Dell built-in webcam doesn't work

[ml2]

I have a Dell XPS M1210 laptop with Intel integrated graphics. I have not been able to get the webcam to work on several versions of Ubuntu and on LinuxMint Bea, How can I try and do it?

[Uncle Bob]

You could try to see if it works if you install the Camorama Webcam Viewer. Go to Add/Remove Programs and it is listed under Graphics. Alternatively, search for "Camorama" in Synaptics.

[ml2]

Camorama says:
Could not connect to video device (/dev/video0). Please check connection.

[scorp123]

Please post the output of this shell command:

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sudo lspci

[ml2]

Please post the output of this shell command:

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sudo lspci

Here it is:
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/PM/GMS/940GML and 945GT Express Memory Controller Hub (rev 03)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03)
00:02.1 Display controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) High Definition Audio Controller (rev 01)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 1 (rev 01)
00:1c.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 2 (rev 01)
00:1c.3 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 4 (rev 01)
00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI #1 (rev 01)
00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI #2 (rev 01)
00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI #3 (rev 01)
00:1d.3 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI #4 (rev 01)
00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller (rev 01)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev e1)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801GBM (ICH7-M) LPC Interface Bridge (rev 01)
00:1f.2 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801GBM/GHM (ICH7 Family) Serial ATA Storage Controller IDE (rev 01)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) SMBus Controller (rev 01)
03:00.0 Ethernet controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4401-B0 100Base-TX (rev 02)
03:01.0 FireWire (IEEE 1394): Ricoh Co Ltd Unknown device 0832
03:01.1 Class 0805: Ricoh Co Ltd R5C822 SD/SDIO/MMC/MS/MSPro Host Adapter (rev 19)
03:01.2 System peripheral: Ricoh Co Ltd Unknown device 0843 (rev 01)
03:01.3 System peripheral: Ricoh Co Ltd R5C592 Memory Stick Bus Host Adapter (rev 0a)
03:01.4 System peripheral: Ricoh Co Ltd xD-Picture Card Controller (rev 05)
0c:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection (rev 02)

[scorp123]

Hmmm ... the web cam doesn't get listed there. Do you have more detailed specs about your Laptop? e.g. maybe a page from Dell somewhere somehow?

[Uncle Bob]

After a quick search on the dell Support website the windows driver for your laptop model can be found here, but I dunno how it can be made to be used in Linux.

Maybe a Linux Guru on the forum can come up with a possible solution?

[scorp123]

Maybe a Linux Guru on the forum can come up with a possible solution?

That link unfortunately doesn't tell us anything about the precise camera type or model .... OK, we know it's a Logitech ... but which type precisely? I had hoped for a more precise model name or something like that.

[ml2]

When I click the link named
View compatible systems and operating systems
on that page, it says that only Windowses are compatible. Where do you see the Linux drivers?
I will try and find the exact model of the camera from my Windows devices list.

[scorp123]

on that page, it says that only Windowses are compatible.

He was talking of the Windows drivers. Quote: "the windows driver for your laptop model can be found here"

Where do you see the Linux drivers?

In the kernel

I will try and find the exact model of the camera from my Windows devices list.

That would be a good idea! Any model name, type, number, whatever would help.

[Uncle Bob]

ml2, I searched the Dell website for the laptop model this thread is about.

I have a Dell XPS M1210 laptop with Intel integrated graphics. I have not been able to get the webcam to work...blah-blah-blah

The link I provided was for the WINDOWS driver for the build-in camera used on this particular laptop model. There are no other drivers for the camera, thus it has to be the only one that Dell uses. Unfortunately they do not supply more info about the camera apart from the fact that it is a Logitech. Search the Dell site yourself to confirm. Now, I do not know the difference between drivers used in Windows and that of Linux, but obviously there's a huge one.

That is why I said if a "guru" can take a look, maybe see if it is possible to convert/modify or whatever other technical term you want to use, and see if this driver can be adapted for Linux.

