Author Topic: Camera is not being found (Read 55620 times)

Heatz123 · « **on:** March 11, 2014, 01:59:14 am »

Hello.

I have an issue that ostensibly may seem superficial to some but is a major issue for me and as a Producer, DJ and i run a record label as well as running music based tutorials.

My Webcam stopped working with Adobe Flash media Encoder some time back and after assuming the camera was broken, i tested it with my lap top and found it worked fine. Yet i went out and bought a new one. The issue is quite strange because i have tried every sort of application outside of Adobe and none are finding the Web Cam. YES! i HAVE deleted the drivers and re-installed them. About 25 times. I installed the software that came with the web cam and even that does not find it as being connected. YES! i have tried different USB ports. I have run AWD Cleanrer and Tweeking Computer Windows fix - Twice. YES! The camera is listed in device manager and is listed in hardware profiles. Some of the symptoms smell of malware :

If i go online to my Livestream account studio, there is a tab that allows me to access my camera remotely and link it to the server (Like you would with a web cam site) and when i click it, it asks to allow or deny, after which i get a message saying the camera is being used by another application. I have run Procaster and it lists as "No Cam Found" Adobe has the camera listed but does not initialize it and simply restores itself to default profile settings. I have tried photo editors to find the Web Cam and nothing is listed (Found).

I have un-installed Adobe twice and re installed. No luck. I have posted on Bleeping Computer some weeks ago now and after the usual advice like "Make sure the camera is plugged in" i have not got any further. I do note this happened the following day after buying and installing McAfee AV and have read something about it causing a registry file that stops the camera from working but i have no idea what i would be looking for and do not want to mess with the system. It could be a Direct X error and a Kernal Error or corrupted file but unless i knew what one it may be, i have no other way to fix this which i have not already tried.

I could try to run combi fix but i doubt anything of this sort is going to fix the issue. I feel it will need a manual fix. Even if McAfee is to blame, removing that does not mean the issue will be fixed if it has cause one. It requires knowledge of what could be wrong and the files associated with this problem and fixing from there. I can not do live shows any more and station owners are starting to get annoyed. My own station has stopped and i can not link up with other producers and run tutorials any more - it is driving my crazy!

Please, if anyone can assist, i would really appreciate it a lot .

Thank you .

Tomas_Sweden · « **Reply #1 on:** March 11, 2014, 06:56:22 am »

Which version of windows do you have?

What is the name of your webcam?

Do you have any program that autostart when windows starts, that is using the web cam?

Tomas

Heatz123 · « **Reply #2 on:** March 11, 2014, 10:04:18 am »

Hello. Thank you for the reply. I thought i has stated my OS but i have posted about this so many times, i have become confused

Windows 7 64 bit. And i should point out that i have been doing this for many years. With this PC for the last 2 years with no problem effecting my camera or streams.
I looked in the start-up config and i see a LOT of programs. As for what run at start up i have no idea. However, i do not have any programs that run at start up. I even turned off my Anti Virus from running a start up scan due to it takes longer to boot up. I have no software that would use the camera without permitting it to do so and hence i do not use Skype, MSN or any other of those chat things and never have. I am only using Adobe FME 3.1 (Flash Media Encoder)

The webcam is not a top brand but is widely used and made by a company who make data sticks and all sorts of PC Peripherals. It is made by Texet and i have used the previous one for 3 years with no problem and they both work on the lap top with everything.

All registry entries appear to be there but whether they have been hijacked or not being used, i do not know.

Thank's..

Tomas_Sweden · « **Reply #3 on:** March 11, 2014, 10:22:22 am »

Check if you have this in the registry?
1. Click on start, in search type regedit and click on it to open
2. Open the key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Class\{6BDD1FC6-810F-11D0-BEC7-08002BE2092F}
3. Make sure the value of UpperFilters contains ksthunk line.

Tomas

Shane · « **Reply #4 on:** March 11, 2014, 11:58:51 am »

It could be a number of things, and most likely the problem is in the registry somewhere.

Try what Tomas_Sweden said as well.

And this m ight seem really dumb to try, but let me explain.

I want you to try 2 different things.

