Can no longer access Fanatec Wheel Properties page
Hello,
It's been several months since I've used my driving sim (I've been very disappointed that improving my driving on the sim doesn't translate in the least to the real race cars I drive), so I'm planning on selling my system). When I try to run rFactor2 (the only game I have installed), I'm getting no response from the throttle, shifter, or wheel, so I wanted to check the setting in the Fanatec Wheel Properties page, for which I have a shortcut on my desktop, but when I open the icon, I'm not seeing the information that used to be there (calibrations for the throttle and brake, tuning menu settings, etc.). The only thing that shows up in the window is the word "controller", with the word "status" off to the right. The "Properties" button near the bottom of the window is grayed out. I've tried turning my wheelbase (a DD1) off and back on, which has rectified similar problems in the past, but no luck this time. What do I have to do to bring my system back to life? Thanks.
Comments
You need to open the Fanatec Control Panel, not the Fanatec Property page anymore.
If the FCP is not on your Desktop you either dont have a driver installed or you accidentally deleted the shortcut. Best is just to reinstall latest driver 446.
Thank you, Maurice. The FCP is not on my desktop. I will try to remember how to install the latest driver, but it's been a long time since I've done that, so I may ask you to walk me through the process. Appreciate the help.
I searched for driver 446, but 445 came up as the latest release, so I assume 446 must be a beta version. So I downloaded driver 445, and the Fanatec Control Panel icon now appears on my desktop. But when I open it, I get a full-page message saying No Fanatec Device Found! I went through the items the pages says to check, including turning my wheel base off and on, but nothing helped - I'm still getting the same error message. What should I try next? Thanks.
Edit: I was able to find driver 446, and was able to successfully download it, but I'm still getting the same error that says "No Fanatec Device Found!" It was working fine the last time I used it, but that was a few months ago. What else do I need to do to allow my device to be recognized? Thanks.
Then you can only try to start the base in rhe bootloader mode by pressing the power button for 10 seconds while the base is off. That way you can force a firmware flash. If that Doesnt help then your base most likely is dead and you would need to contact the support.
You mean the little white button at the back of the base, near its bottom left as you view it from the back?
Yes, the power button which you use to power the base on.
Well, this isn't looking good. I pressed the power button for ten seconds while the base was off, and the steering wheel turned about 90 degrees, then button's light started flashing at a fast rate. The base's display never turned on. I let this go for over half an hour, but it never stopped flashing. When I tried pressing the flashing power button in an attempt to de-power the base, nothing happened - it just kept flashing. I finally disconnected the power cable, which finally stopped the light from flashing. After waiting a few seconds, I pressed the power button again, and the base powered on, but when I opened the Fanatec Control panel, I'm still getting the same message. I have a very bad feeling I'm the proud owner of a $6000 coat rack. I can only imagine how long it will take Fanatec support to get back to me...
Then it's dead and you need to contact the support.
Yes, that's what I'm afraid of. With the way things are going these days, I fear a six-month turnaround to get this fixed...
Well, this is super embarrassing - I discovered why my wheel base wasn't being recognized - I had for some reason disconnected its USB cable from my PC! Reconnecting it obviously solved the recognition problem. So I went ahead and updated all the firmware as instructed, and tried playing rFactor2 (the only game I have on my PC, because it's the only game that has the track on which I drive in real life, Atlanta Motorsports Park). But I'm still having the same problem as before - when I'm in the car in the pits, I get no response when I press the gas, or when I try to shift. Pressing the paddle registers that it's in gear, but it immediately drops back into neutral.
I went into the Fanatec Control Panel icon on the desktop, and checked the calibration of the pedals and the functionality of the shifters. The throttle appears to be behaving normally, and the shifters give an indication when I upshift and downshift, so that looks OK, but nothing happens when I press the brake pedal, which is strange, but may not be relevant to my immediate problem. When I've had this problem in the past, de-powering and re-powering the wheel base has always corrected it, but I've tried that multiple times this time, and no luck. Does this seem like a problem with one of my Fanatec components, or something with rFactor2? Thanks.