Force Feed Back Joysticks

I have a eleven year old Microsoft Sidewinder Force Feed Back Pro joysticks with a Gameport interface (DB15 plug) which although in very good condition and perfectly serviceable is now rendered unusuable by the various hardware and software changes that have occured since I bought it. It was orifinally purchased for use with Windows 98.

Despite the loss of a gameport interface consequent on a hardware update in 2002, I managed to keep it working up to XP using a Gameport to USB adapter (Rockfire).

However, the switch to 64 bit Windows 7 has now done for it. Whilst Win 7 happly recognises the Rockfire adapter and reports that it is working normally, the Win 7 game controller software reports the Sidewinder as only a basic 2 axis device and I am unable to calibrate it as the values coming back to the calibration software are completely "Out-of- envelope".

Is there a way round this ?

If not can someone suggest a good FF USB joystick - for use with Flight sims running under Win 7 (64), principally "Lock-On" MAC and IL2 1946.

Thanks

Nick

Edited 29 August, 201114 yr by Clunkclick