1. Create a new user profile and login to that new account and see if you have any luck.
2. Has the camera been in the same USB port this whole time? I want you to simply use a different USB port.

Now the 2nd option might seem rather odd. But let me explain. I have had a few customers call me and say that their cameras (Not web cam) was not working on their computer and the transfer wizard never came up.

On one of them I had found that Windows simply couldnt install the drivers for it for some odd reason, they where installed and Windows would just say the device failed to load. Uninstalling and reinstalling did nothing. As soon as I plugged it in another USB port Windows then installed it fresh again and everything started working.

On a different customers their camera showed up in the device manager, but again the transfer wizard wouldnt see it. The instance I plugged it into a different usb port Windows had it working again.

When you plug a device into a different USB port Windows treats it as a whole new device and not one it already had installed before. So if something was messed up with the device in Windows before, by plugging it into a different usb port that it hasnt been in yet, Windows will treat it as a brand new device for the system and make the necessary registry changes

So trying a different USB port is always a good option to try.

Shane

Heatz123 · « **Reply #5 on:** March 11, 2014, 12:41:00 pm »

Hi Shane. Thank you for the reply.

Done all the above more than once. Deleted all the drivers, re booted and installed into new USB prot. Same result. Tried doing the same thing but instead plugging the camera in before rebooting so Windows may find new hardware and install it in some other manner to plugging it in normally - same result. As for new user accounts. I have also done that. It is an account studio i never used before. I set it up but never validated it and done it simply to try this out. As for the stations i DJ on, they have changed their account 3 times since this happened. I can stream to the server with Procaster without a camera showing my desktop (People want to see us mix live)

I have tried everything, Shane. Even little things like running spyware removal after pulling the internet and rebooting so i am offline just in case something was not being removed due to appearing legit and connected to the net. It was a long shot but i have simply tried everything in this way and had suggestions from friends all of which have not solved the issue.

Thomas , please see photo attached

I already looked in the registry.. Files are there. But it may be that it is not being seen. I read one case where Anti virus being installed caused a problem with those registry files. I was going to delete it and reboot and re install the camera but those things i would not do without knowing prior exactly how it should be done step by step.

Thank's..

Shane · « **Reply #6 on:** March 11, 2014, 12:50:55 pm »

Well the camera is showing in device manager fine, and Windows installs the drivers fine. So I dont think the problem is the camera or the drivers.

Instead, every program has multiple different ways it can work with a web cam in Windows, some through direct x, others through dlls from MS, and some even through the Windows api.

Also certain services are needed, just like with a scanner you connect to the scanner through WIA and the WIA services. I am not sure if the WIA service is needed for web cams as well.

"Windows Image Acquisition (WIA)"
"Provides image acquisition services for scanners and cameras"

Point is, hardly ever does a program communicate directly with hardware, it always goes through Windows as the middle man and I think that is where we should look. We know the drivers are installed and no reported errors and that the webcam is good as it works on another system.

Check the WIA service for me and tell me if it is running, it should be as my Windows Repair tool would have set it to auto. And I will go and check for the multiple different ways programs can access the camera and see what i can find.

Shane

Shane · « **Reply #7 on:** March 11, 2014, 01:08:58 pm »

OK lets try this, I found some sample code for VB that allows a VB program to connect to a webcam through direct show.

I installed a old web cam I have and it works. I am on Windows 8.1 64 bit.

When you open the program click on camera and then add camera. What you will get is a list of the hardware you can connect to. I selected the camera and thats it. You will notice the camera is listed 3 times. I tried each one, 2 of them worked the 3rd failed.

Lets see what happens when you try

Shane

Shane · « **Reply #8 on:** March 11, 2014, 01:20:15 pm »

Also did some digging, looks like adobe uses direct show as well. So if the example program I gave you fails then I think we might know the problem.

If directshow is where it is faiing then we just need to reinstall it and the files it needs, it should be part of direct X.

Looks like the directshow runtimes are part of the OS now.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/dd375454%28v=vs.85%29.aspx

I would still install directx 9 runtime files as well, same as if you where a gamer.
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=35
or
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=8109

Also from doing more reading on it, some codecs that are installed can also cause a problem as well.

Also go to start and in the run box do dxdiag.exe and see if anything fails.

