I have OpenSUSE LEAP 15.2 installed with all updates installed and can not get my webcam to work on my laptop. I’m using the latest version of Zoom but can’t send video, unfortunately. Does anyone know what might be causing the issue? Also what I need to look for to start diagnosing the issue? The laptop is quite old (from 2016 I think), so I would have expected the webcam to work without any problems.
Any help is appreciated.
Open a terminal and issue the following command:
sudo hwinfo --usb
and look for something like a webcam.
If nothing relevant shows up, try:
sudo hwinfo |grep -E "WebCam|webcam|video"
and look for anything relevant.
My wife and I are in the same boat as the OP. so I hope I am not hi-jacking the OP’s thread.
Neither of our Toshiba laptops with built in camera work. I tried the lsusb CLI and hardware info from command line and YaST.
It can’t be found, and I think it is because there are no drivers for it.
So I don’t think it is a USB camera.
Maybe someone knows where to look for kernel drivers for Toshiba laptop built in cameras?
AFAIK most webcams should show under usb, but anyway you can try the following:
bruno@LT_B:~> ls -l /dev/video*
crw-rw----+ 1 root video 81, 0 10 ago 10.32 /dev/video0
bruno@LT_B:~> sudo lsmod | grep uvc
[sudo] password for root:
uvcvideo 98304 0
videobuf2_vmalloc 16384 1 uvcvideo
videobuf2_v4l2 28672 1 uvcvideo
videobuf2_core 40960 2 uvcvideo,videobuf2_v4l2
videodev 196608 3 uvcvideo,videobuf2_core,videobuf2_v4l2
usbcore 290816 9 uvcvideo,usb_storage,ehci_hcd,xhci_pci,ath3k,btusb,uas,xhci_hcd,ehci_pci
bruno@LT_B:~>
If nothing shows up, maybe there are means to disable the webcam for privacy issues, something like Fn+F? (Fn+F12 works on some laptops) or other switches/covers on the lid.
If nothing like that, there is the possibility that the webcam wire is shorted, especially if the laptop has a few years of service with many lid open / lid close on its shoulders; if that is the case, maybe slightly closing the lid might establish a momentarily connection and allow the webcam to show up in system logs or even sort of work in a few defined lid positions.
I have an unresolved but similar problem. I have a desktop and laptop both running up-to-date Tumbleweed. I have a very old usb webcam. I plug the cam into the laptop and it works immediately. I plug it into the desktop and it fails to work saying “VLC is unable to open the MRL ‘v4l2://’. Check the log for details.” VLC works on the laptop. The commands recommended above all show the webcam on the desktop. So, even if recognized, the cam might not work.
Post from both and compare:
zypper se -si v4l
This is the return on both laptops show for that command.
ls -l /dev/video*
ls: cannot access '/dev/video*': No such file or directory
I will look into the lid thing, but my laptop is not used that much. But still could be a short(hoping not!)
If there is no directory for video, messing wit the kid will not be of help I think.
Incidentally, Win10, on my machine does not have ‘camera’ in the device manager, so your supposition may be right, BUT the mic’s work and it is on the same wiring strip from lid to mobo.
Also this does not indicate camera present
lsusb
Bus 004 Device 002: ID 8087:8000 Intel Corp.
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 8087:8008 Intel Corp.
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 8087:07dc Intel Corp.
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 046d:c52f Logitech, Inc. Unifying Receiver
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
From my laptop, I will get the other machine in a while’
S | Name | Type | Version | Arch | Repository
--+----------------+---------+------------------+--------+----------------
i | libv4l | package | 1.14.1-lp152.3.9 | x86_64 | Main Repository
i | libv4l1-0 | package | 1.14.1-lp152.3.9 | x86_64 | Main Repository
i | libv4l2-0 | package | 1.14.1-lp152.3.9 | x86_64 | Main Repository
i | libv4lconvert0 | package | 1.14.1-lp152.3.9 | x86_64 | Main Repository
I do know the lv42-utils are not installed.
This set is my wife’s laptop.
S | Name | Type | Version | Arch | Repository
--+----------------+---------+------------------+--------+----------------
i | libv4l | package | 1.14.1-lp151.2.5 | x86_64 | Main Repository
i | libv4l1-0 | package | 1.14.1-lp151.2.5 | x86_64 | Main Repository
i | libv4l2-0 | package | 1.14.1-lp151.2.5 | x86_64 | Main Repository
i | libv4lconvert0 | package | 1.14.1-lp151.2.5 | x86_64 | Main Repository
Yes hers is still on 15.1.
If there is no directory for video, either the webcam is not connected or disabled.
If the connecting strip got fractured, slightly closing the lid might temporarily re-establish the connection and allow the system to recognize the webcam.
I had a similar problem with a DVD drive whose strip had been pinched moving the tray, luckily enough during the warranty period so it was replaced for free.
I got the webcam in my laptop working. I had disabled it in the BIOS(UEFI){DUH!}.
Still a bit wonky and have to mess with the lid position to keep it working.
Sorry, I’m not on the machine now, but it ID’d as a Chicony USB webcam.
Looked in the Bios for my wife’s machine, and hers did not have a webcam setting(on/off).
But I did find that her machine is using CSM instead of UEFI.
I know if I change that to UEFI Win10 will no longer work. It was upgraded to Win10 before Leap Was installed from Win7.
I suppose win7 didn’t have a UEFI mode. DOn’t know.
So I will leave it alone for now.
I surely don’t want to mess up her being able to use Leap!
But that is a question for new thread.
Thanks to responders!
Does the “cheese” program work? It uses the camera. It works on 15 different makes of laptops for me - That is my test for camera working.
In MATE desktop it is under “Sound & Video” tab. I dislike KDE and Gnome so I don’t know where it is for those desktops.
That tells us that the connecting wire is somewhat damaged, but maybe you can find a position where it is stable enough.
Likely that was the reason why you disabled it.
Looked in the Bios for my wife’s machine, and hers did not have a webcam setting(on/off).
But I did find that her machine is using CSM instead of UEFI.
I know if I change that to UEFI Win10 will no longer work. It was upgraded to Win10 before Leap Was installed from Win7.
I suppose win7 didn’t have a UEFI mode. DOn’t know.
CSM is just a compatibility layer for non UEFI capable operating systems and should have no effect on peripheral settings, so there is no use for switching to UEFI mode.
Yes, Win7 as released did not have a UEFI mode and upgrade to Win10 kept that setting, although now you may be able to install from scratch in UEFI mode (but I don’t think it is worth the effort).
In Gnome hit the “Super” (Win) key and type Chee (or look in the first row of the applications list).
Depending on BIOS / UEFI firmware, webcam disable option might be under Security / I/O Security / USB Security or something like that.