Xbox 360 controller not working on Windows 8

It seems like you're having a lot of trouble, and I have something you can try.

If I read your explanation clearly, you never actually installed the driver for Windows 8.

I've read up on it, and with Windows 7, the driver is downloaded and installed automatically when connecting the controller, but in Windows 8, the driver is part of the operating system.

support.xbox.com/.../xbox-controller-for-windows-help

That link there has many different problems and solutions to them, hope it helps.

Howdy NLC,

Sorry to hear you're having issues with your controllers.

Have you tried using the Windows 8 device troubleshooter?

You can access it by:
 

1. On the Start screen, click Control Panel.
2. Click View Devices and Printers.
3. Verify that the controller appears under Devices, and then right-click the controller, and click Game controller settings.
4. Check the Status of the controller, and then click Properties.
5. On the Test tab, test that the controller works correctly. If there are any issues, click Calibrate on the Settings tab.
6. If you continue to experience any issues, right-click the controller under Devices in Devices and Printers, and then click Troubleshoot.

 

If that doesn't help sort things out, I would also recommend Uninstalling your controller software, redownloading it, and reinstalling it. You can find the controller software here: http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/en-us/downloads#gaming 


Please let us know how that works for you and we'll go from there. 

Thanks for your answers.

I had already seen the stuff you posted me and tried to follow them... But when I go to Devices and Printers and right-click, "Game controller settings" isn't there as an option! That's what I meant when I wrote "it seems that it isn't considered a gaming device". When I try Troubleshoot, it just doesn't see any problems.

I don't understand what FullM3ta1 meant when he said "but in Windows 8, the driver is part of the operating system.". Then what, you think that, for whatever, it wasn't included? That's possible, so how would I download it manually? I think the problem's in the Microsoft software, however, for the device IS actually there, but it's some sort of "general device". I'll leave the thread here and hope someone else finds something.

Hi NLC,

I've done some more digging and here's a couple solutions that folks have said work with Windows 8 x64:

[quote]

1.Uninstall any drivers you've tried to install already - go to device manager and uninstall the driver for the "unknown device" (which is just uninstalling the device really, seeing there is no driver) and also uninstall any driver software through control panel. LEAVE THE DEVICE PLUGGED IN.

2.Restart PC.

3.Download and install the latest driver from the Microsoft Site.

4.Restart PC.

5.Go to device manager - you'll notice it still shows up as an unknown device. Right click on it and go Update Driver.

6.Click "Browse my computer for software".

7.Click "Let me pick from a list of drivers on my computer".

8.The list will take a while to load. Select Microsoft, then on the right, select Xbox Wireless Receiver for Windows (there might be multiple versions, go with what looks like the most recent one - mine was 2.1.0.1349) and click next. It will warn you about possible incompatibility, install it anyway.

9.It will ask you to restart. Do it.

10.Once restarted, go to device manager and you should notice a new slot - "Microsoft Common Controller for Windows Class", and under it, "Xbox 360 Wireless Receiver for Windows". Yay!

11.Now try pairing your controller with the receiver. Click the button on the receiver, then hold the big xbox button on the controller until it turns on and press the very small "connect" button on the forward side of the controller (the side with the triggers), while the receiver light is still flashing. Your controller light should spin for a fraction of a second and then Sync up and the first quadrant should stay lit. Yay![/quote]

[quote]
some people have had success by unplugging their USB devices and restarting and plugging in just the receiver first, then it syncs, then try their other USB devices again[/quote]


[quote]

1. Right click on Computer, click properties, click Device Manager
2. Go down to where it shows the USB Connections and right click on the Unknown Device
3. Select Properties, and in the little window that pops up, select the Driver Tab and click Update Driver
4. Select Browse my computer for driver software, then Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer.
5. After you click Next, a list of different peripherals will pop up -- scroll ALL THE WAY TO THE BOTTOM and you should see an entry that says Xbox 360 Peripherals. Select that and click Next.
6. The last driver in the list is Xbox 360 wireless Receiver for Windows Version: 6.2.9200.16384 [7/25/2012] 
7. Select it and click Next, then click yes when the driver warning box pops up. The driver should install, and you should get a box that says Windows has successfully updated your driver software.
8. Close the window and turn on your wireless controller. 
9. Press the sync button on the receiver, then on the controller. It should sync right up, and if you press the Home button (Big silver button with funky green X embedded in it) A small popup should come up on your screen showing you the quadrant your controller is connected to, your battery status, and Click for Help.

[/quote]



What Full means with the "driver is part of the operating system" is that the drivers should come built in to the OS and you should not have to download them. If there are issues with the drivers that came automatically with your OS though, deleting and reinstalling from the link I provided earlier may help.


Please keep us posted on how things go. 

Thanks again. I tried it, but the true problem (due to the fact that the drivers are already in the OS) is that I never really get an "unknown device". I'm tired of trying, I think I'll just try again when I'll upgrade to 8.1... And maybe I'll buy a cheap joystick in the meantime.

Thank you all again, guys!

Have you tried piugging in the controller WITHOUT any downloaded drivers? The other answers recommend redownloading the drivers, but you should try plugging it in without downloading anything. The Win7 drivers might be interfering somehow.

Thank you for this explanation Fizzle! I had been having issues getting mine to work, but your way got it for me!

Glad to hear it Seishin.

Happy Gaming! 

I have the same problem as NLC PoKeR, and I'm already using Windows 8.1. Mister Fizzle's suggestions didn't work for me.

For the first and third suggestions, the "list of drivers" only shows one option, "Xbox 360 Wireless Controller via Play & Charge Kit". "Installing" it doesn't make any difference.

The second suggestion doesn't apply, since I don't have a wireless receiver.

Is it possible that support for the Play & Charge Kit is outright broken in Windows 8, and that I need to buy a wireless receiver or a wired controller instead?

I noticed that in Devices and Printers, the controller's right-click menu had a Troubleshoot option. I tried it, and got a message:

"Xbox 360 Wireless Controller via Play & Charge Kit is an older USB device and might not work with USB 3.0. Plug the device into an available USB 2.0 port, and click Next. Otherwise, click Cancel."

I thought USB 3.0 was supposed to be strictly better than 2.0, including backward compatibility. That's (part of) why I bought a laptop with only USB 3.0 ports. Looking on Amazon, there doesn't seem to even be a USB 3.0 version of the Play & Charge Kit; or even a generic USB 2.0 to 3.0 adapter.