[SOLVED] Driver issue with integrated webcam. Uninstalled webcam and now I can’t reinstall

[blbassit]

I have an Acer V15-591G laptop. When I recently updated windows 10 my integrated webcam suddenly stopped working. I had used it often until this point. It displayed the “we can’t find your camera 0xA00F4244 error”.

When I went to device manager I had to view the camera by clicking “show hidden devices”. I don’t remember it ever being hidden but I guess I don’t
The camera was greyed out and gave me the code 45 hardware device is not connected.

So I did what I thought was logical and uninstalled it. After scanning for hardware changes and restarting the computer the camera is no longer in device manager. I figured Windows would install it again automatically.

I went to the acer website to download the integrated webcam driver and I cannot find one for this model. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Before uninstalling I did check my privacy settings with the camera, for windows updates and driver updates but no luck.

 

[gardenman]

Hi, go into Control Panel / Troubleshooting / Hardware and Sound. Click Configure. See if that installs a different driver that is required.
Source: https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/370189/acer-v-15-nitro-vn7-webcam-not-working

 

[blbassit]

Hi, go into Control Panel / Troubleshooting / Hardware and Sound. Click Configure. See if that installs a different driver that is required.
Source: https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/370189/acer-v-15-nitro-vn7-webcam-not-working

Unfortunately the troubleshooter didn’t detect any issues. I noticed that webcam isn’t even one of the “hardware and sound” options to troubleshoot but still did it for each item listed.

 

[gardenman]

You said the driver is hidden in Device Manager. Have you tried to uninstall it in Device Manager then restart Windows to reinstall it? Be prepared with another copy of the driver to install if needed beforehand.

Reference:
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...-manager/374572b3-0001-47c6-99ea-16f30fd5776b

Also recheck the Privacy setting since Windows Updates can reset them (and ask you again) when it's a major update.

 

[blbassit]

You said the driver is hidden in Device Manager. Have you tried to uninstall it in Device Manager then restart Windows to reinstall it? Be prepared with another copy of the driver to install if needed beforehand.

Reference:
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...-manager/374572b3-0001-47c6-99ea-16f30fd5776b

Also recheck the Privacy setting since Windows Updates can reset them (and ask you again) when it's a major update.

So that’s where I went wrong. I already uninstalled the driver when I found the webcam hidden and it was giving the not found error...thinking it would just reinstall or I’d find it again on the Acer website. It did not reinstall upon restart and the Acer website doesn’t have the driver (something I should’ve checked before hand).

Acer allows you to search for drivers by serial number or model on their website. I searched by both and the 20 or so drivers listed didn’t include an integrated webcam.

 

[Colif]

webcam driver listed in this post - https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/564210/aspire-v15-nitro-vn7-591g-webcam-is-not-working

 

[blbassit]

webcam driver listed in this post - https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/564210/aspire-v15-nitro-vn7-591g-webcam-is-not-working

Thanks for the input. I did find that post searching around and received the same errors identified in the post. Basically the intel driver stated nothing was found and the post ends with asking if the computer is still under warranty. I also am not sure my Aspire has the same integrated webcam as the Nitro version.

maybe I should try resetting the computer or rolling back windows updates. I think the window update caused the initial issue but I doubt rolling back the updates will magically install the integrated camera.

 

[Colif]

it doesn't help that if I search for your model i don't find an Acer site for it. it keeps going to VN15-591G. I know it existed though - https://laptopmedia.com/series/acer-aspire-v15-v5-591g/

what is difference between yours and the ntiro? Google search seems to think they are the same thing. Even when I specifically search for one, it shows the other.

there is no win 8.1 webcam driver on that Nitro website either which makes me think its meant to use a windows driver.

Did you try booting into a Ubuntu Live USB to see if the Webcam still works?

I was just trying to help

 

[Colif]

I think I know what problem was, I was looking for wrong character combo
https://www.acer.com/ac/en/GB/content/support-product/6456 is that your model? NO webcam drivers there either. i suspect windows is meant to have drivers for webcam.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-au/help/13753/windows-10-camera-does-not-work

grumbles at fact half the websites with help on fixing webcams only want to sell you something.

can you right click start
choose run...
type winver
and press enter

Curious what version number of win 10 you are on. Might give me something to look at

The drivers I find on download sites that are dubious in nature show drivers work for XP all way to win 10. I find that hard to believe, and suspect the drivers are from a previous version of windows and supposedly win 10 drivers. It is possible that support for webcam drivers was removed by Microsoft in recent update. If Acer had not supplied them to MS for signatures and approval to work with win 10, the drivers may not work now.

 

[firedown31]

Same problem as the OP here. While googling I had already gone through all the steps mentioned here, and even been on the site mentioned in post number 6 in an attempt to install those drivers. Nothing has worked to get this webcam to start. My windows 10 version is "Version 2004 (OS Build 19041.572)".