Worse case scenario is that the problem has to do with a corruption in the Com+ and dcom objects. If that is the case then the fastest fix is a reinstall as when those go corrupt they are hard to fix. But it is always possible to fix them

Shane

Heatz123 · « **Reply #9 on:** March 11, 2014, 02:14:53 pm »

Hello, Shane

Ok, first thing: I run DS Mini and in the list there is no Camera. Plenty of other stuff (Most of it is not even related to video) and unless it is referred to by some name i am unaware of, i just do not see it listed. I looked in the hardware profiles to see what it was referred to and i noticed it says manufacturer "Unknown" Details "Unknown" and this is strange because they WAS there when i looked at other times. It was made by etron if i recall because i went to their site to see if i could find drivers but there is no support on that site, it is just like an advert for the company and shows what they do. And another strange thing is that the original driver (When it was not working also) was listed as that company whereas now, it is listed as Microsoft. This may be due to deleting is and re-installing so many times?

I would assume i have many versions of Direct X because i have games on the PC, old ones like Max Payne and Splinter Cell - even Amiga emulator and OS (Workbench) and these use direct X . I will give it a go, though. I will see what happens after i install it.

As for codecs: It may be right, but i had not installed anything that would have installed any codecs recently but i had many on the PC like FFShow and Xvid . Some still remain but i removed a lot of them a while back.

"Run Box" You mean type dxdiag.exe into the run screen and hit return? If so, i would not know what i was looking for or how to know what is running or not, if indeed it lists such things. I would need detailed instructions to do those things

I will report back after i install DX 9.

Thank's again

Mike.

Shane · « **Reply #10 on:** March 11, 2014, 02:17:36 pm »

If the webcam is showing unknown for the driver you need to install the driver on it manually.

Once Windows reports that the driver is actually installed then you can see what name it list it as under imaging devices in the device manager, that will be how it should show up in the program list.

But first thing is to get the drivers to not show unknown

Shane

Heatz123 · « **Reply #11 on:** March 11, 2014, 02:49:16 pm »

Shane

No, no. It is not saying unknown to drivers! It is saying Unknown for manufacturer and unknown for description. For drivers it says Microsoft.

Ok i installed DX 9 (And thanks to those caring guys at Microsoft, i also got BING TOOLBAR for FREEEEEE) Microsoft are really starting to get on my nerves adding junk into their downloads!

As stated in my first post. I have installed, re-installed. Deleted, re-installed in every way it can be done, about 25 times. No results.

DX 9 has not done anything. I also re run DS mini in case Dx 9 had changed anything in there. No USB camera listed

Mike..

Shane · « **Reply #12 on:** March 11, 2014, 02:54:27 pm »

Quote

Unknown for manufacturer and unknown for description

That means it is just using a default MS driver for it then. What is the exact make and model of the web cam so I can see if there is some proper drivers that might help

While their site may or may not list the drivers I can still trace down something. Oh and go to the web cam in the devi manager and go to the properties. Click the details tab and then in the drop down box choose hardware IDs and post a screen shot.

I can use those hardware IDs to find some drivers that might work

Shane

Heatz123 · « **Reply #13 on:** March 11, 2014, 03:13:08 pm »

Back again

Yes, i thought it was strange. But do be aware that it originally had the RIGHT drivers and manufacturer was listed even while i had the original issue

After all, the original camera was installed for almost 2 years. Only after it stopped working did i go out an buy another. I was going to by a Microsoft camera but they all seem to deal with sound via the USB itself intead of via i 3/5 jack. I am bradcasting sound via a hardware interface and a DJ mixer and do not need sound being broadcast from a darn Web Cam

so i ended up buying this one because it was all i could find.

Anyway: Screen Shot attached

This is the Camera https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLE7KQgQMcQ and i think the model is the one as listed in the second link:
http://drivers.softpedia.com/progDownload/Texet-WCM-183-WebCam-Driver-Download-154690.html

I was thinking of manually installing the drivers as this often has a different action often working where other methods fail.

Mike..

