Thanks for the replies..
There is a blue LED on the controller which lights up when it is plugged in to a USB port.
I might need to clarify "not being recognized" When I plug it in to the USB port the PC DOES react that
something was plugged in by flashing the little USB symbol in the lower right corner (Windows XP 32) but windows concludes this as an "unknown device" but I expected as much until I installed the drivers.. but the driver installation is not seeing the controller... and the driver is the correct one for the OS and controller. This together with trying it on another PC with the same result led me to look into the hardware itself.
I just checked each wire and all 5 of them are getting solid continuity.
No disconnected wires or components found.
I am using a magnifier I got from a junk BMW projector headlamp assy... 5" diameter 1" thick, so it provides me with some nice detail,
hey I gotta be resourceful
I did notice one solder joint that was empty on one leg of that large tan part on the board just to the right of center with the red wire curving around it. On the other side of the board where that leg pokes through though is a perfect little pool of solder. This piece does not appear to be damaged or ever removed as it appears to still be factory glued to the board.
Also thanks Hewitson for the description of the low power/small signal diodes. Upon closer examination those are black stripes and not burn marks as I had initially thought.