Vive controller lights green, but not tracking

[Does What It Do]

My Vive controllers are able to power on and connect to the headset just fine, but the SteamVR software doesn't recognize that. The controllers are connected to the headset (hence the green indicator light) but they still appear grayed out in SteamVR. Plugging a controller into the computer directly allows the controller to be seen by SteamVR, but the controller still does not track. Starting SteamVR with the controllers already powered on allows the controllers to show up wirelessly, but after that SteamVR doesn't recognize when the controller turns off, and even more odd, the controllers vibrate when I identify them in this state.

[TheSchaeff]

I had the same problem before, see if this works:

1. In the SteamVR window, click the dropdown arrow next to "SteamVR" or "SteamVR beta"
2. Go to Devices>Reboot Vive Headset

After it finishes rebooting, the controllers should be recognized.

Note: Simply closing out of SteamVR and restarting it does not appear to be the same thing as rebooting the headset through the menu.

Hope this helps.

[Does What It Do]

Originally posted by mappy:

I had the same problem before, see if this works:

1. In the SteamVR window, click the dropdown arrow next to "SteamVR" or "SteamVR beta"
2. Go to Devices>Reboot Vive Headset

After it finishes rebooting, the controllers should be recognized.

Note: Simply closing out of SteamVR and restarting it does not appear to be the same thing as rebooting the headset through the menu.

Hope this helps.

I tried restarting the headset several times to no avail. Currently, I've managed to get the controllers to work as long as they are connected to the computer after SteamVR is opened, at which point I can disconnect them and they work fine. Trying to connect the controllers without plugging them into the computer first results in the controllers connecting to the headset perfectly, but not being recognized by SteamVR whatsoever. (side note, which I have no idea why this happened, but the next morning when I tried to get back at fixing the controllers, the headset was not recognized by SteamVR either)

What I did to fix this was a series of things. First, i migrated the Vive from a usb 3 port to a usb 2 port, then reinstalled the usb drivers for my computer, which reinstalled the Vive drivers and got the headset back in business.
After this, I plugged a controller into the computer, and SteamVR told me the controller needed to be updated. I updated the firmware and clicked done, allowing SteamVR to fully restart before unpluggin the controller. When SteamVR finally did start, I swapped the controllers to update the other controller firmware.

The firmware update didn't fix a thing. In fact, after the controllers were still not making any progress at all with connecting, I plugged one of them back into the computer and SteamVR said it needed to be updated again, which I did for both. Another round trying to connect with no luck. I reconnected one of them into the computer, and again it said the controller's firmware was out of date. This happened several times with both controllers, up to the point that I tried to force the controller to update firmware (by holding every button on the controller except for the system button, plugging it into the computer, then releasing all buttons after about 5 seconds.) I'm not sure if this did a single thing, but after about 4 rounds of trying to update controller firmware, the headset was showing up as needing a firmware update as well.

The headset was no exception to the firmware madness that I had been dealing with for about 45 minutes at this point. Updating the firmware, and letting SteamVR restart, after which I did a manual restart (closing SteamVR and re-opening it) and was greeted by yet another firmware update. I did this for the headset about 3 times until I was confident that the firmware update had actually stuck.

At this point, I was able to get one of the controllers working, while the other controller stayed a solid blue. Trying to re-pair the solid blue controller failed every time, and it never re-connected. I tried plugging the controller back into the computer, and what do you know, 'another' firmware update. Updating the firmware allowed me to connect the controller to the headset, but only one of them (awesome.)

After this, I forget how, but I noticed that the controllers were actually being tracked when they were connected directly to the computer, so I unplugged one of them and it stayed connected and tracked. Tried this for the second one, and it connected as well with no problems. I tried re-creating this by closing SteamVR and turning the controllers off, then restarting SteamVR and trying to connect the controllers (which is where I am now.) Trying to connect the controllers wirelessly still resulted in the controllers connecting to the Vive, but not being recognized by SteamVR. However, connecting the controller to the computer allowed the controller to show up on SteamVR, then when I unplugged it, it was working perfectly fine.

So the result of all of this is I can wirelessly use my controllers as long as I connect them to the computer once every time SteamVR opens, then they work as they should.

[Jeremy Wade]

Originally posted by TheSchaeff:

I had the same problem before, see if this works:

Hope this helps.

Dude, this worked for me! I've tried restarting even, but just telling it to reboot totally fixed my issue.

[hb]

Originally posted by TheSchaeff:

I had the same problem before, see if this works:

1. In the SteamVR window, click the dropdown arrow next to "SteamVR" or "SteamVR beta"
2. Go to Devices>Reboot Vive Headset

After it finishes rebooting, the controllers should be recognized.

Note: Simply closing out of SteamVR and restarting it does not appear to be the same thing as rebooting the headset through the menu.

Hope this helps.

i need to kiss you no ♥♥♥♥

[Nilo]

For the case people still have problems I fixed mine with something I tried and that isn't on the internet yet (at least I didn't find that "fix" in my several hours on google).
To be clear:
My problem was that the controller was pairing and showed a green light but SteamVR would show that the controller is not paired.


First take your working controller.
Hold down the Trigger, Menu Button, Trackpad click, and Grip buttons simultaneously.
While keeping the above buttons held down, connect the controller to a PC, via a micro USB cord.
Wait for 5 seconds.
Release the buttons.
A USB drive will pop up with a firmware.bin.
Take a backup and move it to your pc.

Now disconnect it and do the same with your non working controller.
After making a backup (you do not really need it, but I'd recommend it) delete it from the controller and put the firmware.bin from your working controller on it.

Repair the the controller and there you go.
For me this did solve all the problems. Your mileage may vary :)