Webcam Blue Screen

kendrik578 · #1 (**permalink**) 01-03-2012, 03:51 PM

Iv got a webcam issue that is irritating the hell out of me. To begin with, its an Asus K50IJ laptop, running windows 7 64 bit.

When ever the webcam comes on, i get a quick blue screen and the computer restarts. I have updated the driver to the latest one from Asus and it works until i turn the computer off and back on again and turn the webcam on and il get it again. It seems to work after i roll back the driver or update it, until i turn the computer off again, then its back to its same blue screen.

Is there any workaround to the problem? I tried getting support from Asus bu all they want me to do is a system recovery and i don't have anything backed up right now and dont feel like losing it all.

Thanks!!

Thayne · #2 (**permalink**) 01-03-2012, 04:28 PM

If you installed 64 bit win 7 and the Asus didn't originally come with 64 bit, then that is probably the root of the problem. I have had a multitude of driver problems with the 64 bit versions of both vista & win 7. Unless you have some important (good) reason to run 64 bit, I would wait until you have a good reason. I tried it because I thought the video-HDMI stuff I use would run better-faster- + I liked the idea of the operating system using all of the memory installed.
WRONG--nothing but problems and some of them are really weird. Just my .02

Went back to 32 bit win 7 and all is well.

kendrik578 · #3 (**permalink**) 01-03-2012, 04:29 PM

Everything that i have now came with the unit. I have made no changes, i don't know why its all of a sudden giving blue screen.

bezking · #4 (**permalink**) 01-03-2012, 05:13 PM

What is the error that's causing the BSOD? It's displayed on-screen, IT_SHOULD_LOOK_LIKE_THIS.

kendrik578 · #5 (**permalink**) 01-03-2012, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bezking

What is the error that's causing the BSOD? It's displayed on-screen, IT_SHOULD_LOOK_LIKE_THIS.

It does not stay on long enough to see. Its literally about a half second of blue screen then it restarts.

lgentle · #6 (**permalink**) 01-03-2012, 05:53 PM

Blue Screen View

Blue screen of death (STOP error) information in dump files.

kendrik578 · #7 (**permalink**) 01-03-2012, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lgentle

Blue Screen View

Blue screen of death (STOP error) information in dump files.

Thanks!!

kendrik578 · #8 (**permalink**) 01-03-2012, 06:05 PM

I went to the actual website to download the updated driver instead of using the update driver software in the device manager. It seems to work for right now so we'll see what happens.

kendrik578 · #9 (**permalink**) 01-05-2012, 09:04 PM

Well i was blue screen free on up until tonight, back to the same ol mess.

I tried setting the computer up to create debugging info for crashes but when i choose "small memory dump (256mb)" and go to click save, it will not save, therefor i can not see what error its giving. Any help is greatly appreciated.

OCO · #10 (**permalink**) 01-05-2012, 09:45 PM

Just to make sure - have you seen this FAQ on how to select the correct driver for your K501J? There are at least three different drivers, depending on camera model...
Stone age solution, but I've used a camcorder to capture those 1/2 second BSODs....

kendrik578 · #11 (**permalink**) 01-05-2012, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OCO

Just to make sure - have you seen this FAQ on how to select the correct driver for your K501J? There are at least three different drivers, depending on camera model...
Stone age solution, but I've used a camcorder to capture those 1/2 second BSODs....

Yea and i compared all that and got the right one. I even went to the specific page for my specific computer where it has the right driver. When I uninstall the driver and reinstall it works, thats what i did the last time and it work fine on up until tonight.

