Help! USB webcams will NOT install.
Okay, it’s time to turn the tables and get your help to solving a problem emailed by a Tiger customer.
“TigerBlog: I am stuck and it’s never happened before. Quite savvy with a computer, but cannot get a webcam to work on my computer. Won’t install the USB driver for anything. Not 1, not 2 but 3 or more different cameras I’ve tried.
I’ve cleaned my registry, cleaned out every physical file I can find that isn’t necessary and no matter what, it won’t work. Any ideas? My latest attempt was with a Microsoft LifeCam VX3000 and I’m ready to pull my hair out (what’s left that is). Please, help me!
I’m using Windows XP Pro and no other video capture devices of anykind. Only a USB wireless keyboard/mouse connection; printer; and external hard drive.
Andy P.
Ford City, Pennsylvania
I have to admit, I’ve experienced a similar problem before and never fixed it, only gave up and got a new PC. I can’t use one on my current PC either. So, I can’t answer it, but I’m hoping that all the visitors can chime in and use the “Comment/Feedback” option to help this visitor (and me!) solve the problem of not being able to get a USB webcam to install.
Have you tried using a pci usb 2.0 card? This will allow you to see if your usb or motherboard is faulty. You can pick one up cheap here at tiger. Try uninstalling your usb and rebooting. Try updating your chipset drivers for your motherboard. Here are a few ideas.
Chris
Well all I did when mine wouldn’t work is just go to a search engine such as google and find a webcam software applet, and try them until i either find one that is the same brand or works.
I just had a neighbor who had the same issue and we could never get the web cam to work with the XP Camera wizard or with the software disk it came with no matter what we did the system would not recognize it. Even after downloading a newer driver version and software version for it would not make it work.
Though we found that the NEW MSN and or Yahoo messenger service was able to make it work during a shared webcam IM message occurance and during its setup.
I do not know why or how these messenger services were able to make it work, all I know is that it did. Even the built in microphone worked as well. No matter what type of cam it is this has become a limited sporatic issue.
I think there is something causing a conflict with the systems plug and play abilities in certain system’s Bio’s because I have had this happen to an external hard drives and USB flash drives on a number of different computers as well ever since the last security updates came out from Microsoft back earlier this year. Some things have corrected itself some have not, go figure?
You might trying flashig the Bio’s as a refresh. And I am not talking a re-setting by removing the battery or jumpers either. I am talking from a floppy disk or what ever your MOBO flash utility requires for your specific MOBO. I have found that sometimes this helps restore the system from issues after certain updates for some reason.
You may want to try opening up permissions on the USB portion of the registry by hand. Standard disclaimer: Before making any manual changes to the registry, be certain to have a recent backup of your important files and data, as incorrectly editing the registry can cause your installation of Windows to stop functioning.
To start, Start/Run “regedit”. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\USB.
This set of registry keys is how Windows knows what driver corresponds to the various USB devices on your system. Any device that has ever been plugged in to your PC will have an entry here. You will see a number of sub-keys of the form: Vid_xxxx&Pid_xxxx. These correspond to physical devices (Vid=Vendor ID, Pid=Product ID), and often by highlighting each key and exploring the contents on the right side, you can identify which key corresponds with which device.
I would try both of these steps, which have helped me with other USB device installation problems (although I’ve never tried it with webcams):
1) Right click the root “USB” key and select Permissions. Give ‘Everyone’ the ‘Full Control’ permission. This opens up permissions on all of the subkeys so that they are writable by all users on your PC. If permissions errors are preventing the device from installing, this may make the next install work.
2) See if you can identify the subkey that associates with your webcam, and delete it. Make sure the camera is not plugged in at the time. For instance, in my registry I have a Logitech QuickCam for Notebooks listed under Vid_046d&Pid_08ae. (Actually, it takes up three keys — one for the ‘composite device’, one for the camera, and one for the microphone (suffixed &MI_00 and &MI_01.))
By deleting all three of those keys, Windows will forget what driver is associated with the device. Next time I go to plug it in, Windows will go through the ‘Found new Hardware’ dance again and install or prompt for the driver.
Try making both of these changes, rebooting, then plugging the camera in again. Good luck!
