I made an unattended CD and installed it. Windows hardware wizard asks for location to install USB hubs.I send it to an untouched version of i386 and it installs hubs. I didn't remove anything related to USB with nLite that i recall. Logitech extreame 3d pro is recognized but no input. A HP USB printer/scanner works fine. I didn't remove anything related to joysticks or USB that i know of.

Apparently it was the USB polling frequency tweak in nLite that i set to 250MHz/4ms. I have reinstalled XP, since the above post, without the USB tweak and my joystick works fine. I searched and found an app to tweak the USB polling frequency and applied it in safe mode and rebooted. As before, the joystick wouldn't work but it was recognized and the device manager reported no problems. Untweaked it and it works. Might sticky something to that effect if others have USB game device problems and applied the tweak...

I suppose the tweak was originally intended for the USB mouse but i'm a hardcore PS2, trackball, GE, $4.99 mouse user after having tried some bug ridden fancier types.

i have the same problem right now with my logitech rumblepad 2 controller...i think it is a latency issue with the controller itself that makes logitech very sensitive i might have to re-install bc that tweak program is useless.

Yes it is for mice only, no point in using it for the joystick anyway.

Going to add this into the description.