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[chrissa]

Hey everyone,

I'm posting up something that I discovered today while making my own XBOX controller to PC USB adaptor.  A buddy had given me an OEM XBOX controller and a breakaway cable from an aftermarket controller.  I did the typical mod where I hooked up the matching wire colours (red, white, black, and green).  I left the yellow in the breakaway cable unused.

When I plugged it into the PC, I got the dreaded Hardware Failed message, and Microsoft's USBView.exe reported the DeviceFailedEnumeration error.  My cable basically didn't work.

So, I got out my multi-meter, took apart my XBOX controller, and did some end-to-end continuity tests.  I was a little surprised to see that the yellow and white wires were crossed in the breakaway cable!  Hooking up white to white was NOT the right move in this situation.

I reconnected the USB white wire to the breakaway yellow wire instead and cut the breakaway white wire off.  Hooked up my controller, and the PC immediately recognized the controller.  I loaded up the drivers, and I was off to the races!

What I found out is that the wires in some aftermarket controller breakaway cables are not colour coded exactly like a Microsoft breakaway cable.  The cable in my case came from an Intec controller, and its white and yellow wires were reversed.

If you run into the DeviceFailedEnumeration error, it usually is pointing to a hardware problem.  If you are absolutely sure that your soldering connections are done well (no shorts or connections that later broke), then you could be looking at the same situation I did.  I can't say if all cables having the same problem are because of the yellow/white pair.  You really have to get out a multi-meter and test the cable yourself to see if the pins all line up properly.

I hope this might be useful to someone else having troubles.

Chris.