You may want to try installing a new USB card if you have an open slot, and then install the camera through one of its USB outlets. You can probably get a USB card for about $25 or so.
It sounds to me like you have an issue with your firewire or more importantly, your motherboard. I would update bios drivers for that motherboard and also go to the manufacturer website and see if other users are having the same problem. If Windows does not see the device it is likely something in your system bios, Good Luck!
Regards,
Tom Cellie
I hate Windows for this particular reason, one of the main reasons I am using a Mac. But to try to help, are you installing the driver prior to plugging the camera in, or after? With my experience with Windows (I ran Windows up until I got my PowerBook last year) the software had to be installed prior to the hardware, followed by a reboot. This is very obvious, and I’m sure you’ve already tried this option but hey - it’s worth a shot.
Another thing you could try is a clean reinstall of XP. The Windows OS is known to degrade over time, and this may be the cause, and it would definitely be a cheaper solution than getting a new PC ;)
I have found in the past that people like to plug the web cam in before installing the software. Follow directions carefully. Install the software and drives, then plug in the camera. Works every time for me.
I have ran into this problem several times. As a result of installing multiple USB Camera devices, your computer will recognize the same driver for all 3 cameras. The way we worked around this was deleting any devices in the computers manager screen and re-installing it. Have a great day, hope I was able to help.
Kevin
Dear webcams…
I had a similar problem. Did you go into Bios and make sure that USB power was turned on (This cleared up mine once even though I was running USB mouse and keyboard). Also, my motherboard has to be reflashed everytime you add components (Not USB components, but worth a try.) Open your case and look up your motherboard. You can also check out your USB drivers.
Good Luck,
Lee
Sounds like this could be a couple of things. Have you tried other usb ports or tried another device on that port to check it’s working propery? If it’s running through a non-powered hub with a lot of other devices it might not be getting enough power.
Also, what order did you install the driver and device? Sometimes you have to install the software before pluging the device in, other times pluggin in and letting the windows driver wizards find the driver is the best bet. Check the manuel for correct install order. I’ve had problems in the past (particularly with an ATI remote) that gave this result.
Also, do you have the latest driver and current windows updates? Check the manufacturers website and of course update.microsoft.com.
You may also have to go into device manager and see if it is shown there, if it’s not then it will not work no matter what. I had an external maxtor hard drive that would not recognize when plugged in until i went to disk management in computer management. I didn’t have to change anything, it just wouldn’t recognize until I pointed out it was there.
You might have to use hacked/alternative drivers. That’s what I had to do with my ATI remote.
I have the same problem also and I am using XP SP2 version and I try different ways I stil can’t install it. Let me know if someone came up with a solution
I have the same problem. I purchased a Logitech webcam some time back for Xmas. I could not get it to transmit an image to any other computer anywhere. It would take pictures that I could send in an email, but that’s all. I contacted Logitech and was told it was Yahoo’s Messenger’s fault. I contacted Yahoo and they told me it was Logitech’s fault. One support person did tell me that Windows won’t support more than one Video item at a time, that I had to disable my TV card. ( it didn’t work!) I gave up. It now sits and stares at me uselessly. If you find a fix, please let me know. Thanks
Try the webcam on another computer. If it work, you know your windows is corrupted, it’s the nature of windows to corrupted for any reason. Reformatted your hard drive and reinstall the windows.
I have had this problem with an Asus and an Abit MoBo. I had to turn on the USB ports in the MoBo software at boot up. Strange because the USB worked as was on drivesm etc. And I downloaded the newest USB drives from Asus/Abit Now, I have no problems with anything YET. Hope that shades some light. Jerry
One hint on reinstalling Windows XP; You donot have to reformat! All you need to do is boot up with an emergancy disk and use “deltree windows.000 or however you have it setup. It will say “are you sure?” you say yes and you will delete windows. DO Not say deltree . because you will delete the whole disk.
I actually ended up getting a new pc…. lol
Hello.
I’m having a webcam problem also.
I have used a webcam on my laptop before, until it broke.
So I bought a new webcam several months later..
I inserted the disk into my drive, but it wouldn’t load?
I tried it on another laptop and it did load.
How can I get the disk to work on my laptop?
Reinstalling Windows XP?
Thanks