Webcam isn't recognized by my laptop

Is this an external webcam or is it built-in? If it's external, follow these instructions:

Go to the webcam manufacturer's website and look for a driver download. Try installing it.

If that fails, next go to your driver settings, look for the webcam, and uninstall it. Restart your computer and install the new driver again. Restart again and try out the webcam.

If it's built-in, specify the exact model of your computer.

Follow this link to A4Tech website and follow these instructions:
1 ) Press Download button to download the driver - work for Win98, Windows 2000/XP/Vista/Win 7.
2 ) Save it somewhere where you will remember after download. We recommend that you save it on your desktop , so it will be easy to find .
3 ) After successfully downloading the driver , do not open the driver file until you make sure the following has completed : ***REMOVE / UNINSTALL any original mouse driver from the PC . ( If you forgot to do this part , your driver may not be able to install correctly and successfully later )
4 ) After the original mouse driver has been removed , open the downloaded file .
5 ) Follow the on-screen instructions .
6 ) When it's successfully installed , please restart your computer .
7 ) After you have restarted the computer , plug the webcam into your computer and it will automatically recognize the new hardware.

Disconnect the cam,
Uninstall the driver.
Turn off the machine.
Plug back the cam.
Have a CD? Get on hand after restart the OS recognize the device and try to install the drver. then insert the CD or

sart and install the app with the CD first and follow the installatio guide.

How to troubleshoot Webcams in Windows Vista?

If you are having difficulty getting the webcam to work, review the tips about using a webcam, and then follow the troubleshooting actions in this article.
Tips:

• Do not enter standby and then wake the system immediately, before the power light turns yellow. If so, the webcam may not function correctly until the computer is restarted. To avoid this issue, allow the system to fully enter standby before waking up the system.
• If you installed the webcam separately (it did not come with your Vista PC), make sure the webcam drivers and software are compatible with Windows Vista.
• If you are using an external webcam, make sure you install any webcam software from the CD before you plug the webcam to your computer. Without the software, the webcam may not be recognized by your computer and this can cause error messages.
• If the display is blank, the camera may have timed out. Turn the camera on again.
• If the camera does not display Connected to computer, disconnect and then reconnect your camera.
• Make sure the camera is set to Digital Camera in USB Configuration when trying to download images through some software.
• Test your webcam in a different application to confirm if the issue is specific to that application. If the webcam functions properly in a different application, then contact the manufacturer of the video software for the latest drivers and for specific troubleshooting instructions.
• If you have an external webcam, test it on another computer. If it functions properly on a different computer that has the same operating system, then you may need to install hardware drivers for your computer to work with the webcam.
• If an external webcam fails to work on several computers, your webcam may be defective. Contact the webcam manufacturer for specific diagnostic information and troubleshooting instructions.
• Your webcam may not work properly across some network firewalls. If you have trouble viewing or sending video to someone on another LAN or outside the network firewall, refer to the support information for the firewall or contact a network administrator for assistance.
• Dial-up Internet connections often lack the data transfer capacity to handle both video and voice simultaneously. A broadband Internet connection is highly recommended for video messaging. Performance varies with dial-up connections.
• For the best webcam experience, close all other applications and background tasks, and limit your Internet browsing or streaming to preserve bandwidth.

Step 1: Close all software before starting a new webcam session
Sometimes after you finish using the webcam in a software program, the program may not properly release the webcam for other activities in other applications, or even the same application. Sometimes you cannot use the webcam because it is being accessed by another program by default. So, if you are having a problem with your webcam, close the program you are using it in and then restart the same program or open a different program.
Step 2: Restart your PC
Sometimes, closing the software application that was using the webcam is not enough. Some webcam software cannot close the webcam for other applications to use later. When this happens, the webcam cannot be used by any other application until the computer is restarted.
Step 3: Select the webcam in your video viewing software list
Make sure USB 2.0 Camera or your Webcam is selected as the video input source in the software you are trying to use. The various software programs that can use the webcam use different terms for describing a video source and the option to select it can vary. Usually, camera, webcam, or video settings can be found in the preferences or properties pages for the software that uses the webcam.
If your PC includes a TV tuner, often the TV tuner is the default video input device. So, for example, if you are using Windows Live Messenger to have a video chat with your webcam, you need to select the your Webcam as the active input device because the TV tuner is the active video input device by default.
Example: Select webcam in Windows Live Messenger
To select the webcam as the default video input device in Windows Live Messenger:
1. Open Windows Live Messenger.
2. Click the arrow icon on the Windows Live Messenger toolbar.
3. Select Tools and then Audio and Video Setup .
4. Click Next, Next, and then Next again.
5. In the "Select a Webcam you would like to use" dropdown list, select the name that corresponds to the webcam that is installed on your PC (such as USB 2.0 Camera)
6. Click Finish.

