RailDriver™ Troubleshooting Guide

RAILDRIVER™ INSTALLATION

Symptom:

The new hardware wizard is asking for new files or disks to be inserted prior to using the RailDriver™.

Solution:

The RailDriver™ Desktop Train Cab Controller is a unique piece of hardware and it is unlikely you've loaded anything like this on your machine before. Windows may require additional files. Listed below are the files windows may ask for, what disk they are on and the folders where they are likely to be located:

• pibus.cat — On the RailDriver™ CD in 'Drivers' folder
• kbdhid.vxd — On your Windows 98 CD in 'Win98' folder

Windows may also prompt you for driver files to be loaded, and these can be found in the following folders:

• Windows\System
• Windows\System32
• Windows\System32\Drivers

Symptom:

You receive the following error message when you install: 'Incompatible version of the RPC stub.'

Solution:

This message can occur if you are running Windows 98, and means that you have a Windows XP file on your system as a result of installing something which loaded the files. If you get this message and have Microsoft Office 2000 or a component of it on your machine, you will need to install the Service Release 1 to Office 2000 from the Microsoft Office website

If you do not have Microsoft Office 2000 or a component of it installed on your machine, then you will instead need to download the mcrepair tool from the Microsoft Office site.

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RAILDRIVER™ CALIBRATION

Symptom:

You receive the following error message when you calibrate: 'Calibration out of bounds errors.'

Solution:

If you are experiencing this error and cannot calibrate your controller, please try the following steps to manually calibrate your controller. If that does not resolve the issue, please contact our technical support department. If you prefer to send them an e-mail, please locate the following file on your computer and then attach a copy of it to your message: 'moderncalibration.rdm.' Please send those e-mails to tech@raildriver.com.

1. Go to 'Start > Programs > RailDriver> RD Calibration.'
2. Click on the 'Help' tab and then on 'About.'
3. In the next window, click on the word: 'copyright.'
4. Click 'OK' to see message: 'Bound limits disabled.'
5. Click on 'OK' in the 'About' screen and begin to calibrate.
6. After calibration, return to the 'About' window.
7. Click on 'copyright' to see message: 'Bound limits enabled.'

Symptom:

Calibration starts each time RailDriver™ Manager is started.

Solution:

If this error message occurs, go to the 'Program Files\PI Engineering\RailDriver\Controller' folder and make sure the file moderncalibration.rdm is present. Right-click on the file to show its properties, and check to see if the date that the file was created matches up with the day you did the calibration.

If this information is correct, go to the 'Program Files\PI Engineering\RailDriver folder and open the file called 'raildriver.def' with Notepad or a similar text-editing program. There you will see several lines of text. Find the line with '<00D2Calibrated=0' and change the '0' value to a '1.' Save the file.

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STARTING RAILDRIVER™ MANAGER

Video Tutorials

• High Resolution
• Low Resolution

The RailDriver™ Manager video tutorials require Flash. If you do not have Flash installed, please click here.

Symptom:

When you are pressing the 'play' button, you recieve the following error message: 'Unable to find pibus.sys.'

Solution:

This error is due to the 'Pibus' driver not being loaded at the time of installation. You will need to re-install the software, and browse to the correct file when the new hardware wizard asks. Additional information can be found in our section on installation.

Running RailDriver™ with Multiple Installations of MSTS

RailDriver™ can run with multiple installations of MSTS. Start the version of MSTS you wish to use, set up the train you wish to drive, and use 'Alt + Esc' to minimize MSTS. Open RailDriver™ Manager, select your train, and press the 'play' button. RailDriver™ Manager will launch the copy of MSTS currently running.

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RUNNING MICROSOFT TRAIN SIMULATOR

If you are having issues with your RailDriver™ Desktop Train Cab Controller, you can do a quick test to ensure that the hardware is functioning correctly. Click here for more information.

Symptom:

There is no sound or vibration coming from the controller.

Solutions:

1. Check that the power supply is connected to the back of the RailDriver™ controller and a working AC outlet.
2. Check that the 'speaker pass through' is connected correctly to your speaker system and to your sound card.
3. Ensure that the 'amplitude' knob on the back of the RailDriver™ controller is turned up.

Symptoms:

• There is no sound or vibration coming from the controller.
• The controller status window shows 'RD.'
• RailDriver™ fails to generate 'heads up display' on screen.
• The RailDriver™ controls do not operate.

Solution:

The above problems can sometimes be caused by a USB error, which occurs in some Windows 98 machines. Please click here for further information on how to resolve this issue.

Symptoms:

When running Microsoft Train Simulator and the RailDriver™ 'run-stop' button is pressed, any of the following events occur:

• The 'heads up display' flashes on and off.
• The RailDriver™ status window shows '---'
• Buttons work, but calibrated controls don't respond.

Solutions:

These symptoms indicate that the RailDriver™ cannot read the 'heads up display' — it is being presented in such a way that it cannot be read.

If you have an MSTS menu covering the 'heads up display,' you can always move the menu to another part of the screen. For an example, please take a look at the sample image provided to the right.

In addition, you may check your graphics card settings. For specifics on these settings, please click on the type of graphics card on your computer: Nvidia or ATI.

An issue could also exist with taskbars — many applications will install a taskbar that allows you to control the application, which is usually located on the Windows desktop. Running taskbars on the desktop can shift the graphics over to one side and the 'heads up display' will not be read by the RailDriver™.

Before running RailDriver™, you need to close all taskbars (except the Windows default). You may be given the option to hide the taskbars, but do not hide them — exit and close them all.

