Thrustmaster drivers won't install

frank70 · May 16, 2020

Hi guys,

i am new to the world of simracing and just got a thrustmaster TS-PC-Racer.

I downloaded the drivers from the website and then double clicked the downloaded .exe. The Windows 10 dialogue popped up if i want the program to run, i clicked yes and .... nothing happened. The program just isn't starting/installing. I can't find it in taskmanager neither.

When i plug the wheel in (usb) it shows up with the correct name but not as a wheel but as a gamepad. When i tried to install the thrustmaster drivers manually there, it won't let me.

- I did it several times

- i tried an .exe-file of an older Thrustmaster driver

- i reverted my whole system back to the state of yesterday and tried again. The installer just doesn't run on my system

Now i have a wheel that isn't detected.

Thrustmasters support wrote to me that average time for a response is 15 (!!!!) days right now.

Could anybody maybe help me with this problem?
Is there a way to install the drivers manually without the .exe?

Would be great if you guys could get me started with the new world of sim racing.

Thanks in advance

Frank

Terry Rock · May 16, 2020

Right click the .exe file and select run as administrator.

frank70 · May 16, 2020

Thanks Terry, but I already did that.

Other executables are working. I installed two programs afterwards without a problem (malware fighters to sort out that possibility) . So it shouldn't be a general Windows 10 problem.

Could someone send me the extracted files in the right structure? Would it maybe possible to install the drivers manually with the wheel plugged in over the device manager?

Wow I am really fed off. Lashed out almost 1000 Euros to get back into Sim racing and now the damn exe isn't working....

BrunoBæ · May 16, 2020

Its irritating yes - but I dont think you need to be too disappointet - too soon.

If there is nothing wrong with your wheel you will end up with a correct install I guess.

I dont have the Thrustmaster but as I recall then I have seen that you should NOT connect the wheel before the install process want you to.
Am I wrong?

The other thing is that Im not running Win10 - for the same reason.
As I dont want MS/Win10 to mess things up for me.
But thats probably just me.

But check the connection time of the wheel up first.

frank70 · May 16, 2020

Thanks man, but what do you mean by the connection time of the wheel?

I mean, the installer exe did nothing although I tried it a dozen times. Afterwards I plugged the wheel in trying to get the driver installed manually.

And when that didn't work I went back to my last Windows save point from yesterday.

I am really a bit panicking right now. Thrustmaster seems to be overwhelmed by Corona. 15 days before the support may answer? Really?

And I can't send it back to my supplier either, as I opened it up. Is that right?

Jesus, I hope someone can help me with that mess. Would be soooo appreciated! I was looking forward to race the whole day and now I fear that an invest of over 500 Euros might be gone.

Durge Driven · May 16, 2020

frank70 said:
Thanks man, but what do you mean by the connection time of the wheel?

He means leave the wheel dis-connected

Did you real this first .....

http://ts.thrustmaster.com/download/pub/webupdate/T500RS/TSPCRacer_Firmware_Update_Process_V10.pdf

DRIVER: delete the driver and download again BUT to a different folder and try it

Make sure is this one :

DRIVERS FORCE FEEDBACK (Package 2020_TTRS_1) + Firmware

Driver has same setup routine as my TM pedals and shifter

I don't have TM wheel anymore but could still run the driver above no problem
Never had to run admin either ...of course that depends if you setup PC as admin account only
Driver also uninstalled cleanly

BrunoBæ · May 16, 2020

Thanks DD.

I just thought I was clear about the sequence of this wheel connection.
And I can see from your linked install notes that I was right that its a crucial point to follow this exact sequence - as adviced from Thrustmasters side.

frank70 · May 17, 2020

Hey guys, thank you for your help.

I did follow the process. I only plugged the wheel in after the normal process didn't work.

I have absolutely no software of thrustmaster on my PC. That's the problem. Therefore I cannot look for a firmware update.

The launcher isn't working on my PC. It isn't installing anything from thrustmaster.

Could anyone load up or send me the thrustmaster folder structure after installing the driver? Probably it won't help cause the programs writes thinks in different folders as well. But maybe i could get access to the program where i can update the firmware and go from there.

Again: Thanks guys in advance.

P.S.: I just tried another driver of Thustmaster (for a total different wheel). It didn't install either. It probably means that my PC just isn't running this special Thrustmaster launch program at all.

I am in big trouble i think.

morsify · May 17, 2020

It's no good copying the folder structure, in, it will not be installed correctly, at least that's what I reckon. There has to be a reason the TM software is not starting up.

It's worth turning off virus protection. It shouldn't be necessary but it has been known to stop installation processes in the past, so why not.

Turn off other background programs (anything else running in your system tray? These have also been know to stop other programs from starting).

(You've got Windows 10 so I assume your pc is reasonably young, but you haven't told us anything about that).

