Solution for Madcatz SFIV Fightpad driver problems (Windows 7 64 bit)

[Crimion]

NOTE: There's an update massage under "So here's the solution"

I use a wired Madcatz Street Fighter IV Fightpad for the Xbox 360[www.amazon.co.uk] to play 2D sidescrolling games. I'm also running Windows 7 64 bit. If you are using any other version (i.e PS3 Fightpad) I don't know if this will work for you.

This solution I have found will NOT make your Fightpad work like a normal 360 controller (the home button will act like a normal button for instance) but at least it works.

The symptoms I had was that when I plugged in my controller the driver would not install. I checked device manager and it was giving the expected error (you know the yellow exclamation mark symbol). I then looked on the Madcatz website - which was pretty much useless which gave out of date instructions to the Microsoft website. I then looked on Google; people were having this problem when running Windows 7 64 bit, but I couldn't find a solution anywhere. I have used this same controller on my laptop which is a Windows 8 laptop before and the driver installs fine but Windows 7 is having none of it.

This has worked for me sort of twice. I recently had to reinstall my operating system due to technical difficulties, my files are on a separate hard drive. So I have sort of done this twice but on the same hardware. I have tested the controller with Recettear and Pinnacle Game Profiler running Simon's Quest: Revamped (a fan game with no controller support) - both of them work with the Fightpad controller.

So here's the solution:

UPDATE: When I wrote this, I was using Drivermax 7. I don't know if this still works with the newer version of drivermax and the most of the instructions of are out of date. I would still suggest you pay attention and manually install incase the wizard tries install some other programs by default. I cannot install the driver with the new version. Hopefully I'm still pointing you to the right direction; since there is a post saying it still works.

First you need to download DriverMax[www.drivermax.com]

Install it and go though the installation wizard carefully, because...

It's one of THOSE wizards where through installation process it will ask you to install a couple of rubbish programs like Wajam (if I wanted to install Wajam I would install Wajam motherf...). There is a step in which it tries install a program which involves radio buttons and check boxes. Select the second radio button and uncheck the boxes - this is laggy for me and it seems to take while for it to unselect (It's weird, I don't believe I've seen lag like this on a installation wizard).

Once installed, run Drivermax and there should be a button that says "Scan for updates now" click on it and wait. Once the scan is complete, it should show you a list and the MadCatz Fightpad driver should be there (it was for me at least).

If you are running the free version (which you probably are) you can only download 3 drivers every 24 hours, so download the Fightpad driver first, if you're going to download anything else. Download this by clicking on the blue button next to it.

Once downloaded the blue button should say "view"; this should take you to a separate screen where you should be able to install it.

Your Fightpad should be working once the driver is installed. Uninstall Drivermax if you want.

I just thought I'd share this, so if this doesn't work then I'm sorry I don't know what's wrong. I'm not an expert these matters - this is something I stumbled upon.

Side Note:
I believe the driver is Japanese of origin since when I go to Devices and Printers > Game Controllers settings > Properties, it seems to be in Japanese so I don't think I would've found it without Drivermax. Strange since when I go through to it on Pinnacle, it's like looking at a standard 360 controller properties in English with the red circles. Hmm. Strange.

[I'm Possible]

you helped me out big time man
i searched and searched and nothing worked but your solution !!! THANK YOU

[ragemaiden]

1. Felt like playing Recettear again
2. Remembered how awful the controls are
3. Found fossilized gamepad gathering dust
4. Cursed heavens as gamepad refused to install
5. Found this post
6. World is once again supplied to fight all manner of evils

Thank you

[Crimion]

Originally posted by ragemaiden:

1. Felt like playing Recettear again
2. Remembered how awful the controls are
3. Found fossilized gamepad gathering dust
4. Cursed heavens as gamepad refused to install
5. Found this post
6. World is once again supplied to fight all manner of evils

Thank you

I'm glad this still works! Same controller I was referring to?

I was going to update this saying this might not work anymore; but I completely forgot. I wrote that when I was using an older version of drivermax. Drivermax 7 I think.

A few months ago, for some reason the driver wouldn't work with my controller, so I had to uninstall it. The new version of drivermax could not find the driver. Good thing for me was that I still had the installation file of the old version of drivermax and the old versions of drivermax do not have access to the drivermax database, but good thing for me is that the old version remebered what I downloaded (even after I reinstalled it) and I was able to reinstall the driver as it was.

[robomagon]

My SFxT Fightpad just works like a regular 360 pad. Is this a common problem?

[Crimion]

Are you using Windows 7 or Windows 8? If you're using Windows 7 lucky you.

[Daveasaurus]

im running windows 10 and I am unable to get the controller working just for one game, but the controller works fine with everything else. will this apply to windows 10 too?

[Crimion]

Originally posted by Daveasaurus:

im running windows 10 and I am unable to get the controller working just for one game, but the controller works fine with everything else. will this apply to windows 10 too?

I don't know. I'm not using Windows 10. This was something I had found and wanted to share since I noticed everyone was having trouble with the Madcatz Street fighter IV Fightpad and Windows 7. I heard Windows 8 and above have less problems if you're using any Xbox controller. You could always give the solution a try. I'd be interested in what happens.

[Daveasaurus]

So i tried the method you listed above and it doesnt work for me. Drivermax doesnt give me the option of updating the madcatz driver (it doesnt appear in the list at all) so ive still been unable to get the controller working at all which is really frustrating since i really want to play this game.