Both our windows 8.1 and windows 7 machine have this issue too. We have tried updating the firmware through the command prompt and have gotten this error, no percentages of completedness, just the error.
Code:
MSP430_GetNumberOfUsbIfs
MSP430_GetNameOfUsbIf
Found FET: COM4
MSP430_Initialize: COM4
Firmware version is 30301004
MSP430_VCC: 3000 mV
MSP430_OpenDevice
tilib: MSP430_OpenDevice: Unknown device (error = 5)
tilib: device initialization failed
Running the gamepad tool again gives an "Error 5000" and the logfile gives the same as above. Running the commandline several times just gives the error every time. Thus, none of the above solutions have worked for either of our machines. It would be nice to see a consistent fix for this.