[Jared]

Here's a few ideas:

-Turn off the power save setting. This has caused similar problems for some teams in the past

-Uninstall and reinstall the USB driver

-Make sure that there is no other USB device that could be shorting the USB 5V supply.

-Make sure the contacts on the USB connectors are not corroded or dirty

-Make sure the USB cable fits snugly. If it doesn't, you can try gently crushing the joystick connector so that it has a better fit.

-Make sure the laptop is plugged in when you're driving.

-Make sure the laptop battery is healthy. Bad batteries can cause really weird things to happen.

-Uninstall/Reinstall the USB driver

-Disable your wireless adapter and bluetooth (if you have it). Sometimes the bluetooth adapter connects to an internal usb port, and may be causing issues.