builtin webcam randomly installs/uninstalls and eventually system locks up

mikvi
mikvi Member Posts: 4 New User

My built-in webcam randomly uninstalls then reinstalls repeatedly ... Eventually this leads to a system lockup.

Started happening a few weeks ago (I've been using this netbook for years with no problems) and is getting worse.

 

System is

Acer Aspire one

Win XP Home

 

I would appreciate any help or insights ...

 

Thanks,

Mike

Answers

  • st3ph3nnity
    st3ph3nnity Member Posts: 220 Enthusiast WiFi Icon

    Have you tried to "restore your computer to any earlier time" via the control panel...to a time prior to this problem ? ...it is one of the easiest first steps in trying to rectify a problem.

  • mikvi
    mikvi Member Posts: 4 New User

    Hi st3,

     

    thanks for responding ... tried to restore (system checkpoints) but the restore attempts didn't work ... don't know if this is related to the webcam problem or just a coincidence ( or if I just didn't do it right) ...

     

    About the webcam problem ... 1- goes away in safe mode, 2- seems related to USB connectivity.

     

    when the problem happens, I hear the USB connect/disconnect sounds, and a window comes up that says the webcam would work better with a faster port connection.

     

    If i go to control panel > system > hardware > device manager and watch what happens, the USB sound occurs, then the webcam dissappears from the  list, then the USB sound occurs and the webcam reappears on the list ... this cycle seems to continue until the system locks up ...

     

    Oddly enough, since the two reboots after the attempted restores, the problem has not re-occurred ...

     

    The webcam no longer appears as an imaging device in the device manager

     

    So I guess I will just go into a holding pattern on this and see if the problem will stay away

     

    [did you somehow solve my problem by long distance magic?]

     

     

    thanks, from a mystified

    MikVi

     

     

  • mikvi
    mikvi Member Posts: 4 New User

    Hi again st3,

     

    Maybe I just misread the results screens on the two restore attempts.  I thought they said that no changes had been made, but ...

     

    thanks again,

    MikVi

  • st3ph3nnity
    st3ph3nnity Member Posts: 220 Enthusiast WiFi Icon

    Heh heh...Yup...it was my thought patterns through the ethersphere ! ...glad to know the problem hasn`t recurred so far.

  • mikvi
    mikvi Member Posts: 4 New User

    OOPS ...  Problem returned the next day ... have just been living with the inconvenience of a lockup or two a day and running part of the time in safe mode ... still looking for a solution ...

     

    MikVi

      

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