Step 4: Download the latest drivers and updates for your webcam and your video software
Some webcams may not be recognized by some software programs unless you have the most recent drivers and updates for your webcam hardware and webcam video software. Also, if the video footage from your webcam is in a format not supported by your video software, you may need a third-party plug-in or utility to view or convert the video footage to a format supported by your webcam video software.

• If you installed the webcam separately, go to the webcam manufacturer's website and download the latest drivers, updates, plug-ins, or conversion utilities for any webcam video software. Make sure the webcam drivers and software are compatible with Windows Vista!
• If you are having problems getting the webcam to be recognized by video playing or editing software, go the software manufacturer web site to find and install any updates or patches.
• Check Windows Update for any Vista-related drivers that may affect your webcam and your video software. Click the Start button, All Programs , and then Windows Update

Step 5: Make sure you have the correct Vista drivers installed
If you are having problems hearing sound or using your webcam, try the following steps.
Make sure you have installed the correct Vista drivers and not the generic sound driver in Windows. If you have installed the generic sound driver, uninstall the webcam video software and download and install this Vista sound driver, and then reinstall your webcam video software.
To update Windows Vista drivers:

• Click the Start button, All Programs , and then click Windows Update . If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
• Click Check for updates .
• To see if updated drivers are available, click View available updates . Windows Update will list any updated drivers that are available for devices installed in your computer.
• If updates are available, click the driver that you want to install, and then click Install . Follow any onscreen instructions to finish installing the available drivers.

You may need to set up the sound settings in your instant messaging program or any other video webcam software you are using with your webcam. Refer to the Help information in your webcam software.

Thank you for posting your question.

To obtain your drivers software for this particular device do the following.

Step 1. Go to the A4Tech website and click on Web Camera in the Quick Product Locator section.

Step 2. Select ViewCAM A.

Step 3. Click on the PK-635M image.

Step 4. Click on the Download Driver tab.

Step 5. Click on the Driver for PC button, and this will prompt you to download the driver software in the .rar format.

Step 6. Extract the rar file onto your desktop.

Step 7. Open the extracted files and double-click on the Setup Program. This program will walk you through installing the driver files and software. Once completed, you will be prompted to restart your computer.

Step 8. After you have restarted your computer and have logged in, plug the webcam into your computer and the device will be recognized and the drivers will be installed.

Hi there follow the instruction below.

1**. Double click my computer then double click USB Video Device.
You can see your self then. If the USB Video Device not showing
there then you have to install the cam first.

2. Power On the laptop/PC & after ready your OS for work just put
your Webcam driver disk in DVD/CD RW/ROM. when its open, that
time just select webcam driver and install it as per your operating
system(Vista or XP). So do it, and after finish installation ,restart the
laptop. Your will see your cam is ready for use.
Then follow again the first instruction.**

3. When you confirm after viewing your self in cam , then stop it. Now login on messenger & click to connect the cam from messenger. If any doubt then then ask me a again. Thanks & waiting for your feed back.


Thanks & waiting for your feedback.

The Dell Creative WebCam software should be installed on your machine. to find click on start and type webcam or dell webcam in start search and it will populate the result or else you may find it in the all programs.
if you dont have it there, you may need to install it using the cd which you must have recieved with the computer.
Installation Steps :-
Choose the desired Language
Choose Typical Install
Choose Custom Install to chose WebCam Central and/or Cam Avatar Creator
Choose the Destination Folder
The installation will continue from that point without intervention
You will be prompted to restart the computer. Make the choice and click Finish. Open the simulation below to walk through the installation process.
This software can also launch by clicking Start >Programs Files > Dell Webcam > Dell Webcam Central.

If you get any error message after this you may need to reinstall the application.

to remove it from the computer.
click on start/control pannel (click on the classic view on the upper left hand corner) / programs and features / dell webcam central and then click on uninstall. and then restart the computer and then put the cd in the drive and start the installation. just follow the onscreen instructions and keep clicking next and agree to terms and next and then finish and then restart the computer. it should be up and running.

thats all you needed to do.
even then if you face any trouble call Dell technical support.

If you find this information useful please rate the solution.

make sure before you format
you write down your drivers in device manager for
AUDIO
DISPLAY
WEBCAM
NETWORK
If you can save any programs to disk or flash/memory drive
winxp cd in drive restart hit F7 a box will appear choose option to
cd cd/dvd then enter
should pick up cd you may have to restart a couple times.
( Not all systems can be downgraded ) and remember you can't use your vista product key for xp

You need to go on line to the manufacture and download the VISTA driver for your camera and then follow this info to install.
Normal 0
Try disconnecting the Camera from the USB port and reinstall the CD or Downloaded software program. When the program asks you to connect the camera to the USB port, do so and it should work.
Hope this helps. Bud

Normal 0 You need to go to the manufactures site and download the VISTA driver for the camera. Then follow the info below to install the program.



Try disconnecting the Camera from the USB port and reinstall the CD or Downloaded software program. When the program asks you to connect the camera to the USB port, do so and it should work.
Hope this helps. Bud