[Suzanne_Lynn]

For starters, I am simply a 17 year old girl with no experience in technical hassles. As I explain this problem, I will try to give you visual aid to make sure what I have said is directly and precisely understood.



Recently I"ve purchased a new computer with a webcam already built into the system, and, well [laugh] I 've dyed my hair and I wanted to show my dad, so I got on MSN to show him. Well the messenger couldn't find my Webcam, :


http://s90.photobucket.com/albums/k2...rrent=cam1.jpg

Frustrated , I tried another program with a friend, using Skype . And the same message was played back to me.( "You cannot change your camera settings because either your camera is not plugged in or you are using it in a video call with another program" ) So I did the following....




http://s90.photobucket.com/albums/k2...rrent=cam2.jpg
http://s90.photobucket.com/albums/k2...nt=Step1_2.jpg
http://s90.photobucket.com/albums/k2...nt=Step3_4.jpg
http://s90.photobucket.com/albums/k2...rent=Step5.jpg




Any ideas? I'm really getting pretty frustrated with this. Thank you very much for taking your time to look at it.


~Suzanne.

[zyper95]

Have tried updating the webcam driver? Check the manufacturers websites for the latest update for your system. I also notice that your using windows vista, so you may better look for the webcam driver that is vista compatible.

[JohnWill]

If this is a laptop with a built-in webcam, the drivers should be already installed. I know that my HP laptop with the webcam had them already included.

Perhaps the make/model of the computer and any other equipment would be a good start.

[Suzanne_Lynn]

Its an HP laptop with windows vista,



Its strange because a few weeks ago, I had to borrow the store's floor model because they didn't have one in stock, and that webcam worked just fine, but this one seems to be having problems



If the drivers for the webcam were not installed, is there a way I can install them myself?

[zyper95]

If you have the driver cd for your laptop then you can manually install the driver for your webcam.

[nukemdomis]

Suzanne_Lynn,

I understand your frustrations all too well. When I grabbed my first HP laptop with the built in web cam running under Vista I had problems also. It seemed like one day it worked and then the next day it didn't. Just finding third party software to run the web cam was a mission in itself.

Here's a few pages I put together for SOME of these problems. You'll find a pretty good amount of help for problems on the HP Pavilion laptop camera not working with Vista. Many people have found the correct information to solve their problems there and many others have found the right info through links featured there.

Program for the HP laptop webcam that's not working in Vista

HP Pavilion laptop web cam help pages

HP Pavilion laptop webcam software for Vista

HP Pavilion laptop webcam drivers for Vista

Hope this helps.

[JoeyDanger]

I'm having the same problem with the built-in cam for my laptop, but mine's a Toshiba Satellite Laptop.

I'm getting the same warning as you, saying my cam isn't plugged in or used in a video call, but it used to work when I first got my computer.

Every now and then it works, and when I open the camera assistant software I got with vista it says "Graph Render Fail".

I tried downloading a new driver, but my computer says my drivers are up to date.

(Also: when it did work, every now and then it would go black, and i'd have to physically point the camera at my overhead light to return the picture back.)

[madimadi77]

I'm kinda having the same problem. I got my laptop about 1year and 3months ago and when i first got it for about a month i had the software and everything on it. But i'm looking for it now and it's just gone. no where on my laptop!

[mustardpiggy]

My mother-in-law and I both have the same Satellite Toshiba laptop with built-in webcam, and both ours stopped working too, with the same "render fail" message. She took her's to the store of purchase, and they said it was a known fault with these laptops. The technician there downloaded a programme onto her laptop that will clear it all up. This was all just today so I haven't yet got the programme for myself. I hope that helps! When I get it, I'll let you know where to get a copy

[drummjv]

Please let us know what the technician downloaded and if we can get this on the web. Maybe call the store, or I'd be happy to if you can give me the contact. What store was she at?
I have the same Laptop and problem. Updating the driver software did not fix it. I'm leaving on an International trip and want to use it with my Skype.
Thanks...

[mustardpiggy]

Absolutely!

[drummjv]

Thanks, let me know...

[drummjv]

Hey Mustardpiggy.
Any info yet. Please get me the name and city where the store is, I'll call. Running out of time.
Thanks...

[drummjv]

What happened to you Mustardpiggy???
Can you just give me a store name???

[mustardpiggy]

Somehow at 5am New Zealand time I woke up, couldn't get back to sleep and decided to try and find the solution myself! The programme my mother-in-law had was weird. Anyway - I hope you find this helpful as it worked for me, thank goodness! I found it on the Toshiba support website.

1. Click the Windows Start button.
2. Click Control Panel and then Device Manager.
3. Double-click Imaging Devices then right-click on Chicony USB 2.0 Camera and select Update Driver Software.
4. Select Browse my computer for the driver software.
5. Select Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer.
6. Select Chicony USB 2.0 Camera from the list, and click Next.
The webcam should now work properly.



Thanks for everyone's patience and good night