After lots of digging into the bowels of Microsoft support. I Found a statement along the lines of..... Pasted
Microsoft Knowledge Base Article - Q321127
SideWinder Force Feedback 2: Force Setting Changes Unexpectedly
The information in this article applies to:
Microsoft SideWinder Force Feedback 2, when used with:
the operating system: Microsoft Windows XP
Symptoms
The feedback force setting in the SideWinder Force Feedback 2 game may change unexpectedly. This behavior may occur under the following conditions:
You set the feedback force in the SideWinder Force Feedback 2 game controller to low.< They neglect to mention that it dosent matter what RTC you set it to it will allways go Full after 2nd button press, Happens In Windows ME too under new controller software. >
-or-
You turn the feedback force off.
The setting may work the first time that you pull the trigger, but the next time that you pull the trigger, the feedback force setting may be changed. The feedback force setting may be changed to high or it may be turned back on. This problem occurs when you run the SideWinder Force Feedback 2 on a Windows XP-based computer.
Resolution
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the SideWinder Force Feedback 2 game controller on a Windows XP-based computer.
First Published: Apr 10 2002 6:03AM
Keywords: kbimu kbprb
So thats It!. If youve got XP dont get a FFB2 Just look at their Resolution and the date this was published
With XP And FFB2's becoming more common I can see this becoming a Bigger issue for HTC. Could they either lobby MS for a fix or perhaps put a Return to Center Slider in along with the other Force settings?
Furzy
PS Ive gone back to using my old FFBPro. I dont fancy using floppy unplugged / Rock rigid plugged FFB2 until this issue is fixed.
PPS While Im a Fan of Win 98SE I can see thats its time I moved on. I wish there were other options but looking at new Nvidia drivers and FFB makes 98 stuff obsolescent. Just glad my FFB Pro works for now. I even tried to buy a new one but nowhere has them in stock anymore.