# [SOLVED] Laptop Webcam Problem



## techgrlgamer (Mar 23, 2008)

I own a Dell Vostro 1500 laptop with Windows XP with an integrated webcam (not much info on the type, my invoice here simply says a "Dell Vostro 1500 Black cover camera").

Recently, my laptop's screen got smashed and it had to go in for repairs. The repair people said they were going to replace just the screen, not the black casing around it which included the integrated webcam, instead of replacing the whole top half of the laptop. So I would still have the webcam in it when I got it back.

Trying to fire up the webcam for the first time since it went in for repairs today, it won't let me start it up through MSN, and when I go to My Computer, where the device usually appears and I can doubleclick and start up it that way, it was completely missing. Going to Control Panel -> Hardware -> Scanners & Cameras, nothing shows up there either. I tried reinstalling the webcam CD, but nothing happened, and it says I need to plug-in a device before I can start using a webcam. Also, usually, every time I start my computer, the integrated webcam flashes a blue light as Windows is starting, I guess just to initialise the device, but that has not happened once since I got the laptop back.

How do I get my integrated webcam to work again and why isn't it showing up?

Is my integrated webcam actually smashed too inside my laptop, and how do I get it repaired/replaced?


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## TriggerFinger (Jan 30, 2008)

*Re: Laptop Webcam Problem*

Hi,

Well you can open it up and see if the connections for your webcam are ok. Get hold of the service manual for your model here. Info on how to remove/replace webcam should be there, showing you how it is connected. 

But since the repair shop opened it up to repair the LCD, it is best to return it to the repair shop; may be they missed something when they assembled back the top lid after replacing the LCD.


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## techgrlgamer (Mar 23, 2008)

*Re: Laptop Webcam Problem*

I can't appear to find the remove/replace webcam instructions from that link.... however I will open it up and take a look. At least then I can see if its a software problem or if there's actually a wire loose or maybe the actual webcam is damaged.


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## TriggerFinger (Jan 30, 2008)

*Re: Laptop Webcam Problem*



techgrlgamer said:


> I can't appear to find the remove/replace webcam instructions from that link.... however I will open it up and take a look. At least then I can see if its a software problem or if there's actually a wire loose or maybe the actual webcam is damaged.


it is under the topic DISPLAY.. of course you have to read on the preparation and other topics, etc. because they may be required if you want to remove the display.

See below: item #2 is the camera cable as per the manual.


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## techgrlgamer (Mar 23, 2008)

*Re: Laptop Webcam Problem*

Thanks so very much for your reply! I opened up the laptop and the camera/microphone cable was not plugged into to the camera/microphone connecter. The repair people must not have plugged it in when they replaced the screen.

The only problem now is that the hinge cover will now not shut completely. But at least its cosmetic. The webcam is now working. If you know how I can shut the hinge properly... I followed the instructions but the right edge of the flap just won't clip into place. It looks like the right screw to screw down the keyboard is pushing it up, preventing it from snapping into place.... but I tried screwing it down as hard as I could and it won't go any further. I also tried putting it in again several times in case the screw was misaligned.


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## TriggerFinger (Jan 30, 2008)

*Re: Laptop Webcam Problem*



techgrlgamer said:


> Thanks so very much for your reply! I opened up the laptop and the camera/microphone cable was not plugged into to the camera/microphone connecter. The repair people must not have plugged it in when they replaced the screen.
> 
> The only problem now is that the hinge cover will now not shut completely. But at least its cosmetic. The webcam is now working. If you know how I can shut the hinge properly... I followed the instructions but the right edge of the flap just won't clip into place. It looks like the right screw to screw down the keyboard is pushing it up, preventing it from snapping into place.... but I tried screwing it down as hard as I could and it won't go any further. I also tried putting it in again several times in case the screw was misaligned.


remove the keyboard and the lcd assembly again. check for cables that are not in place. some cable should go under the base bezel. if these cables somehow not in their 'right' position, they could cause the misalignment on the other parts that go above them. also take note of the screws that you use, some of them may be smaller than the others, you might have used the longer screws where the smaller screws should go... LCD and keyboard screws can get mixed up pretty good. most of the time they only differ in length.

post back if you find something why it is not aligned.


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## techgrlgamer (Mar 23, 2008)

*Re: Laptop Webcam Problem*

Well, no way to be sure, but we think the screws were misaligned when we first tried to screw it back up, and thus the holes got stripped and so we couldn't get the screws to screw in all the way after that, no matter how hard we tried. So, we unscrewed two of the smaller screws which were on the back, swapped them with the slightly longer screws... used the shorter ones to secure the keyboard and put the longer ones where we'd taken the short ones from.... all absolutely fine, the short screws went right in, and the hinge cover snapped into place all fine.

Thanks so much for your help!


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## TriggerFinger (Jan 30, 2008)

*Re: Laptop Webcam Problem*

so no issues now? everything's OK even the alignment?


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## techgrlgamer (Mar 23, 2008)

Yes, its all solved now.


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