XPS 9230 Cannot Detect Integrated Camera

This seems to be a frequent problem with Dell XPS systems. These posts across the Dell forum all describe similar, unresolved camera not detected issues:

• https://www.dell.com/community/XPS/LATITUDE-5501-Inbuilt-Camera-stopped-working-after-update-to/m-p/8371746#M107991
• https://www.dell.com/community/XPS/XPS-camera-suddenly-missing/m-p/8231191
• https://www.dell.com/community/XPS/camera-issue/m-p/8149655
• https://www.dell.com/community/XPS/Dell-xps-9500-camera-not-working/m-p/8291985
• https://www.dell.com/community/XPS/Dell-XPS13-7390-Camera-not-detected/m-p/8136949
• https://www.dell.com/community/XPS/Camera-not-found/m-p/7983297
• https://www.dell.com/community/XPS/XPS-15-9500-Camera-not-working/m-p/7613643
• https://www.dell.com/community/XPS/Dell-XPS-13-9370-camera-not-detected/m-p/7877920
• https://www.dell.com/community/XPS/XPS-15-7590-integrated-camera-not-working/m-p/7846463
• https://www.dell.com/community/XPS/Dell-xps-13-7390-2-1-camera-stopped-working/m-p/7730597
• https://www.dell.com/community/XPS/DELL-XPS-13-camera-is-not-working-with-error-code-0xA00F4271-lt/m-p/8127403
• https://www.dell.com/community/XPS/DELL-XPS-13-9360-Integrated-camera-is-not-working-properly/m-p/7576407
• https://www.dell.com/community/XPS/Dell-XPS-15-9560-Integrated-Camera-Doesn-t-Work/m-p/7687282
• https://www.dell.com/community/XPS/XPS-15-7590-Camera-Stopped-Workign/m-p/7580516
• https://www.dell.com/community/XPS/Dell-XPS-9370-camera-not-detected-How-to-install-the-Imaging/m-p/7402216
• https://www.dell.com/community/XPS/Integrated-Webcam-not-working-Windows-11/td-p/8108007/page/2
• https://www.dell.com/community/XPS/Dell-XPS-13-Sonix-Integrated-Webcam-Error-0xA00F4271/m-p/8213965
• https://www.dell.com/community/XPS/XPS-13-9305-webcam-error-0xA00F42A0/m-p/8349848

Hey, do you still have the issue?

If yes, I found a fix for it. I was basically having the same issue as you on my XPS 15 9500. I had basically tried all the solution listed, Including a clean install, but no fix.

However, then I formed my own solution using a mix and match of several other online solution.

What you have to do is go to your device manager:

- click on "Action"
- then choose "Add legacy hardware"
- then choose the option to manually select from list
- Scroll to and select "Imaging Devices"
- From the list select "SCSI scanner Device"

Now in your Device manger there will be imaging device listed and under it will be the scanner device with a yellow triangle on in. So you will now:

- Right click on the snanner device
- Select Update Driver 
- then "Browse my computer for drivers"
- then select the option to let you pick from a list
- untick the "Show compatible driver"
- Then under the manufacturer section, select "Generic"
- Then select "Generic 1394 Desktop Camera" (Yours might not have the same number as me but it's fine as long as it has the words Desktop Camera in its name)

Now your camera should show up. However, there is one more thing to do still. 

- Press "Window + R" on your keyboard
- Type "regedit" in the window that pops up and then press enter
- Go into the "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE" folder
- Then inside that folder look for the "SOFTWARE" folder
- Then inside that folder look for the "Microsoft" folder
- Then inside that folder look for the "Microsoft Media Foundation" folder
- Then inside that folder look for the "Platform" folder select it
- On the window to the right, right click in the empty space and selectnew
- Then select "DWORD (32-bit) Value"
- Name it "EnableFrameServerMode"
- Now right click the "EnableFrameServerMode" and select "modify"
- Set the data value to 0 (leave it as is if its already 0)
- Close everything and restart your system

This worked for me and hopefully should works for you too!

Ahmed,

Thank you for the reply. I did try your suggestion, however, it did not work for me. Of note for anyone else who may try it, I had to modify your regedit path slightly to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Media Foundation\Platform

and for good measure also added the DWORD to 

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows Media Foundation\Platform

I also purchased a "One time support Incident" ($129) from Dell to try to resolve the issue. After 3 frustrating hours online with a technician remoted into my desktop, I strongly do NOT recommend this service. The technician wanted to give up after trying fewer solutions than I tried myself, primarily relied on the Dell troubleshooting tool (which wasn't working initially and I had to force him to reinstall rather than give up without even trying), and ultimately claimed it was a hardware issue. I am confident they did not troubleshoot sufficiently to rule out a software issue. I did at least get a refund.

@tlbratt​

​Hey so turns out the previous solution didn't really fix anything the next day the laptop camera was back to the missing status. However, a few days back I re-did a clean install of Windows 11 and idk if this a new version or what it worked. At first the camera was not working then later I went into Settings >Privacy & Security > Windows security > App & browser control. Then under the Reputation-based protection section select Reputation-based protection settings and scroll to Potentially unwanted app and turn that off.

NEXT STEP IS TO BE DONE AFTER YOU HAVE TURNED OFF THE SETTING MENTIONED ABOVE!

Next go to Device Manager and scroll to Universal Serial Bus controllers you will see a device there with an error named something like " Unkown USB bla bla..." I don't remember the exact wording. However right click it then:

- Select Update Driver 
- then "Browse my computer for drivers"
- then select the option to let you pick from a list
- untick the "Show compatible driver"
- Then in the Standard USB Host Controllers section, scroll down to and select "USB Composite device"

Your camera should work now. However, note you might have to do the device manager step every time you restart. In my case sometimes It already works and sometimes I have to do the device manger thingy again. 

I'm sorry for the pervious reply. I got too excited and wrote the reply immediately without testing it for a longer duration and it stopped working the next day, My bad about that. However, I've tested this method for a week now and it seems to work without any problems every time. 

I keep replying and updating you cuz I face this issue myself and I know the amount of time I have wasted trying to fix it and the problems it causes. So, I feel your pain T_T.
So do let me know how it goes.