windows cannot connect to my webcam

The message tells me that another programme may be using my webcam,when I in
fact there is nothing else running.Please help,urgent.

Usually this error is due to a driver issue as opposed to another program actually taking the
camera over (although that is a possibility).

So you might want to check to see if there are new drivers available from the webcam
manufacturer. Or you might even want to try another application with your contact if it's
really urgent (like Skype or something).

Thank you for getting back to me,actually I do have Skype I should have told
you that.I should also tell you that I can see and hear others but they can
only hear me.Forgive my ignorance but what did you mean by "new drivers
available from the webcam manufacturer" how do I achieve this?
Best regards.

[Growltigger1]

Hi, I have a similar problem. What is confusing me is that the cam worked fine on Windows Live Messenegr 2008, but it upgraded tro the 2009 version and the cam stopped working. it works fine in skype, yahoo and camfrog, just not Windows Live Messenger anymore. I have even updated the drivers. Advise please? Thanks Derek

There problem is not unheard of.

You have two major options. The first is to uninstall 2009 and use 2008 instead.

The second, if you'd prefer to continue to use 2009, is to use some webcam software which
will essentially proxy your webcam driver. One good free one is ManyCam
After you have manycam working, run the Audio and video setup wizard by opening up any
Messenger window, pressing the Alt key on the keyboard, choosing the Tools menu, then Audio
and video setup. Go through the wizard and when prompted, choose ManyCam as the webcam. You
should be good to go after that.

I too have this problem. I have an IBM Thinkcentre, XP Pro SP3 & a Swann USB
2710 Webcam.

The Webcam has always worked fine with previous versions of Messenger but
following the 'upgrade' to Live when I try to run the setup from Messenger
Live the Webcam LED flashes briefly then the message says "cannot connect to
this webcam, close programs that may be using it", etc yada yada.

Now the thing is it still works just fine with Skype and with it's own
Capture software so I know the Camera is good and I have the latest drivers,
latest system BIOS, latest Windows updates.

It seems whenever Microsoft make something better... well you know the rest.
Just look at Vista.

So here's the thing, I'd love to go back to good old MSN Messenger, but
there's no uninstall for Live Messenger in add/remove programs so it looks
like I may have to remove ALL Live components, which may not actually be a
bad thing but what a lot of work to fix something that MS broke in the first
place.

Why can't MS learn, "If it ain't broken, don't fix it"

If anyone stumbles on a solution for this problem please post it here.