space navigator not recognised

[Barbara]

Hello anniewhite -

It is normal when installing from CD that the installation asks to check for an updated version of the software. The CD is not needed - it is included so that the device could be installed even if there is not an internet connection available. Each 3dxsoftware download from the web site contains the complete software - the driver plus the add-ins.

To find whether the problem you are seeing is the device not being recognized or not working in an application you can use the trainer or the Jet Demo.

The circumstance where the order of installation is important is for applications that use a 3Dconnexion add-in like SolidWorks, SolidEdge, Maya, 3DsMax, Photoshop and SketchUp. The application must be available for the add-in to be installed.

If the application is installed later the 3Dconnexion installer needs to be run again using the Repair mode. The installer asks whether you want to uninstall or repair the software. Repair mode can be used from Add|Remove Programs [Win7 Programs and Features]

Which device and OS are you using ?
Is this a new installation ?
Have you tried other USB ports on the PC or tried it on a different PC?

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Barbara

[Kevinmcdaniel]

Hello,

I have been unable to get my Spacenavigator to recognize when I plug it in to my system.



I am Running windows 7 64-bit, 8GB Ram, i5, and SSD drive. However my Spacenavigator lights up when I plug it into my mac, so I dont think its a hardware issue. I have tried to uninstall My generic USB ports but that seemed to do nothing. I am also running the newest driver from the website.

Thanks Joe

I also need the solution to this problem. Thank you.

[Barbara]

Hello Kevinmcdaniel -

There are several possible causes for a device to be unrecognized and each has a different solution. That is the reason we ask for the specific circumstances each time.

Is this a new Space Navigator or a new PC ? Was the Space Navigator working previously on this PC but is unrecognized now ?

If your Space Navigator is working on other PCs but not on this specific Win 7 PC you will need to contact our tech support and provide the serial number on the tag attached to the USB cable [PID#].

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Barbara

[Thomas R]

Hi Barbara,

my SpaceNavigator isn't recognized anymore.

OS: Win7, 64 bit
PC: Laptop, Acer

Worked previously w/ powered USB hub, now an unknown HID device is recognized.

The two-button trick resulted in Windows trying to find a driver for the controller, which failed.

Thanks,

Thomas

[Thomas R]

Edit: It works on a Toshiba Laptop, Win XP, so it might be just a matter of current drawn from the port ..?

[Barbara]

Hi Thomas -

Yes, if the Space Navigator is not finding sufficient power in a particular USB port it will be listed as unrecognized. This can happen sometimes with a laptop when it is running on battery power and plugging the laptop into its AC adapter corrects it.

Did it initially work when directly connected to one of the USB ports on the Win 7 laptop ?
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Barbara

[Thomas R]

Can't remember really, I think I've plugged it into the hub right away when I got it. That went without any problems. The laptop actually is AC powered when connecting the SM fails.

It's not a severe problem. I just took the mouse with me to continue drawing over the weekend, but it will be back on the hub (and stay there) on monday.

[gkleijer]

Done the 2 button trick, is has worked but nowadays not anymore.
Probably also need a firmware update for the device.
Moderators can you help me out?

[gkleijer]

Sorry, made a mistake. It's a SpaceNavigator USB.

[UtaSH]

Done the 2 button trick, is has worked but nowadays not anymore.
Probably also need a firmware update for the device.
Moderators can you help me out?

You'll be contacted ...

[DaveT]

I've also tried everything and can't get it to work in Google Earth. It worked perfectly with my Vista system. The blue light's on, but nobody's home!
If the firmware would do the trick I'd sure like to try it.

Thanks, Dave

[DaveT]

OK, just got it working perfectly by doing this:

1) Open Google Earth

Click Tools, Options, Navigation
Non Mouse Controller
Check box Enable Controller
Click apply
Push OK

[UtaSH]

Yes, this is new since version 6.2 that the use of the 3D mouse is not activated by default.

[A-R-Z]

Maybe someone else came up with the same solution, I didn't read all 7 pages of this thread.

I have used a spaceball since 1992, and I have owned a few different ones for over a decade, I have seen failures of them working several times and very rarely from them breaking. Working at Boeing most recently we had the Space explorer, and every once in a while we would log-in in the morning, and your space ball wouldn't work. Maybe 20% of us in a department of over 100 people. The weird thing is, a removal and reinstall of the software would work sometimes, and only after wasting an hour or 2, what worked EVERY time was unplugging your buddies spaceball, and plugging it into your computer and for some reason it would recognize the different spaceball, then unplugging it and reinstalling your spaceball, would recognize and work again. it took quite a while to stumble upon this solution, fortunately we all had a spaceball and it was easy to make this happen.

I have owned my own USB powered Space Navigator for a while now, and I use it with my workstation laptop as I travel to vendors and in our home office. It too suffers from a non recognition from time to time, and I have paid attention to patterns that precede it to see if I can figure out how to prevent it. It appears to be aggravated by powering up the laptop before the Spaceball is plugged in to the USB port. It appears that 85% of the time you just close the program you would like and launch the 3dConnexion driver, (chicken or puzzle) and voila it works.

Earlier this year I had an episode of non-launching that would not end, no matter how many times I removed and reinstalled the USB plug or how many times I started and stopped the driver, I could not get the Space Navigator to power up. After 3 straight hours of messing with it, it finally started working after the 3rd time of removing and reinstalling the software. I never did 100% confirm what made it work.

Recently I replaced my laptop/workstation, and just a few days ago I had another episode where almost 2 hours of messing with it (removing and reinstalling the cord and the proper software with custom and/or standard install power down, restart, close, logoff, and restart all failed to work) all of these produced no results. Finally one thing absolutely made it work, I unplugged the USB cord and used a clean piece of metal with a bit of a sharp edge and gently cleaned the 4 gold contacts inside the plug, this is the very first time I have been 100% confident that this one action absolutely made a difference. The moment I plugged it in it powered up with the blue light under the puck. Moments earlier I had removed and reinstalled the USB plug with all sorts of side loading and partial/slow insertion and removal, to see if it would make contact and NOTHING. I was even worried the cord had been shorted inside, since I do use it and unplug it and plug it in quite a bit.

So in review: Use a piece of metal with a sharp edge, to gently clean the gold contacts inside the USB plug.

Hope that helps others.

[dg2405]

Here I have the same problem - not recognized. No blue light. Tried in multiple usb ports. Re-installed software, re-started computer.

Can somebody send the firmware update to me? Direct contact to 3dconnection gives no answer yet.

Daniel