Copy the installation software to a different location just in case there's some kind of stupid admin rights thing going on.
(try copying it to the desktop & running it, if that doesn't work copy it to your documents folder and try again; if that doesn't work, create a folder on a separate drive called TMDriver and copy it into there and try it, or in a folder on C drive in the same way i.e. NOT in program files folder).

frank70 · May 17, 2020

morsify said:
It's no good copying the folder structure, in, it will not be installed correctly, at least that's what I reckon. There has to be a reason the TM software is not starting up.

It's worth turning off virus protection. It shouldn't be necessary but it has been known to stop installation processes in the past, so why not.

Turn off other background programs (anything else running in your system tray? These have also been know to stop other programs from starting).

(You've got Windows 10 so I assume your pc is reasonably young, but you haven't told us anything about that).

Copy the installation software to a different location just in case there's some kind of stupid admin rights thing going on.
(try copying it to the desktop & running it, if that doesn't work copy it to your documents folder and try again; if that doesn't work, create a folder on a separate drive called TMDriver and copy it into there and try it, or in a folder on C drive in the same way i.e. NOT in program files folder).

Thanks mate,

i tried all that and yes, i have Windows 10.

Every other exe is running - but not the Thrustmaster driver. All Thrustmaster drivers won't install on my system. No matter which wheel i choose. It has probably to do with this special way of executing the installation by the program.

I hope that new ideas may pop up here or that thrustmaster can help me.

morsify · May 17, 2020

Also, you could try the compatibility troubleshooter in Windows 10. It might find a way to make it run.

morsify · May 17, 2020

Have you got any other controller software installed (Logitech?). Go into Task manager and end any of these processes, also including Steam. Then try your installer again.

BrunoBæ · May 17, 2020

This is weird. Really weird.
I have never heard that as example installed Logitech would get the puter to refuse installing Thrustmaster.
But you never know.

Conserning setting any anti-virus to off is no problem.
I have been running without ANY anti-virus for 10-20 years - so..

My worthless conclusion: Your real problem is NOT your wheel (functioning/not functioning) - but the reason something make it impossible for the Thrustmaster exe to run.

I guess if it was some of the idiotic Windows UAC or the other goofy one I cant remember name of which refuses to let the exe run - then there would at least pop a Window message up.

CatsAreTheWorstDogs: To the best of my knowledge there is a fully manual firmware upd method for Thrustmasters - but as I see it there should be no reason to mess with this before you get the wheel/driver correctly installed. Because even of it is some old firmware on your wheel then it IS firmware.
The only reason for a manual firmware update before the install should be if someone have messed the firmware up on your wheel with an aborted /failed update.

Terry Rock · May 17, 2020

Check this link to verify if any of the settings apply.
It might not be Windows blocking the install.
The fact that it is being detected as a gamepad, shows that the OS does in fact see it.
Are you using the original TS-PC rim or something else?
Try installing the drivers with the rim off.

Non responsive controllers

At the start of last week, every single game on my computer stopped responding to controller inputs. I could start games but I could not map any controller settings, despite Windows 10 responding to all controller inputs. It turned out to be a Steam setting. To correct it, I had to enter big...

www.racedepartment.com

frank70 · May 17, 2020

Terry Rock said:
Check this link to verify if any of the settings apply.
It might not be Windows blocking the install.
The fact that it is being detected as a gamepad, shows that the OS does in fact see it.
Are you using the original TS-PC rim or something else?
Try installing the drivers with the rim off.

Non responsive controllers

At the start of last week, every single game on my computer stopped responding to controller inputs. I could start games but I could not map any controller settings, despite Windows 10 responding to all controller inputs. It turned out to be a Steam setting. To correct it, I had to enter big...

www.racedepartment.com

Yeah, it's the original rim. Steam detects it as a controller as well.

Right now I am still waiting for my pedals, so I cannot really test the functionality in my games.

In F1 2019 it works as the controller. No force feedback and the wheel motion I have to make to steer into a corner is huge. Won't work without the drivers.

In Assetto Corsa though the Wheel is detected and there is an calibration process that detects the 1080 range.

Unfortunately I cannot accelerate with a button so I cannot move the car to test the functionality.
Is it possible to get force feedback through the game and not through the driver?

BrunoBæ · May 17, 2020

But @Terry Rock dont you think that eventhough Windows/Steam would recognize it as a gamepad then it wount matter because the driver should install before Windows should intervene?

maelstrom · May 17, 2020

frank70 said:
i tried all that and yes, i have Windows 10.

Did you try excluding the .exe in your antivirus software? It has all the symptoms of being blocked by the antivirus.

frank70 · May 17, 2020

maelstrom said:
Did you try excluding the .exe in your antivirus software? It has all the symptoms of being blocked by the antivirus.

You mean in Windows Defender?

I have Uninstaller IOBIT Malware Fighter to no avail. It didn't intervene anyway.

Well, I am really pi.... d right now. Simple exe-file is messing this all up.

My pedals should arrive on Wednesday. I hope I can sort this out by the time. Losing a little bit of hope right now.

Might it be possible to extract the exe (what I did already) and pack the files together with another program that can install the files? Probably not.