[SOLVED] Camera quit working (no device found)

Was working on kernel 5.15.85, which I’ve been running on for months. I did a brief stint with 6.0, but never used the camera. Tested against 6.1, but am back on 5.15.85.

The microphone doesn’t use the same driver as the camera, so the fact that it’s also failing seems an indication of a hardware or cable problem.

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I would contact Framework support at this point. It seems your webcam module MIGHT be kaput.

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maybe you could try reinstalling the old bios to see if that fixes it first, but I agree with 2disbetter

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This could be a hardware issue, however, let’s check a few things first. Let’s tackle this using an approach I’ve found to be reliable at determining if the device is genuinely detected or not. Some of this may be already attempted, but please reply back with the output for each regardless. Trust me on this.

Check modules again, past output

sudo lsmod | grep uvc

If it is showing modules loaded (uvcvideo)…

Install and use these tools - may already be installed.

v4l-utils ffmpeg

What is the output of:

v4l2-ctl --list-devices

If a webcam is showing, let’s test this outside of Cheese. Note, the framerate is going to be terrible, but that’s fine, we’re just looking for motion and an picture.

ffplay /dev/video0

If this doesn’t work, try video1 instead. Cheese is not a great means of troubleshooting webcams. The above approach, is a far better software testing suite.

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@Matt_Hartley Thanks for weighing in! It’s nice to have a linux guru on hand.

sudo lsmod | grep uvc shows no results.

$ v4l2-ctl --list-devices

Cannot open device /dev/video0, exiting.
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Thank you! :slight_smile:

Yeah, this sounds like the hardware for the cutoff may be “off” the rails somewhere.

Before we go down the hardware route, triple check those same commands with an Ubuntu 22.10 ISO on USB. You can actually install v4l-utils ffmpeg on the live ISO and run the test again.

Same result?

From there, let’s check the connections inside the laptop?

Start here at Step 11:

And if you feel comfortable, this guide as well.

We just want to make sure these connections look good. If they do, then it’s worth opening a ticket with support and letting them know the Linux Support Lead has determined based on testing the installed distro, a live distro and checking connections physically that the camera appears to have gone bad.

Thanks Matt. I already removed and re-installed the webcam module. It looks like the most relevant step in the mainboard replacement is to check the webcam cable. When I have a bit of time, I’ll take a look at it.

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@Matt_Hartley

I opened up the laptop and checked the webcam connection to the mainboard. It looks fine (I disconnected and reconnected it). But I noticed that the webcam module cable is frayed where it runs across the hinge into the display. If that’s the case, it’s not the webcam module, but the cable that’s the problem.

Ooof, yeah, this needs to be a support ticket for sure to get that replaced.

Mystery solved. So while this is an ongoing thing as a ticket needs to be opened to resolve this hardware issue, we have a cause and a solution (replacement).

Marking this solved. If you need anything else on this thread, just reply to it. But the cause and solution are addressed.

Thanks Matt. I opened the ticket. At the support team’s request I was able to get a better photo and can see there’s a complete break in the cable. I suspect it abraided as the hinge opened and closed.

@nrp Looking at the way the cables run through the hinge into the display, I wonder if FW will be seeing more of this sort of problem as the laptops age. Some sort of grommet or sleeve around the cables where they cross the hinge might not be a bad idea.

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Working with support on this.

I just installed the new CNC display (and added 4kg hinges while at it), but the system still isn’t detecting the camera or microphone. At this point, I would suspect it’s either (1) the webcam module or (2) the connector to the mainboard, most likely the webcam module. I’m continuing with the support ticket I opened earlier, so we’ll see what the tech team has to say.

The CNC lid’s nice, and I really like the new hinges. After a year, the display finally stays exactly where I put it!

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@Richard_Tango-Lowy Thanks for the update. Yes, please keep working with support as this is a hardware issue.

New webcam module on the way…

and the webcam and microphone are working again!

Thank you, Matt. And the support team was very helpful.

Made my day to hear that! :slight_smile: Delighted to hear the good news.

Hi, Im having the same problem. How and where can I get the new webcam module and also how would I install it ?
I’ll appreciate your help.

OS: Ubuntu 20.04
Kernel: 5.15.0-107-generic

You can buy it on the Marketplace: Framework | Framework Marketplace | Parts

I’m also having the same issue. I went through all the troubleshooting steps with Support already (I’m also Linux), but when going through the step of removing and reseating the webcam connection, I found these loose pieces near the webcam module, which seems to imply a hardware issue. Anyone ever see anything like this? Given my Framework 13 was purchased less than a month ago, would this be considered a warranty item? Here’s what I found:

Yes a warranty is an option but contact support as soon as possible. warranty is for at least a year.

However it may not actually be a ‘problem’ They may be just freebees that you can embed in resin or throw away.

So contact support to find out what they are :smiley:

Thanks @amoun, I actually did that first (last week), went through the recommended steps, but they’ve been radio silent this week. So I thought getting more eyes could possibly get an answer sooner.

Yes support responses can be slow, very slow and some just get lost. Hope they get back to you soon.

Take care.

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