ViGEmBus issues in HP Omen Gaming Laptops caused by pre-installed, modified version of Vigem

[Kanuan]

The issue

HP's line of Omen gaming laptops come pre-installed with a modified version of the ViGEmBus driver. Apps trying to locate the latest ViGEmBus may end up detecting the modified HP driver instead, causing all sorts of issue since it is based on an older version of vigem (v1.4.3.X), but presents itself with a higher number (10.X...)

Workaround

HP's ViGEm driver must be disabled and its entry in Windows' registry deleted so only the actual Nefarius' ViGEmBus remains active on the system:

Remember that you can click on the images to expand them

• Open Device Manager by pressing the keys WIN + X and selecting it from the menu

• Click on the View tab at the top and change the view type to Devices by connection

• Look for the HP Omen Driver and expand it, then right-click on the Virtual Gamepad Emulation Bus under it and select Disable device
  

• After confirming the driver is disabled, open the Windows Run tool by pressing WIN + R and executing the regedit command. Windows' registry should then open

• Navigate, carefully, to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\DeviceClasses

• When you reach DeviceClasses, right click on it and choose Find. Copy and paste {96e42b22-f5e9-42f8-b043-ed0f932f014f} on the appearing search box and then select Find Next

• The search function should lead you to a folder. Expand it and look for a folder called: SWD\DRIVERENUM{2abac65e-84b2-4dbd-8ab1-2a2894991813}#HPIncVigemBusOmenFusionSoftware&4&14eddee5&0 (Emphazis on the HPIncVigemBUS in the middle of its name)

• Right click on the (...)HPIncVigemBUS(...) entry and then delete it. Be EXTRA CAREFUL so you don't delete the wrong entry
  

Deleting that entry should solve the problem for good, but keep in mind that HP's Virtual Gamepad Emulation Bus must remain disabled on the Device Manager, otherwise it will recreate that entry after every system reboot... like a virus...

Proper solution

Send angry e-mails to HP support to make this issue more relevant until they decide to actually fix it on their side (I'm being serious).

[natronkeltner]

I have an HP Omen Desktop and could not find the Virtual Gamepad Emulation Bus device via the Devices by Connection route described above. The HP Omen Driver entry may not always be found directly on the root.

I found it under the PCI Express Root Complex when viewing by connection, but it was also easier for me to find by viewing Devices by Type then System devices then Virtual Gamepad Emulation Bus.