OCO · #12 (**permalink**) 01-05-2012, 10:54 PM

I've been having a problem with the USB serial driver that Uniden supplies (one of the demo programs seems to corrupt the settings)... Any way, rather than just reinstall the driver, I resorted to totally removing the device from device manager and telling the system to remove the drivers from the system, then reinstalling the driver and letting Win 7 rediscover the hardware... The problem is probably not with your webcam driver itself, but device settings that are corrupt (probably in the registry) . What is corrupting the settings is the real question....The software you are starting up to trigger the camera may be the issue. I use Skype and found that to be particularly buggy as far as camera control..

kendrik578 · #13 (**permalink**) 01-06-2012, 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OCO

I've been having a problem with the USB serial driver that Uniden supplies (one of the demo programs seems to corrupt the settings)... Any way, rather than just reinstall the driver, I resorted to totally removing the device from device manager and telling the system to remove the drivers from the system, then reinstalling the driver and letting Win 7 rediscover the hardware... The problem is probably not with your webcam driver itself, but device settings that are corrupt (probably in the registry) . What is corrupting the settings is the real question....The software you are starting up to trigger the camera may be the issue. I use Skype and found that to be particularly buggy as far as camera control..

Now the problem is..trying to locate whats causing it. There is a virtual cam that came preinstalled (Asus Virtual Cam). I'm wondering if that might have something to do with it?

Thanks!!

OCO · #14 (**permalink**) 01-06-2012, 09:47 AM

Are you actually starting something up that uses the camera or is it firing off by itself (maybe from startup).?

kendrik578 · #15 (**permalink**) 01-06-2012, 09:49 AM

When ever i start any program that turns the camera on.

CapStar362 · #16 (**permalink**) 01-06-2012, 10:15 AM

sounds like your having a issue with the camera drivers. did you try BSV? ( Blue Screen Viewer ) yet? its a very simple program to setup and shows you what we need to see for the Error Code.

in the future you can disable the Automatic Restart on System Failure and it will show you the BSOD code until you power down your system and do a cold reboot.

START > "Right Click" - My Computer > Properties > Advanced > Start up and Recovery Section "Settings"> System Failure Section "Un-Check" Automatically Restart > OK/Apply

now you will have the Blue Screen displayed until you manually restart your machine.

OCO · #17 (**permalink**) 01-06-2012, 10:26 AM

I'm mulling things over ... Back to my example, I had to repeatedly go through the driver reload, test a suspected program ,then another one to see if the driver was now hosed. I finally found the combination which caused the problem (baud rate was getting set too low for the demo remote control program to work right). I don't know if you can do that or not. I do know that Googling "blue screens on webcam startup" produced lots of reading material, but I couldn't find anything positive for you. I'll keep looking (I absolutely hate doing a rebuild of a system as a cure for this kind of problem, but possibly a "repair" might be considered to check the system files.

Good point, Cap......

kendrik578 · #18 (**permalink**) 01-06-2012, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CapStar362

sounds like your having a issue with the camera drivers. did you try BSV? ( Blue Screen Viewer ) yet? its a very simple program to setup and shows you what we need to see for the Error Code.

in the future you can disable the Automatic Restart on System Failure and it will show you the BSOD code until you power down your system and do a cold reboot.

START > "Right Click" - My Computer > Properties > Advanced > Start up and Recovery Section "Settings"> System Failure Section "Un-Check" Automatically Restart > OK/Apply

now you will have the Blue Screen displayed until you manually restart your machine.

I tried that program, but for some reason in the system the option for creating mini dump files and disabling auto restart were not staying when i click "Save". I went back and uninstalled the drivers and reinstalled and its working for now but i know it will F*** up again.

Il be honest i really dont use the cam that much but i cant stand something not working right.

CapStar362 · #19 (**permalink**) 01-06-2012, 05:04 PM

you dont create minidump, you only need to read them.

click the Advanced button, and select your windows folder, then it will automatically load the BSOD data

now for the Disabling thing to not be working.... thats odd, you might have a corrupted or damaged Windows Installation

which BSOD Viewer do you have? is it from NIRSOFT? www.nirsoft.net

nvm that, it is the right one. but try what i said this time and see if you can read the dump files

kendrik578 · #20 (**permalink**) 01-06-2012, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CapStar362

you dont create minidump, you only need to read them.

click the Advanced button, and select your windows folder, then it will automatically load the BSOD data

now for the Disabling thing to not be working.... thats odd, you might have a corrupted or damaged Windows Installation

which BSOD Viewer do you have? is it from NIRSOFT? www.nirsoft.net

You have to check the option of "small memory dump (256kb)" before the program reads it. The problem is that option is not saving when i check it. Options above that and any other options save just fine.