I can't be bothered to do a search now as I'm knackered and off to bed, but a while ago there was this thing doing the rounds (and it still does) that component manufacturers only need to supply technical info to the Linux community and the Linux developers will make drivers for free, or something along those lines...

Anyway, I could not help you with your dilemma, but it was worth a try, even if it was just a suggestion.

PS, give this a quick look.

[ml2]

Thank you.
I checked your link http://ubuntuforums.org/archive/index.php/t-13453.html and tried the driver with the command
./quickcam.sh
and later downloaded a much newer version of the same thing, and still got the same kind of output:

gcc version: gcc version 4.1.2 20060928 (prerelease) (Ubuntu 4.1.1-13ubuntu5)
gcc version: gcc version 4.1.2 20060928 (prerelease) (Ubuntu 4.1.1-13ubuntu5)
Make version: GNU Make 3.81
Linker version: GNU ld version 2.17 Debian GNU/Linux
Kernel compiler: gcc version 4.1.2 20060928 (prerelease) (Ubuntu 4.1.1-13ubuntu5)) #2 SMP Thu Feb 1 19:52:28 UTC 2007 (Ubuntu 2.6.17-11.35-generic
[!] Kernel compiler and gcc seem to be different versions.
Instead, they should be the same. If you have many compilers
installed, you can specify the correct one with command (in bash)
export CC=kgcc
before trying to install the driver. Replace kgcc with the command
required for compiling kernels (kgcc is often used in Red Hat systems).
WARNING: If you press Enter, I'll try to continue anyway,
but this probably will fail. You SHOULD press Ctrl+C now.
Press Ctrl+C to quit, Enter to continue --->

Are the gcc and kernel versions really different? And if they are, what can be done about it? Anyway, I tried to continue and got several other error messages and it didn't work.

[Uncle Bob]

ml2, I think you made a mistake in getting a Dell machine. Why do I say so? Well, let me tell you why. There is a worldwide conspiracy between the Big Evil One and Dell to hamper all all non-MS operating systems. If you open your machine up, you'll find that there's this mysterious little black chip somewhere on the circuitry. This little chip has two functions. The first function is a that of a countdown timer. It counts down the time until the end of the warranty period (plus 1 day) and once that is done, it will then randomly fry and/or corrupt a component on your machine, forcing you to buy another one seeing as you're now out of your warranty period.

The second function is that it constantly scans to see what OS is used, if it is non-MS; then it will randomly corrupt device drivers and make your life a living hell.

I got issued with a Dell Latitude D620 during the week, which I made dual-boot with mint within an hour of receiving it. (congrats to clem as this was very easy to perform). Anyway, on the Windows side Vista runs smoothly, the Aero crap is there, the wifi, BT and IR works good. However, on the Linux side, Beryl does not like my graphics, so no Beryl, I cannot get the wifi to work nor can I get the IR to work. I have not yet attempted to try BT yet. Currently I'm still trying IR. On another post I got some advice with IR, and when doing the test "sudo modprobe irda0 " it sees my phone as a Sony Ericsson but then I get all sorts of errors about missing drivers etc and I'm back to square one so I still cannot use it.

[RedJak]

ml2, I think you made a mistake in getting a Dell machine. Why do I say so? Well, let me tell you why. There is a worldwide conspiracy between the Big Evil One and Dell to hamper all all non-MS operating systems. If you open your machine up, you'll find that there's this mysterious little black chip somewhere on the circuitry. This little chip has two functions. The first function is a that of a countdown timer. It counts down the time until the end of the warranty period (plus 1 day) and once that is done, it will then randomly fry and/or corrupt a component on your machine, forcing you to buy another one seeing as you're now out of your warranty period.

The second function is that it constantly scans to see what OS is used, if it is non-MS; then it will randomly corrupt device drivers and make your life a living hell.

