BleepingComputer.com: "device can perform faster" message for inbuilt webcam!

Hi... I'm having the following problem recently. I get a message "this device can perform faster" and that I should disconnect it from the current USB port and connect it to a high speed USB port. But the device is the inbuilt webcam! This usually happens when I use skype. When I ignore the message buy closing it, my webcam stops working. This is pretty annoying. Even restarting the computer does not necessarily resolves it.

I have windows 7 Ultimate x64, HP compaq 6735s laptop with the latest webcam drivers installed, the latest version of skype installed (currently 5.5.117) and the latest BIOS version.

I think the problem started after I installed skype coz I have the computer 3 years now and it is only recently I am facing this issue. Any recommendations?

I would try uninstalling the USB controllers (not hubs, not devices) via Device Manager...and then rebooting.

Louis

hamluis, on 21 September 2011 - 07:31 PM, said:

Thank you Louis. I uninstalled the 2 enhanced and the 5 host USB controllers. This resulted in the un-installation of the 7 USB Root hubs, 1 USB composite device and 1 USB Input device, as well. They all reinstalled successfully on reboot.

At the moment I don't have someone to call on skype, but the webcam seems to work fine by itself and in skype's video settings, and no annoying messages yet. Let's cross fingers.

I will update as soon as I call someone on skype.

I'd like to ask if anyone could explain to me what are all these USB controllers and hubs I mention above. From all 7 USB Root hubs, only 2 seem to perform high speed the other 5 just full speed. I have 4 USB ports on my laptop. How do I know which is which?

I can't answer your question...but this system that I'm on also has 2 enhanced and 5 OpenHCD USB controllers reflected...so I would not worry about that.

Louis

Hi again. I tried to call via skype using the webcam, but it just went black. I didn't get the same message as before. The new message said that another program may be using the camera and I should turn it off (or something like that). Of course I was not running anything else. I also couldn't see the blue led-light that is on when the webcam is working.

I uninstalled skype and reinstalled it and managed to make the call using the webcam. It did went off one time but came back on. This was not the issue before. If the camera went off it stayed off (even if I exited skype) until I rebooted the laptop. So, that is a step forward! Hope I won't have any more issues. People have been complaining about skype 5.5, but then there is always someone to complain. Could it be a bug?

I'm not even sure it is (was) skype, but I haven't changed anything recently. Especially something related to video. I run the latest drivers on the computer.

I'll come back if the problem persists. Thank you Louis.

Well...I won't say "conflict" but files become damaged all the time...we only know about it when it catches our attention.

Watch it, if you have more problems, just post back here .

Louis

Same thing occurred again

I uninstalled skype 5.5 and went back to 4.2 (after this version the update takes place automatically). Everything seems to work fine. I used the webcam on 2 skype calls and I had no issues and no annoying messages. I will wait for the new skype version before I update. I suspect a bug or an incompatibility.

Note that the problem occurred only when running skype. Not with other software using the webcam (though I don't have many).

When I thought that the problem was fixed by installing the older skype version, it just happened again today. Strange. It was working fine all this time and I use skype with webcam everyday for hours. The most annoying thing is that after I get the message that my webcam can perform faster if connected to another USB, even if I ignore completely the message, without choosing yes or no, my camera gets disabled and it won't work till I restart my computer. How can this be possible?

What if I don't want it to perform faster? What can I do? Any ideas?

IME, the message that the device could perform faster...did not prevent the device from working. I ignored it often until I acquired a USB 2.0 controller card and then installed it in the system which I had at that time.

Louis

hamluis, on 30 September 2011 - 10:08 AM, said:

That's how it should be. In my case, when I ignore the message, the webcam gets disabled. The blue led-light, which indicates it's functioning, is on, but video is black. Even if I exit skype, the camera won't work for the other applications until I restart my computer. Pretty annoying.

I was wondering, could it be an issue of DisplayLink software. I may be completely out of subject coz I don't know what this software does, but is one of the very few things that I don't know why it is installed on my computer.

I was also thinking that it may contradict with another thing I have installed, that is called HP USB Docking Video (my laptop is an HP compaq). This software is a driver for the particular laptop model that is listed on the HP drivers page (for win7 x64). I don't know what is it for.

I tried to re-install it and I got a message that it is not supported on this OS version (win7 x64)and to visit displaylink.com for updated driver. However I have the latest displaylink software installed but then why is USB docking video software is also listed on my installed programs list? And how did it suddenly become unsupported for this OS and it wasn't when I first installed it?

Any ideas?