This can happen due to various reasons but mostly because of a faulty webcam application or software or because of bad webcam drivers.
Resolution
Examine your webcam with a new webcam application (application other than what you are using now) i.e change your webcam application. (You may try with Yahoo Messenger, Skype, Windows Live Messenger, Quick play, Youcam, etc)
Check if your webcam functions with the newly installed webcam application.
If the webcam works well with the newly installed application, then the problem could be with the built _ in webcam application or with the one that you were using earlier.
Uninstall and reinstall your previous application (the one with which the webcam did not work). Check now, if the webcam works.
If not, you may have to use the one with which your webcam works.
If the webcam does not work any of the applications or software, then the problem could be with the corrupted webcam drivers.
Press and hold Windows Key and break key simultaneously.
In the System Properties window, select Hardware tab and click on Device Manager.
Click on _+_ sign next to Imaging Device and see if any yellow exclamation mark is present beside the webcam device, if it is present then it is a message that the devices is under bad condition.
The device may function even in this situation but even has a few chances for not functioning.
Now reinstall the webcam drivers from Recovery CDs or from the Recovery Partition in the notebook.
Just see if the webcam works.
If reinstallation of the drivers will not fix the problem, test the issue by reinstalling the new drivers from the webcam support link and if you are using the webcam application that came with your notebook then visit the notebook support website and in the drivers page you will be able to find the recently released drivers for that application.
After reinstalling or installing the new drivers check for the problem.
Also check if the Startup type of Windows Image Acquisition (WIA) service is set to Automatic, if not set it to Automatic. (WIA is the service that is required for running the webcam applications in the system).
You can do this from Services, click on Windows key and R simultaneously to open the Run window.
Type services.msc in Run window and click on OK.
Now in the Services windows, scroll down to Windows Image Acquisition (WIA) service and check its Startup type. If it is not Automatic, then double click on the service and set it as Automatic (beside Startup type) and click on _Start_ to start the service and click on Apply. Click OK.
Check if your webcam works now.
If the problem still persists, then the issue could be due to an internal webcam hardware problem.
Before concluding if the problem is related to hardware, you might have to perform some more troubleshooting steps.
Some of the notebook manufacturers provide diagnostic tools that you need to run to fix these issues and sometimes you might have to be online to perform these diagnostic tests.
If you are running Vista in your notebook, ensure that it is Vista Service Pack 1.
If not, upgrade to Vista Service Pack 1 since comes with a new webcam driver which is like a hotfix to the one in Vista.
You can upgrade from Vista to Vista Service Pack 1 from Microsoft website.
The webcam may not work even when your system resumes from Hibernation or Standby mode. This happens because most of the video applications could not adjust to the change in the Power State of the system.
To resolve this problem, restart your webcam.
If restarting will not resolve the problem then restart your computer which will resolve the issue.
The general procedures have been mentioned, there might me few more steps that have to be followed to isolate the problem. Please contact your support for this.
profile/Satya-Santhosh/129577>Satya Santhosh