Note: these instructions were tested on Windows 10 v1709. They might also work for other gamepad controller issues on Windows 10.
I was trying to get my old Cobalt Flux setup on a newer Win10 laptop. Windows 10 quickly recognizes the device when it first gets plugged in. It will use the default HID gamepad controller drivers for it. However, looking in the Device Manager details for the device reveals some device events that don't bode well ("migration failed"). Trying to map input in e.g. Stepmania fails miserably.
A quick Google of "cobalt flux Windows 10" reveals results like this: https://www.stepmania.com/forums/input-adapters-and-controllers/show/6511
After some messing around, though, I got it working!
- Plug in Cobalt Flux
- Go to Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Devices and Printers
- Right click on Cobalt Flux and select "Troubleshoot"
- Go through troubleshooter. In my case, Windows recommended plugging into a USB 2.0 port (I don't have any USB 2.0 ports, so I just plugged into another USB 3 port)
- Finish troubleshooter
- Double click Cobalt Flux and go to Game Controller Settings > Properties
- Select Reset Defaults
- Select Test
- Test inputs
- Try testing inputs with http://html5gamepad.com/
If the above doesn't work, try this:
- Special restart computer (go to Start, select power icon, then hold down Shift and select Restart) to disable driver signature enforcement mode
- Restart
- Repeat steps above. Do not install anything else. Disabling driver signature checks puts you at risk of malware infections
- Restart Windows as soon as you are done to re-enable driver enforcement mode.