I got issued with a Dell Latitude D620 during the week, which I made dual-boot with mint within an hour of receiving it. (congrats to clem as this was very easy to perform). Anyway, on the Windows side Vista runs smoothly, the Aero crap is there, the wifi, BT and IR works good. However, on the Linux side, Beryl does not like my graphics, so no Beryl, I cannot get the wifi to work nor can I get the IR to work. I have not yet attempted to try BT yet. Currently I'm still trying IR. On another post I got some advice with IR, and when doing the test "sudo modprobe irda0 " it sees my phone as a Sony Ericsson but then I get all sorts of errors about missing drivers etc and I'm back to square one so I still cannot use it.

Uncle Bob, I think you may be right, except for the bit about the countdown timer... on second thought: You're exactly right. My Machine has bit the dust more times than I can count, but, with a bit of "Frankensteining", It works just fine. =]

I use a Dell Inspiron 9400 and I can remember the days I used it Without some POSIX OS (Various Linux Distros, Unix, Solaris, Plan9, etc.)..
...both of 'em.

On Windows, everything work(ed) satisfactorily: Wi-Fi, USB, Bluetooth (to a certain extent), Ethernet card (hey, I'm not used to M$ doing anything correctly), and 3D Graphics thanks to my ATi Mobility Radeon card.

On Linux, however, using even the most capable distros: Xubuntu, Mint, RedHat 7 (JUST KIDDING), I experience Very different results:
Wi-Fi: None. I blame the card: an Intel ProSet Wireless 3945 (notorious for lack of linux support)
Ethernet: Great
USB: Great
Graphics: Limited Performance. Perfect 2-D, no HW Acceleration

and as for Bluetooth Support: PERFECT. My Logitech Travel mouse would connect well to windows, but, if turned off, would take about 10 minutes of Trial-and-error, and the re-installation of Logitech SetPoint to get it going again.
In Mint and Ubuntu, I simply use hidd/hcitool.
Use

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hcitool scan

to find enabled devices' bluetooth addresses (i have my mouse's memorized now though), and then

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sudo hidd --connect 00:07:61:59:53:70

to connect.

hidd and hcitool should come pre-installed on the LiveCD, so BT support is already there.

ml2: check in the output of

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lsusb

and see if your camera is listed. I'm thinking it's probably just a Logitech Quickcam. If it is, then you might be able to get a driver from http://qce-ga.sourceforge.net/
The Driver(s) There work with

* Dexxa Webcam
* Labtec Webcam (old model)
* LegoCam
* Logitech QuickCam Express (old model)
* Logitech QuickCam Notebook (some models)
* Logitech QuickCam Web

Hope I could help.

-RedJak

[ml2]

My Dell has not been as awful as uncle Bob describes. Wifi works very well, and I'm mostly happy, and use it all the time, except when I need Microsoft Office for documents that OpenOffice has not understood correctly. That was the only reason for me to buy Windows, at all, not webcamera etc. So I will not be too unhappy about what you said about Dell .

Redjak, about the drivers you showed me:
I think these are the same drivers I wrote about in my last post. They either don't work or I have some conflict between different compilers that I don't understand myself. Please check my previous post in this thread if oyu think you might understand more.
I guess Logitech QuickCam Messenger might e different than "just Quickcam" that you referred to?

And the lsusb output:
Bus 005 Device 001: ID 0000:0000
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 0000:0000
Bus 003 Device 002: ID 046d:08c6 Logitech, Inc.
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 0000:0000
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 09da:001a A4 Tech Co., Ltd Wireless Mouse & RXM-15 Receiver
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 0000:0000
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 413c:8126 Dell Computer Corp.
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 0000:0000

[Uncle Bob]

ml2, don't take me seriously, it was all just a bit of <nudge, nudge, wink, wink> Afterall, using and supporting Dell (and HP) servers is what pays my bills at the end of the month

Anyway, hope you get your camera issues resolved.