G700 - Camera light always on, no Imaging Device in Device Manager. Camera app won't start.

[keithyd]

The post title says it all ... most of the time my webcam light is on and when I try to use the Camera app in Windows 10, it says sorry there's a fault and to make sure no other app is using the camera. Well, I'm not using anything else. (As I've been writing this the light has gone out and I've tried to run Camera, but got the same warning.)

When I go to Device Manager to see if I can update the driver or do something, I find no entry for an Imaging Device or anything else that might look like a camera.

Does this suggest that the Camera is not installed properly, or at all? And if so, where do I go to download the relevant software? The laptop is a G700, core i5 with NVidia Gforce and Windows 10, completely up to date.

Thanks

Mod's Edit: System model added to front of Subject line to improve visibility / clarity.

[maxima10]

In the device manger go the "View" Pull-down menu and select "show hidden devices".

The if the camera is recignized it should show up on the list.

I would also down-load the camera driver from this site and install the driver again.

The drivers might already be on your computer in a folder called "drivers"

manually run the exe file again and see it that helps.

Normally if the camera is recognized and has no driver you will see "unknown device" with "?" mark.

[Majestic]

Welcome to the Lenovo Community keithyd !

The Lenovo File Library for your model offers two camera drivers.  The first is the native Microsoft driver that is built into Windows 10 and the second is the HD camera driver.  I would use the HD driver.

Microsoft driver.....

http://support.lenovo.com/us/en/products/laptops-and-netbooks/lenovo-g-series-laptops/lenovo-g700-no...

HD driver....

http://support.lenovo.com/us/en/products/laptops-and-netbooks/lenovo-g-series-laptops/lenovo-g700-no...

[keithyd]

Hi - and thanks for the quick response. I've downloaded the driver as you suggested, the HD one, and it's installed but the Camera app still won't work. The camera light has gone off (that's intermittent anyway, but is on more often than off) but I get the same message from the Camera app: "Something went wrong. Make sure that your camera is connected and is not being used by another app."

If I use Task Manager to look at the processes, could you tell me which process is likely to be one using the camera? Tough call, I know, but when the camera runs, presumably there's a single process associated with it ... ?

Thanks for your help.

[Majestic]

I'm not an owner of your model, but in viewing Task Manager on my Yoga 900 it is showing Camera in the listing when the camera is active.

Is the camera or an unknown device being shown in Windows Device Manager as Maxima10 had inquired?

[keithyd]

No, nothing shows in Device Manager or Task Manager. And I can't get the Camera to run in the first place - it gives the error message I reported in my previous post. 

I really don't understand it because the camera just doesn't seem to exist! I have YouCam available under a Lenovo folder in the Apps list, but when I click that the app starts but I get a warning - No webcam detected, etc ... It's as if it's not physically there, but it must be a software issue because I've used it before and, as I said, the camera light comes on most of the time.

Again, thanks for the help.

[Majestic]

I am assuming that Windows 10 was installed when you purchased it?   Have you consider doing a One Key Recovery to return your computer back to it's original condition when you first purchased it?  The downside to doing a recovery is that you will need to back up any data you wish to keep as the hard drive will be reformatted.  You will also have to re-install any programs that you now use and do all the Windows Updates again.   Your model's User Guide will explain how to do the One Key Recover.  Here is a link to that guide for your reference......

http://www.lenovo.com/shop/americas/content/user_guides/g710_ug_en.pdf

By doing the recovery will help rule out the operating system as the cause of the problem.  If the problem remains after then it is most likely hardware related.

[keithyd]

Nope, sorry - it came with Windows 8 and I upgraded to 8.1 and then 10. I'm at as loss and it sounds as though you are too. Shame.

Keith

[Majestic]

I'm thinking the problem might be related to hardware, but you can't rule out an issue with the operating system at this point especially if the problem occurred after the Windows 10 upgrade.  Sorry I don't have a definite answer. 

I am assuming that your warranty coverage has expired?  If not, I would contact Lenovo Support for warranty assistance. 

Lenovo Support - U.K.

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