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I bought a XBox 360 wireless gaming receiver on eBay so that I can use my wireless controllers on my PC.

I got it from an Asian distributor on eBay. The device itself as well as the whole packaging looks pretty authentic though the official Microsoft logo can't be seen, so I suspect that it is some replica.

When I plug it in, Windows 7 complains it can't detect the device. Also, when I point it to the drivers that came with it, it says it can't install them.

Is there anyway I can still get this thing to work?

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This question might be better suited for superuser.com, but I'm not sure... – Jasarien Dec 2 '11 at 11:48
It should have Microsoft and the typical hologram sticker on the back, so it sounds like it is a fake. – Doozer Blake Dec 2 '11 at 13:03
yep, its fake but can i still get it to work? – clamp Dec 2 '11 at 13:13
4  
@clamp While it's possible it could be made to work, without more information on what the device actually is, it's impossible for us to make any guesses. For all we know, the inside of it could be empty. – Dave McClelland Dec 2 '11 at 13:50
It sounds like the drivers you have were not designed for Windows 7. Do you have an XP machine you can try it on or does the packaging list a website where you can get support at at all? – GluedHands Dec 2 '11 at 14:59

2 Answers

up vote 5 down vote

It's almost guaranteed that it's a cheap counterfeit knockoff. I bought a Xbox 360 AV cable from a not-so-reputable distributor once, and it arrived in a package claiming it was "Genuine MiorcSoft". Nothing like getting a Genuine MiorcSoft accessory for my YBox 520.

The only official way to (currently) get a legitimate Xbox 360 Wireless Receiver is to get it in a bundle with a wireless controller. Microsoft uses a proprietary wireless format, and for some reason they're not that interested in producing a standalone receiver for PCs anymore.

If you want a Xbox 360 controller for your PC, I'd suggest going with a wired one. You can pick one up used from GameStop or eBay on the cheap, although again - watch out for fakes! The wired controller will probably run you about $20, whereas the wireless receiver is probably around the same price, and you aren't getting a controller for that amount.

The wired controller "Just Works" with recent editions of Windows, and in some cases is the only controller that is officially supported by a game. The wired controllers work on both the Xbox 360 and the PC; there's not a separate version or any lockouts/drivers/funny stuff to worry about.

For your current situation, I found this blog post from a guy who was in a similar situation and got his drivers working. There's no quality control or any guarantee that the one you got is similar to his, so who knows if this will actually work. I also turned up one more, but it doesn't look as detailed as the first.

Remember also that if they were advertising it on eBay as the genuine article, and you got a knockoff, you can probably contact PayPal/eBay to work on getting your money back. (eBay, for instance, has a no-counterfeit policy.)

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up vote 2 down vote

As agent86 pointed out, the real Xbox 360 Wireless Receiver is only available for sale with a controller. There used to be a white model, but as far as I could tell, the black model is the only one still in production.

If you're looking for a real version, perhaps this info will help:

The real version of the device does not come with any drivers as (surprise!) they are already built into Windows.

On the front, it has the Microsoft logo (note: no ® symbol) across the short side next to the cord.

On the back, it has the Microsoft® logo centered across the long side, with the following text in smaller font below it:
Microsoft® Xbox 360™ Wireless Receiver for Windows®
(Note: The ® isn't lined up quite right on some browsers, but my phone won't let me transfer pictures off unless I get a Micro SD card for it)

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I'll also point out that Powerlord is the one who linked me to amazon originally (we had this discussion about a week ago!) and I didn't even know they still made them before he linked me. At least partial credit for my answer goes to him :P – agent86♦ Dec 2 '11 at 16:40

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