Need assistance installing MS Sidewinder Force Feedback Pro in Debian/KDE

This message has already been posted on linuxquestions.org, but as yet has received zero responses. I know the SDMB is a longshot, but I thought I’d try anyway:

Running Debian testing on 2.6.8.1 kernel, with KDE.

I am trying to install a Microsoft Sidewinder Force Feedback Pro joystick. I understand that this is a supported device, albeit not with force feedback implemented. This is not a USB device. My computer has no built-in gameport, so I am attempting to use the port provided on a SB Live! card (PCI).

Via KPackage, I have installed the joystick package, and have also used modconf (su as root from a Konsole window) to install SBLive! gameport and Sidewinder support modules.

The bootup logs indicate (output from joystick package?) that devices exist, but when using the KDE control panel (peripherals --> joystick), I am unable to access any device. The error message is as follows:

No joystick device automatically found on this computer.
Checks were done in /dev/js[0-4] and /dev/input/js[0-4]
If you know that there is one attached, please enter the correct device file.

A quick search in these directories confirms the existence of /dev/js[0-3] and /dev/input/js[0-3], all of which are zero byte files.

I am unsure of how to proceed. Is there a necessary module that I may be missing?