Windows 7: Installed windows 7 Ultimate, webcam no longer works

gazz9496 · 13 Jun 2011

hp are renowned for not supporting new os's they have printers literraly 1 month older than windows 7 that don't work under Windows 7.

your best option if you want to keep windows 7 at this point would be to buy a webcam, they are fairly cheap so it shouldn't be to much of an outlay, certainly the best option if hp don't support 7 on your machine.

Britton30 · 13 Jun 2011

OK Brad, go to the properties of the unknown device in Device Manager and click the Details tab. On the drop-down box, click on Hardware Id's. There will be one or several cryptic line of Id's, such as ACPI\AuthenticAMD_-_AMD64_Family_16 (this is my CPU).
You can right click on the ID lines and copy it-paste in MS Write or something. Go to Goggle and past each one in turn in the search. This should bring up several site where hardware Id's can be identified. If you get an exact cam model number, then you can try a search for <webcam name>drivers.

EDIT: Here's a freeware program, Unknown Device Identifier, which claims to identify unknown devices. I am not familiar with it, so use at your own risk.

Britton30 · 13 Jun 2011

Quote: Originally Posted by Toolman Tim

I have a HP Pavilion dv9715nr entertainment laptop which has done the same thing. Webcam does not exist, but there is an unknown USB device, error code 43. I know it is not a Toshiba but I have seen the same problem all over the web in forums about many different makes.

To cut to the chase, I have finally found that HP don't support Windows 7 on my model.

They have a list of models that they will do updates for to ensure Windows 7 compatibility, mine is not on it.

It actually specifically refers to this in the HP support section that webcams may not even be recognized, that is my (and yours too I think) problem. Device manager can't see any imaging device and lists it as an unknown usb root controller device. Driver is 6.1.7601.17586 , 21-June-2006- port #2 hub #3. (which means nothing to me)

End result is 'no video device detected' even after scan for hardware changes, disabled/uninstalled device and restarted and so on, nothing has worked.

I am hoping perhaps some kind of 3rd party may have whatever it will take (driver, BIOS update??) to get it going with Windows 7, because HP basically say use recovery and go back to vista. I'd prefer to stay with Windows 7 myself.

So does anyone know how we can get these suckers going if the manufacturer says tough cheese?

Welcome to Seven Forums Toolman Tim. Unplug your webcam, reboot and plug it back in to see if Win 7 will load a driver from its Driver Store.

Pleas start a new thread in the future, it makes helping you easier.

Toolman Tim · 15 Jun 2011

Hi and thanks Britton.

Yeah I wasn't sure if I should start yet another "I lost my webcam" thread or just chime in on this one, so in future I will start a new one.

Meantime the camera is inbuilt, and HP advised that Windows 7 can cause hardware malfunctions and failure to recognize components. So I was hoping that there may be a 3rd party or even windows patch to update drivers or BIOS or whatever the missing link is so that the internal camera may be fixed. I have an external webcam so I'll just take the advice given to use that meantime.

If I find a fix I'll post it in a new thread.

Windows 7: Installed windows 7 Ultimate, webcam no longer works

Installed windows 7 Ultimate, webcam no longer works problems?