is to:

1. Close the game I was playing
2. Close the Control Manager program
3. Re-open /launch the Control Manager program (Run as Administrator)
4. Put Control Manager into OFF mode
5. Load the different profile
6. DOWNLOAD the different profile


Also  kill any extraneous programs before messing with the manager. Especially windows store, Logitech and discord. Kill MSI LED manager.
Windows Store is the main culprit.

More Info:

Advises going into the control panel and turning off fast startup--I've already done this.

On Boot/Reboot DO NOT DO ANYTHING related to games or control manager loading of scripts. Open control manager and WAIT AT LEAST  2-3 Minutes.
"Drano"
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Offline Clifra Jones

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Re: CH Control Manager Nightmare.
« Reply #7 on: February 21, 2023, 03:28:24 PM »
I know this is old but wanted post this in case anyone else arrived here.
I just recently got around to upgrading my game computer and am getting back into Aces High.  My rig was on Windows 7, after upgrading to 10 this stopped working like everyone here has stated.

My CH Gear is in fine working order so no need to buy new, I have a fairly complex configuration in CH Control Manager so I needed to find an alternative. I did, Joystick Gremlin.

It may not be a visually appealing a CHCM but it gets the job done,

https://whitemagic.github.io/JoystickGremlin/

Offline Pudgie

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Re: CH Control Manager Nightmare.
« Reply #8 on: March 08, 2023, 12:24:03 PM »
I know this is old but wanted post this in case anyone else arrived here.
I just recently got around to upgrading my game computer and am getting back into Aces High.  My rig was on Windows 7, after upgrading to 10 this stopped working like everyone here has stated.

My CH Gear is in fine working order so no need to buy new, I have a fairly complex configuration in CH Control Manager so I needed to find an alternative. I did, Joystick Gremlin.

It may not be a visually appealing a CHCM but it gets the job done,

https://whitemagic.github.io/JoystickGremlin/

Thanks for posting this link!

To date though, I haven't had 1 issue w\ CHCM ver 4.55 running on my box under Win 10 at all.......still using CHCM w\ my CH USB HOTAS (CH 568 Combatstick, CH Pro Throttle & CH Pro Pedals) using the exact same CHCM control mapping I set up under Win 7 to this day.

I can't say why this is so as I've never had CHCM vers 4.55 to not work under Win 10..............

FYI.....................

 :salute

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