diff --git a/stepmania/src/arch/InputHandler/InputHandler_DirectInput.cpp b/stepmania/src/arch/InputHandler/InputHandler_DirectInput.cpp
index ae8edf777e..81d89598b7 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/arch/InputHandler/InputHandler_DirectInput.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/arch/InputHandler/InputHandler_DirectInput.cpp
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ static vector<DIDevice> Devices;
 /* Number of joysticks found: */
 static int g_iNumJoysticks;
 
-static BOOL CALLBACK EnumDevices( const DIDEVICEINSTANCE *pdidInstance, void *pContext )
+static BOOL CALLBACK EnumDevicesCallback( const DIDEVICEINSTANCE *pdidInstance, void *pContext )
 {
 	DIDevice device;
 
@@ -60,13 +60,22 @@ static void CheckForDirectInputDebugMode()
 	}
 }
 
-static int GetNumUsbHidDevices()
+
+static BOOL CALLBACK CountDevicesCallback( const DIDEVICEINSTANCE *pdidInstance, void *pContext )
 {
-	// The "Enum" key doesn't exist if no hid devices are attached, so it's expected that GetRegValue will sometimes fail.
-	// TODO: Does this work in Win98 and Win2K?
-	int i = 0;	
-	RegistryAccess::GetRegValue( "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\SYSTEM\\CurrentControlSet\\Services\\HidUsb\\Enum", "Count", i, false );	// don't warn on error
-	return i;
+	(*(int*)pContext)++;
+	return DIENUM_CONTINUE;
+}
+
+static int GetNumJoysticksQuick()
+{
+	int iCount = 0;
+	HRESULT hr = g_dinput->EnumDevices( DIDEVTYPE_JOYSTICK, CountDevicesCallback, &iCount, DIEDFL_ATTACHEDONLY );
+	if( hr != DI_OK )
+	{
+		LOG->Warn( hr_ssprintf(hr, "g_dinput->EnumDevices") );
+	}
+	return iCount;
 }
 
 InputHandler_DInput::InputHandler_DInput()
@@ -76,21 +85,20 @@ InputHandler_DInput::InputHandler_DInput()
 	CheckForDirectInputDebugMode();
 	
 	m_bShutdown = false;
-	m_iLastSeenNumUsbHid = GetNumUsbHidDevices();
 	g_iNumJoysticks = 0;
 
 	AppInstance inst;	
-	HRESULT hr = DirectInputCreate(inst.Get(), DIRECTINPUT_VERSION, &dinput, NULL);
+	HRESULT hr = DirectInputCreate(inst.Get(), DIRECTINPUT_VERSION, &g_dinput, NULL);
 	if( hr != DI_OK )
 		RageException::Throw( hr_ssprintf(hr, "InputHandler_DInput: DirectInputCreate") );
 
 	LOG->Trace( "InputHandler_DInput: IDirectInput::EnumDevices(DIDEVTYPE_KEYBOARD)" );
-	hr = dinput->EnumDevices( DIDEVTYPE_KEYBOARD, EnumDevices, NULL, DIEDFL_ATTACHEDONLY );
+	hr = g_dinput->EnumDevices( DIDEVTYPE_KEYBOARD, EnumDevicesCallback, NULL, DIEDFL_ATTACHEDONLY );
 	if( hr != DI_OK )
 		RageException::Throw( hr_ssprintf(hr, "InputHandler_DInput: IDirectInput::EnumDevices") );
 
 	LOG->Trace( "InputHandler_DInput: IDirectInput::EnumDevices(DIDEVTYPE_JOYSTICK)" );
-	hr = dinput->EnumDevices( DIDEVTYPE_JOYSTICK, EnumDevices, NULL, DIEDFL_ATTACHEDONLY );
+	hr = g_dinput->EnumDevices( DIDEVTYPE_JOYSTICK, EnumDevicesCallback, NULL, DIEDFL_ATTACHEDONLY );
 	if( hr != DI_OK )
 		RageException::Throw( hr_ssprintf(hr, "InputHandler_DInput: IDirectInput::EnumDevices") );
 