Shane · « **Reply #14 on:** March 11, 2014, 03:19:27 pm »

Direct download link for that driver (But doesnt seem to work)
http://www.texet.com/media/DRIVER/Webcam%20Driver.zip

You may need to go and manually choose the driver for it and make Windows use it.

And given how little support this webcam has you might be better off getting a better support webcam, either form logitech or even MS.

Also you can use any other webcam as well, even though they have mics via USB you can still go to the sound options in the control panel and set what device to use for recording as the default. The mic on the camera just gets added as a extra recording device, you can choose which to use by default

Shane

Heatz123 · « **Reply #15 on:** March 11, 2014, 03:29:28 pm »

Yes, i found that link does not work, too. I already bought that camera and recently spent £2000 on a lot of new studio hardware and begrudge spending any more

The last thing i want is to find the issue still remains after buying another camera

Perhaps the drivers are elsewhere on the net. I will have a lookie

Thank's for the help with this, Shane. I appreciate your time

It is late here, so i will report back if i resolve this before tomorrow via manual driver install - if not, i will try another Cam and let you know what the outcome way .

I must say, i am not very hopeful . BTW - your software fixed a serious problem i had a while back. It is really well programmed

Thank's again and have a great evening

Mike..

Shane · « **Reply #16 on:** March 11, 2014, 03:30:54 pm »

Happy to help.

As for the webcam see if you can just borrow one from someone to test before you spend the money. If a better webcam still doesnt work then something is corrupt in Windows. But lets not say it is that till you test

Shane

Heatz123 · « **Reply #17 on:** March 12, 2014, 04:37:09 am »

Hello Shane.

I am back again. I went out and bought a Microsoft Life Cam VX -800 and installed fine. Run Livestream studio rather than software as this would be the safest choice and again, same result. Camera is being used by another application. And as before, it does find it and even lists it by name and that is a web site doing that, so it is clearly visible.

Where do i go from here?

Thank's..

Mike.

Tomas_Sweden · « **Reply #18 on:** March 12, 2014, 06:39:20 am »

Have you tried Webcam Diagnostics?
http://www.softpedia.com/get/Internet/WebCam/Webcam-Diagnostics.shtml
Just download to desktop and start "CamDiag64"
Maybe we got some more clue there!?

Tomas

Shane · « **Reply #19 on:** March 12, 2014, 08:17:20 am »

Did the example program I gave you give the same error?

And where do you have the camera plugged into? the back usb ports or the front?

Reason I ask is it is possible for some programs or devices to lock the usb, so as a test I want to have the webcam in a usb controller that doesn't have anything else. So the front usb on the tower normall is plugged into the motherboard which will be a different controller.

I was doing so research on device already in use and found that could be one of the problems. But I am glad you got a new webcam because now we know drivers are installed and good and we can stop focusing on that part

Shane

Heatz123 · « **Reply #20 on:** March 12, 2014, 09:42:31 am »

Hi Thomas. Thank you for that. I will run it later and let you know what happens. Though i doubt it will work as i feel this will take some manual changes as opposed to software. But it is worth a try

Shane: Thanks. The USB ports are on the front. I have two . I have installed it to both. Each one has installed separately each time. Now, i have one free at the back and what i am afraid of, is that i use a LOT of studio hardware that is USB: Midi Keyboards, etc. And my Sound is USB. A hardware interface and mixer and i do not want those to end up locked like the Web cam has so i really do not want to use those ports. Before you say it: Yes i have unplugged external devices in case it is seeing those as being the device that is using the camera

I am meant to be live tonight and will have to mix without a camera and just stream my desktop .

Yes, DS Mini found nothing of the web cam in it's lists. Not sure why. Nothing that even pertains to a camera is listed.
I have done a lot of searching, too and from what i see. Every one of the issues that manifest the same is my issue appears to be a different cause and resolution (where there are any) so i just have to play this by ear for now

Thank's for the help so far

Mike.

Shane · « **Reply #21 on:** March 12, 2014, 09:49:37 am »

Well just for testing purposes try one of the back usb ports just to see what happens.

Also I think the problem is in the registry. That is where 99% of Windows things can break.

I found this, it is for a MS webcam and if you had a logitech installed, while you didnt I still want to try what it says.

