Member Avatar for bill.jeffs

I recently bought a play and charge kit for my xbox 360 control pad and was led to believe that now i could use the USB connection to connect the pad and use it to play games on my PC?

however I cant figure out how to do this? im using windows vista and would assume that being "microsoft" the pad would be picked up.. and the drivers installed,but this doesnt seem to be the case?

does anyone know it it is possible to do this??

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Short answer for anyone who lands here later: plugging the Xbox 360 Play & Charge cable into a PC powers/charges the wireless pad but does not make the pad act like a USB gamepad. That confusion is what , , and were circling — the cable supplies power only; the controller still uses its radio to talk to a console or a PC receiver. See the device notes for Xbox‑360 pads (Play & Charge shows up on USB but won’t appear as an input device). ArchWiki: Gamepad. (wiki.archlinux.org)

How to get a 360 wireless pad working on Windows Vista (practical options):

  • Best choice if you want to keep the wireless pads: buy the Xbox 360 Wireless Gaming Receiver for Windows (official or a good-quality clone), install the Microsoft "Xbox 360 Accessories" driver for your OS, then pair the controller to the receiver. If Windows doesn’t auto-install, use Device Manager → Update driver → Let me pick from a list → pick the Xbox 360 receiver driver. Microsoft support threads walk through the download/install flow. Microsoft Q&A: Wireless receiver driver/download notes. (learn.microsoft.com)

Easier alternatives and Vista notes:

  • A true wired Xbox 360 controller (the model with a permanently attached USB cable) works as a standard USB gamepad once the Xbox 360 Controller for Windows software is installed. If Vista refuses the driver, follow the Microsoft troubleshooting steps (uninstall/reinstall drivers, try a rear USB 2.0 port, install the correct download for Vista). If you’re buying new hardware instead, modern Xbox One / Series pads connect over USB or Bluetooth and are simpler on modern PCs. [Microsoft Q&A / driver guidance; Tom’s Guide on controller connections]. (learn.microsoft.com)

Quick troubleshooting tips (so problems don’t waste time): try a different USB port (rear ports preferred), avoid unpowered hubs, install the Microsoft accessory drivers before plugging hardware in, check Device Manager for the exact device name, and prefer an official receiver if pairing fails with clones. If drivers still refuse to install on Vista you may need the Vista-specific driver package or temporary driver‑signature workarounds documented by Microsoft. (learn.microsoft.com)

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Member Avatar for david.crawford

I tried it with my windows xp, and i cant get it to work either, and the info that i found on it wasnt much use either. I think that there is an actual difference in how the USB controller, and the play and charge controller interact with your pc, but i could be wrong.

Member Avatar for djsplintercell

I don't believe that it is possible to connect your plug and charge kit for your XBox 360 to your PC. The difference is in the drivers that are installed on the 360 were created to utilize the kit. There are currently no applications for PCs that allow the crossover from 360 to PC. Although that is a great idea, Microsoft is in the business to make money. If they made everything compatible with everything else, then what would the point be in creating items specifically for one platform?

Member Avatar for birbilis

I don't believe that it is possible to connect your plug and charge kit for your XBox 360 to your PC. The difference is in the drivers that are installed on the 360 were created to utilize the kit. There are currently no applications for PCs that allow the crossover from 360 to PC. Although that is a great idea, Microsoft is in the business to make money. If they made everything compatible with everything else, then what would the point be in creating items specifically for one platform?

Unforunately, it's a harware design issue. According to Microsoft's XBOX blog (upon users questions) they're only using the cable's wiring for charging, and using the wireless channel as before for the communication. This is pretty unfortunate...

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