@@ -116,6 +124,8 @@ InputHandler_DInput::InputHandler_DInput()
 			Devices[i].buffered? "buffered": "unbuffered" );
 	}
 
+	m_iLastSeenNumJoysticks = GetNumJoysticksQuick();
+
 	StartThread();
 }
 
@@ -149,8 +159,8 @@ InputHandler_DInput::~InputHandler_DInput()
 		Devices[i].Close();
 
 	Devices.clear();
-	dinput->Release();	
-	dinput = NULL;
+	g_dinput->Release();	
+	g_dinput = NULL;
 }
 
 void InputHandler_DInput::WindowReset()
@@ -505,9 +515,9 @@ void InputHandler_DInput::Update()
 
 bool InputHandler_DInput::DevicesChanged()
 {
-	int iOldNumUsbHid = m_iLastSeenNumUsbHid;
-	m_iLastSeenNumUsbHid = GetNumUsbHidDevices();
-	return iOldNumUsbHid != m_iLastSeenNumUsbHid;
+	int iOldNumJoysticks = m_iLastSeenNumJoysticks;
+	m_iLastSeenNumJoysticks = GetNumJoysticksQuick();
+	return iOldNumJoysticks != m_iLastSeenNumJoysticks;
 }
 
 void InputHandler_DInput::InputThreadMain()
diff --git a/stepmania/src/arch/InputHandler/InputHandler_DirectInput.h b/stepmania/src/arch/InputHandler/InputHandler_DirectInput.h
index 87efb8a46e..afc6d34490 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/arch/InputHandler/InputHandler_DirectInput.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/arch/InputHandler/InputHandler_DirectInput.h
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ public:
 private:
 	RageThread m_Thread;
 	bool m_bShutdown;
-	int m_iLastSeenNumUsbHid;	// use this to figure out if a device was plugged/unplugged
+	int m_iLastSeenNumJoysticks;	// use this to figure out if a joystick was plugged/unplugged
 
 	void UpdatePolled( DIDevice &device, const RageTimer &tm );
 	void UpdateBuffered( DIDevice &device, const RageTimer &tm );
diff --git a/stepmania/src/arch/InputHandler/InputHandler_DirectInputHelper.cpp b/stepmania/src/arch/InputHandler/InputHandler_DirectInputHelper.cpp
index b0ab49f455..578614bf6f 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/arch/InputHandler/InputHandler_DirectInputHelper.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/arch/InputHandler/InputHandler_DirectInputHelper.cpp
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 #pragma comment(lib, "dxguid.lib")
 #endif
 #endif
-LPDIRECTINPUT dinput = NULL;
+LPDIRECTINPUT g_dinput = NULL;
 
 static int ConvertScancodeToKey( int scancode );
 static BOOL CALLBACK DIJoystick_EnumDevObjectsProc(LPCDIDEVICEOBJECTINSTANCE dev, LPVOID data);
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ bool DIDevice::Open()
 	buffered = true;
 	
 	LPDIRECTINPUTDEVICE tmpdevice;
-	HRESULT hr = dinput->CreateDevice( JoystickInst.guidInstance, &tmpdevice, NULL );
+	HRESULT hr = g_dinput->CreateDevice( JoystickInst.guidInstance, &tmpdevice, NULL );
 	if ( hr != DI_OK )
 	{
 		LOG->Info( hr_ssprintf(hr, "OpenDevice: IDirectInput_CreateDevice") );
diff --git a/stepmania/src/arch/InputHandler/InputHandler_DirectInputHelper.h b/stepmania/src/arch/InputHandler/InputHandler_DirectInputHelper.h
index 5f39ceb3d3..af8a277a80 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/arch/InputHandler/InputHandler_DirectInputHelper.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/arch/InputHandler/InputHandler_DirectInputHelper.h
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 
 #define DIRECTINPUT_VERSION 0x0500
 #include <dinput.h>
-extern LPDIRECTINPUT dinput;
+extern LPDIRECTINPUT g_dinput;
 
 #define INPUT_QSIZE	32