Finally, third-party add-ons may be changing the 'heads up display' information. The RailDriver™ Desktop Train Cab Controller needs to read the 'heads up display' in order to function. Some third-party add-ons can make the 'heads up display' transparent, or may change the font or font color. Any such changes may prevent the RailDriver™ from working properly.

Symptoms:

The graphics on the screen 'step,' although the frame rates appear to be good, or the sound is distorted.

Solutions:

These symptoms can be the result of any number of issues, and cannot be isolated to one specific cause. However, we have listed below several tips for resolving the problem.

1. Close any programs running in the background
2. Make sure you have the latest graphics and sound drivers.
3. Adjust the graphics card settings to something well within the capabilities of your card and machine combination.
4. Find 'Program Files\PI Engineering\RailDriver\raildriver.def' and then open it up with a text editor.
   • In the file, find the line: 'ParseInterval = 40'
   • Adjust the value to a number between 10 and 60 until you find what works out the best for your system.
   • Adjusting graphics settings in MSTS may also help.

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RUNNING AURAN TRAINZ UTC

Please Note:

RailDriver™ Manager is not required to run the RailDriver™ with Auran Trainz UTC. Also, versions of Trainz prior to UTC have no provision for RailDriver™ control.

Symptom:

The RailDriver™ controller does not function in Trainz, or the status window on the controller just shows 'RD.'

Solution:

1. Open RailDriver™ Manager and select 'Cabmaker' from 'Options.'
    
2. Click the 'Tz' button for simulation type.
    
3. Open up the 'TrainzModern.rdf' file next.
    
4. Open 'File' and click 'Apply to Trainz.'
    
5. Click 'OK' to assign current settings to the device, writing the necessary files to Trainz.

Symptom:

Only the throttle lever operates the train controls.

Solution:

Select 'Cabin Mode' when in Trainz. Please note that Trainz in DCC Mode only supports the throttle.

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RAILDRIVER™ FUNCTIONALITY TEST

The following is an outline of responses you will receive from RailDriver™ when running correctly in Microsoft Train Simulator:

1. When RailDriver is idle, the status window in the top left corner of the controller will display 'RD' in red.
    
2. When you start RailDriver™ Manager, select a train to drive, and press the 'play' button on the panel, the controller window will immediately begin to flash 'Run.'
    
3. Set yourself up in a train cab in Microsoft Train Simulator and then press the RailDriver™ 'run/stop' button. The 'status' window on the controller will change from 'Run' to '---' and then to '0 or whatever speed the train is doing at the time.

The following is an outline of responses you will receive from RailDriver™ when running correctly in Auran Trainz:

1. Start up Trainz. The RailDriver™ will be idle and will display 'RD' in the status window (top left corner of controller).
    
2. Start Trainz 'Driver' as soon as you're set up in the cab. The status window display will then change to '0,' or to whatever speed the train is doing at the time.
    
3. Remember when operating in DCC mode that only the throttle lever will operate the train controls.

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NVIDIA GRAPHICS CARD SETTINGS

Downloading and installing the latest graphics drivers may help you. The drivers for Nvidia graphics cards can be found here.

Video Tutorials

• High Resolution
• Low Resolution

The Nvidia graphics card video tutorials require Flash. If you do not have Flash installed, please click here.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Right-click on an empty part of your desktop. A small gray menu will appear, and you will want to select 'Properties' to bring up the display properties window.
    
2. Next, click on the 'Settings' tab.
    
3. Then, click on the 'Advanced' tab.
    
4. Select 'Performance & Quality Settings.'
    
5. Adjust the antialiasing and anisotropic filtering to 'off,' apply the settings, and exit.

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ATI GRAPHICS CARD SETTINGS

Downloading and installing the latest graphics drivers may help you. The drivers for ATI graphics cards can be found here.

Video Tutorials

• High Resolution
• Low Resolution

The ATI graphics card video tutorials require Flash. If you do not have Flash installed, please click here.

Instructions:

The menu screens for adjusting settings in ATI graphics cards will vary between models, although the method of getting to the card adjustment screens is the same as the method described for Nvidia graphics cards.

In properties, you'll see a screen similar to the one at the right. Click 'Defaults' and then ensure that the 'SmoothVision,' or the antialiasing, is off or alternatively set to 'Application Preference' in some drivers.

Please refer to the ATI website for more details.

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WINDOWS 98 USB ERRORS

It is possible that your computer has an old version of the 'HIDUsb.sys' driver. You will therefore need the Windows 98 SE version, which you should be able to install directly from your Windows 98 SE system disk.

1. In the device manager, expand 'Human Interface Devices,' select 'USB Human Interface Device,' and then click on the 'properties' button.
    
2. Select the 'Driver' tab of the properties dialog box, and the click on 'Update Driver.'
    
3. Click 'Next,' select 'Search for a better driver,' and click on the 'Next' button again.
    
4. Then, click on 'Specify a location' and browse to your Windows 98 SE installation CD.
    
5. Finally, finish the installation as normal.

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RAILDRIVER™ UNINSTALLATION

Uninstall issues are rare, however if you do not uninstall the software by using recognized methods then it can affect subsequent installations of the software.

The two methods that we recommend for uninstalling your RailDriver™ software are the following:

1. Go into the Windows control panel, and then use the 'Add/Remove Programs' option to remove the software.
    
2. You may also use your RailDriver™ installation disk to remove the software. Start 'rdsetup.exe' and select the option to remove the program from your system.

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