Webcam drivers for everex

[biggest]

About 15 months ago, I inherited an Everex StepNote NC1502 Laptop with Vista Home Basic. Because it ran so slow, even after RAM upgrades, my IT guy swapped out the OS to XP Pro. Now it really flies. Everex is long out of business, so no tech support. I bought a UVC-class Dynex Web-1C (Creative Labs) webcam brand-new from Best Buy. When I insert the supplied software disc it autoloads, but doesn't prompt me to plug in the webcam. When I gave up waiting for the prompt and connected it anyway, XP shut down or crashed. Best Buy's Geek Squad got the same results, and claimed my StepNote "has incompatible USB 1.1 ports," ignoring their own spiel that the Dynex would work with 1.1 or 2.0; Both the StepNote reviews and its User Guide and say there are three USB 2.0 ports.

Should an Operating System shut down upon plugging-in a UVC-class webcam to ANY kind of USB port (whether or not software has been downloaded)? Aren't they supposed to be Plug & Play? They are supposed to work with Macs without software downloads.

Curiously, after removing the disc and uninstalling the program and repeating the process with a new Logitech Webcam Pro 9000 (also supposedly UVC-class) I bought to upgrade the Dynex, thus far, its installation disc (which claims to be for the older QuickCam 9000, not the newer Webcam Pro 9000) also doesn't prompt plugging-in the webcam. Now I don't dare try!

Could certain "drivers" (not included on the webcam installation disc) have been omitted when the XP Pro replaced the Vista Home Basic? If so, what kind?

Or is it a hardware problem?

HELP!!

 

[Guest]

Very early USB ports (perhaps USB 1.0, I forget) are not compatible -- so the Geeks were half right.

The solution if you have a PCMCIA slot is to add a card with modern USB sockets.

 

[biggest]

Thank you for your interest and rapid response.

Late last night, I discovered the Retrevo website, where I read the read a copy
d the original User's Manual for the NC 1502. The 1502 Laptop lacks a PCMIA slot, but it does have three USB 2.0 ports. Obsolete USB may be a problem for aome laptops, but not this one.

The question remains, "When changing oerating systems (OS) from Vista Home Basic to XP Professional, what type of drivers (if any) need to be pre-installed for a webcam software autoload to be successful?

 

[Guest]

See if you can identify the chipsets used in your laptop which will cover the USB facility. In the absence of a website for Everex go to the chipset maker's site and look for general purpose drivers for your model of chipset.

Your Windows XP will need Service Pack 2 or SP3 updates, check in Windows, Control Panel, System.