At some point last year I became unable to use a webcam on my home PC and I don't know why. I think it may have had something to do with using a different account in Windows for school purposes, but I'm not sure. Now, there are permission issues that prevent me from using one, and I had essentially given up trying to figure it out after getting nowhere from reddit and articles relating to this. I'm hoping this forum can help.
Windows version 22H2.
Please edit your profile with ALL your hardware specs. It will help us to help you
System Specs - Fill in at Ten Forums
You never had access to the camera or it's recent?
Open Device Manager. Is there any yellow alerts of missing drivers?
I've added some specs, but I don't see how they're relevant to this issue so I'm not going to provide comprehensive information about every component. If any information about a component is needed I'll provide it.
I had access to the webcam. I used it for school on Teams a couple years ago. It's a Logitech C922 I think, if that's useful.
There's an issue with the NVidia High Definition Audio and NVidia USB Port Policy controller. This isn't surprising because I've reinstalled graphics drivers and accidentally installed the sound driver somewhat recently. The primary sound driver? is Realtek(R) Audio.
Open Device Manager. Is there any yellow alerts of missing drivers?
Is your Win 10 Home or Pro?
I wasn't able to use my camera. Later I found out it was a privacy setup on Win 11.
Wow this forum is annoying... it keeps logging me out.
There are the yellow alerts for those two things I mentioned, but no missing drivers. It's just a conflict apparently. Both have the message: "A driver (service) for this device has been disabled. An alternate driver may be providing this functionality. (Code 32)"
So I disabled both of them. Nothing has changed. I have Pro. By the way, I have set up Windows to be as restrictive as I could regarding privacy since I have no interest in MS knowing about my private information. I did this when I acquired the computer though and don't remember changing anything more recently. It's possible though. I don't recall what I may have changed. I have dug through privacy settings trying to look for the cause but haven't figured it out.
- - - Updated - - -
Ok I've been trying to figure this out again, and I think it might be that I'm not logged into my Microsoft account and maybe that's the only way to be able to change these privacy settings on the computer. So in the "Your info" section of settings I click on "sign in with a Microsoft account instead" as seen in the screenshot. The problem is, it eventually asks me for my "current Windows password" which is neither the password/PIN I currently use to log in or the password for my Microsoft account. I don't know this password, and I can't reset it or don't know how. I've been here before and I got stuck. So how do I reset this Windows password? Is this something I'm going to have to dig up from the original installation documentation or something?
I see you have Win 10 Pro. Is it possible you disabled the camera in Group Policy?
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...-528f7e730e591. Open command prompt with admin permission2. Execute these commands then restart the computerreg delete "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies" /freg delete "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\WindowsSelfHost" /freg delete "HKCU\Software\Policies" /freg delete "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Policies" /freg delete "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies" /freg delete "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsStore\WindowsUpdate" /freg delete "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\WindowsSelfHost" /freg delete "HKLM\Software\Policies" /freg delete "HKLM\Software\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Policies" /freg delete "HKLM\Software\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies" /freg delete "HKLM\Software\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsStore\WindowsUpdate" /f
Quote