Quote

Method 3: Adjust Registry Settings if you previously had a Logitech WebCam
Important If you have never had a Logitech Webcam installed, do not follow these steps.

Important This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to change the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you change the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you change it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
322756 How to back up and restore the registry in Windows

Open the Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in for Services.
In Windows Vista or Windows 7, click Start
Start button
, type services.msc in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.

User Account Control permission
If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password, or click Continue.
In Windows XP, click Start, click Run, type services.msc, and then click OK.
Double-click Logitech Process Monitor.
In Startup type, select Disabled.
Under Service status, click Stop, and then click OK.
Close the services.
Start Registry Editor.
In Windows Vista, click Start
the Start button
, type regedit in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.

User Account Control permission
If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password, or click Continue.
In Windows XP, click Start, click Run, type regedit in the Open box, and then click OK.
Note You might not find all the following subkeys or entries in steps 7 to 12. However, you should find at least one.
In Registry Editor, locate and then click the following subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CONTROLSET001\CONTROL\CLASS\6BDD1FC6-810F-11D0-BEC7-08002BE2092F
If the right side contains Lower filters: lvmvdrv, right-click this entry, and then click Delete.
In Registry Editor, locate and then delete the following subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CONTROLSET001\SERVICES\LVMVDRV
Locate and then click the following subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSYTEM\CONTROLSET003\CONTROL\CLASS\6BDD1FC6-810F-11D0-BEC7-08002BE2092F
If the right side contains Lower filters: lvmvdrv, right-click this entry, and then click Delete.
Locate and then delete the following subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CONTROLSET003\SERVICES\LVMVDRV
Locate and then click the following subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CURRENTCONTROLSET\CLASS\6BDD1FC6-810F-11D0-BEC7-08002BE2092F
If the right side contains Lower filters: lvmvdrv, right-click this entry, and then click Delete.
Locate and then delete the following subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CURRENTCONTROLSET\SERVICES\LVMVDRV
On the File menu, click Exit to exit Registry Editor.
Open Device Manager.
In Windows Vista, click Start
the Start button
, type devmgmt.msc in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.

User Account Control permission
If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password, or click Continue.
In Windows XP, click Start, click Run, type devmgmt.msc in the Open box, and then click OK.
In Device Manager, expand Imaging Devices, right-click Microsoft LifeCam, and then click Uninstall.
On the Action menu, click Scan for hardware changes. If you are prompted to update the drivers, click Yes.

I want to delete the Lower filters subkeys.

Just like with a cd drive, if there is a driver listed in the upper or lower filters that isnt on Windows any more the drive wont even show up or it wont burn. By cleaning up the filters regkeys and rebooting the cd drives work like they should. I have a feeling the webcam might be the same way.

Shane

Heatz123 · « **Reply #22 on:** March 12, 2014, 10:29:21 am »

Hi Shane.

I opened services and obviously it was not a logitech so i am looking for the previous webcam or anything that pertains to it, but i do not see anything in that regard. What am i looking for? The registry file / filter i can easily get to and remove / modify but we will need to remove anything associated with the running first? So, as i said, i have no idea what i am looking for and do not see anything i can see may be related to the old Web cam process

And yes, i already plugged the cam into the rear port - same result

Mike..

Tomas_Sweden · « **Reply #23 on:** March 12, 2014, 10:37:54 am »

In the picture in reply #5 I see that there is a "Lower filters" there namned: LVUSBS64 in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CONTROLSET001\CONTROL\CLASS\6BDD1FC6-810F-11D0-BEC7-08002BE2092F
I think LVUSBS64 belongs to Logitech.

Tomas

Shane · « **Reply #24 on:** March 12, 2014, 10:39:52 am »

Dont worry about the service, if you dont see any for the old webcam then just move on to removing the filters regkeys

Now under thekey
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CURRENTCONTROLSET\CLASS\6BDD1FC6-810F-11D0-BEC7-08002BE2092F

Is where a lot of the settings are stored. I am looking at mine now on Windows 8.1 and with the MS cam installed. I checked on a system with no webcam installed and all the subfolders are gone except for properties. So export that regkey and tehn remove all the subfolders you see and then reinstall the webcam.

And of course remove any lowerfilters you find

Shane