Windows Live Messenger, Webcam don't work on Vista on dv6137tx notebook Vista Bugs and Problems Discuss Windows Live Messenger, Webcam don't work on Vista on dv6137tx notebook in the Windows Vista forums; Webcams DO NOT show up in the scanners and cameras section! Only digital cameras etc do. So that's your second issues resolved Last one... your battery issue... have you ...

[crabby]

Webcams DO NOT show up in the scanners and cameras section! Only digital cameras etc do. So that's your second issues resolved

Last one... your battery issue... have you installed all the updates on the link I posted above? Some of them are quite new, for exampl the bios was updated last month.

crabby

[maverick280857]

Thanks crabby, I figured that...I had a feeling they showed up in XP, but I must've been dreaming. Thats why I was worried.

Yes I have installed all the updates from that website (except the sound card update, as installing it disables sound in Vista somehow, so I have to go back to an older version they gave in the DVD accompanying the Express Upgrade kit).

HP says the battery is bad, but it seems to be working fine in XP.

[maverick280857]

But there is still one problem (apart from the battery): if I go back to XP, my webcam doesn't work there and is recognized as "USB Video Device". It gives me an error "Creation of Video Preview failed" if I try to access it. The only way it works is if I install the Vista driver for the webcam in XP. I am guessing this is because of the firmware update to the camera the first time Vista was being installed.

[crabby]

Interesting.

Does the battery actually work in vista? Or do you have to be on AC power? Did you install the software as an admin? And do you run it as an admin?

I didn't think webcams had firmware only larger devices like DVD drvies do, which is why you need not install a driver for them. Do you know what make and model this webcam is so that I may have a proper look into this?

crabby

[maverick280857]

According to the HP documentation that shipped with my upgrade kit, I had to do a firmware update for the camera to work in Vista properly. Thats how I figured this was a firmware update........

As for the battery check, well I install HP Help and Support and it comes as part of it (in Vista). In XP, its a separate program. I think this is a Ricoh webcam, I'll tell you more about it soon.

Yes the battery works in vista (battery check program doesn't, or rather...it does but gives the error shown in the screenshot linked to in my first post). I am not sure what you were referring to by battery in vista: the battery works fine (gives less backup than in XP of course).

[crabby]

Well, you learn something new everyday! So you mentioned if you use the Vista driver in XP it works? This would definately be ture if the firmware was updated, simply because the hardware is now different. Is this issue sorted then?

As the battery check is accessing hardware you should run it in admin mode by right clicking on it and clicking 'Run as administrator'. It may also require installing in this way to work correctly.

crabby

[maverick280857]

So true crabby, in fact thats part of the fun working with computers.

Well, I want to use XP for now, so the camera not working in XP is disappointing. HP says not to use Vista drivers on XP [:P] and even with the vista driver, the camera still is a "USB Video Device" rather than "HP Pavilion Webcam".

I don't have an option to install Battery Check separately in Vista, as it comes with Help and Support. But I'll try it again.

[maverick280857]

Well, I have installed the BIOS updates as well (in XP)..which were released on July 09, 2007. The webcam still doesn't work in XP.

[maverick280857]

I know this is a Vista forum but I am still posting this, maybe it is of some use.
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Background

I have an HP Pavilion dv6137tx notebook computer (dv6000t series). It has an integrated webcam. The notebook is vsita-capable, but shipped with Windows XP Media Center Edition. I installed Windows Vista Home Premium Edition using the HP Express Upgrade Kit. I decided to come back to XP after using Vista for about 2.5 months. Now, in XP, my webcam does not work at all, despite having installed the HP Pavilion Webcam drivers downloads from the HP web site. The webcam shows up everywhere as "USB Video Device" rather than "HP Pavilion Webcam".

I have searched the forums for help, in vain. HP Tech Support keeps telling me to install drivers, uninstall them, do a full recovery and start over. These are things I have tried quite a few times.

(The webcam works in Vista, so there is no hardware fault.)

I suspect this is because of the firmware update that was necessary to get the camera to work in Vista. To quote the installation instruction sheet that shipped with the HP Express Upgrade Kit:

If your computer includes an integrated camera, update the camera firmware to run under Windows Vista:

a. Use Windows Explorer to browse to the optical drive that contains the upgrade utility disc.
b. Double-click the HP Pavilion Webcam Driver folder.
c. Right click the file with the .exe extension, and select Run as administrator
d. Click OK when the wizard indicates that the firmware update is complete (if applicable).
e. Click Yes if asked to turn off power to the computer.

Now, I think this firmware update (which is irreversible, unless someone can give me a firmware update which restores the webcam firmware to make it work in XP--as it was when the computer shipped) has rendered the camera unusable in Windows XP.

If you are facing a similar problem with your HP Pavilion notebook, please post back on this thread...maybe we can work something out.