Windows 10: My laptop USED to have a webcam... Compaq CQ56 102SA

My laptop USED to have a built-in webcam that worked!
That is, until the latest Windows 10 update.
I am sure I used it about a month ago.
I have tried downloading the driver, because the webcam does not even appear in Device Manager.
According to HP website is could be one of two devices, using either CyberLink driver or Media Smart driver.
Well it's neither because neither install worked, although I couldn't find the driver per se but I assume it would have been bundled in with the software (bloatware?!) I downloaded from the recommended HP website.
There are no settings in the BIOS either to "Enable Webcam" as I read suggested on the HP Forum.
Currently running F.18 bios but not sure if there may be an update, couldn't find any info on that.

:)

 

Windows 10 Start Menu problems.

I have been using Windows 10 on my Compaq CQ56 102SA for nearly a week with no problems but today, suddenly, when I tried to restart I got the Critical Error Message - Cortana (which I apparently can't access anyway) and the Start Menu not working. I can
no longer access the start menu button or indeed anything else except the shutdown button so I can't attempt any form of recovery e.g. Safe Mode. Where do I go from here?

 

Win 10 upgrade

I am running a Compaq CQ56-115DX laptop.

 

HP supports Windows 7 as latest, apparently.

- nothing under Imaging Devices?

When I've had trouble with a missing driver, and purely as an exceptional case, I've had success with
DriverMax

(2 free a day with the free version).
Worth trying.

HP Products Tested with Windows 10 | HP® Customer Support

 

If you have a HP notebook with a webcam then HP should have a driver on its website.
In device manager it is usually located under Imaging devices.
On the HP web site HP Software and Driver Downloads for HP Printers, Laptops, Desktops and More | HP® Customer Support
enter your product number or serial number and select the operating system.
The drivers should populate.
Click on expand all and look for: HP Universal Camera Driver
Let us know if you you were able to find the download.
If you do not see a driver for windows 10 you can modify the operating system back to 8.1 or 7 and see if one of those driver will work on your configuration now.

 

HP comments thus: (albeit this relates to older OS's, there being nothing for '10 for this laptop)

HP Notebook PCs - Fixing Webcam After Changing the Operating System | HP® Customer Support

 

Thanks Guys, I will check out a few of these tips.
However I am sure the webcam used to work, after the 10 upgrade, until 1-3 months ago.
Nothing under imaging devices.
In fact Imaging Devices not even listed in Device Manager.

 

"According to HP website is could be one of two devices, using either CyberLink driver ..."

I have 3 HP laptops and they ALL have Cyberlink Youcam software that you have to install before you can update the driver. The software is part of the OEM 'bloatware' that came with the orig factory install. As a quick test, open the Win10 Camera app and see, right away, if a webcam is detected.

If not, and you did not make a recovery drive or have the orig HP install DVD's, then here's a site that has archived links to all versions of Youcam from HP servers with the orig sp exe nos. All of mine have version 5 installed (all orig 8 or 8.1) and if you use Device Manager after the software install you may find a patch update for this version (let Windows Update find it). Do not know if version 6 works but if nothing's broken, I don't need it. I downloaded Youcam 5 as a test and it matches my archived version to the kb. Be sure to read the install instructions at end of article - https://www.raymond.cc/blog/install-...dows-computer/

Good Luck and post feedback

 

Thanks mrgeek I will check this out.

EDIT: I just remembered I already downloaded the 'trial' version of YouCam from the Cyberlink website and it did not make my built in webcam work again.
*cry

 

"already downloaded the 'trial' version of YouCam from the Cyberlink website and it did not make my built in webcam work again."

The HP Youcam package is HP driver specific. It's easy enough to install and uninstall, if it doesn't work. Did the Store Camera app open anything ?

 

Hi again, I tried to download and install You Cam from mrgeek's link but the same thing happened, it says no webcam installed.
I definitely have a webcam installed, it was working a few weeks ago before the latest Windows 10 update.

 

What happens when you try to turn on the webcam with the Win10 Store 'Camera' app from Start menu ? Does the camera light turn on ?
The next steps I would take would be to disable your antivirus and firewall, if you have 3rd party. It may be denying camera access permissions. If that works, check your antivirus/firewall settings.
Next, in Device Manager, under the 'Action' tab, try the 'Scan for hardware changes' option. Also, under the 'View' tab, try 'Show hidden devices' to see if webcam is detected. Lastly, use Windows Update in the Action Center to see if it will install a generic driver.
If all this fails and you do not have HP recovery drive or install discs, try a Repair/upgrade reinstall of Windows 10, as described here - Repair Install Windows 10 with an In-place Upgrade
Will take little over an hour to have a clean, new copy of Windows 10, probably less time than you've spent already (assuming you're 10 Creator), using Step 4 and 'Download tool now' from this link in Step 4A - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/soft...load/windows10 electing to keep your files and programs.

 

PS; update your 'My computer' specs. They do not correlate to the HP laptop you're talking about and your thread title mentions a Compaq ?

 

Hi,
Please do try DriverMax as I suggested near the beginning. Free. At this stage you've nothing much to lose.

Also try downloading and running Piriform's Speccy to see if it shows your camera and what type it is.



It's shown here under Peripherals.

 

Okay thanks Guys.
I tried most of the things suggested.
I even tried dism/..... restorehealth and sfc /scannow
It found problems and fixed them, but not the webcam.
Speccy does not list the webcam under peripherals.
Its not my anti virus, I tried disabling that and opening the cam app.
I think my only option is to "roll back" Windows 10 to windows 7.
The cam definitely worked in 7.
EDIT:
Whats the deal with 10 Creator? I never heard of this before.