Preboot Hardware Diagnostics Do Not Detect Intel MIPI Cameras on Dell Laptops

The MIPI camera interface provides more bandwidth and better performance than USB for high-resolution imaging. However, the SupportAssist preboot diagnostic environment does not support the MIPI interface. Camera diagnostics for MIPI-equipped devices can only be run through the SupportAssist application within Windows.

Affected Platforms

The following Dell platforms may be equipped with MIPI cameras:

Latitude Series

Inspiron Series

Precision Series

XPS Series

Dell Pro Series

Symptoms

• You attempt to run SupportAssist preboot diagnostics (accessed by pressing F12 at startup and selecting Diagnostics, also called ePSA)
• No camera test option is listed in the preboot diagnostic menu
• The preboot diagnostic environment does not detect a camera at all
• You may be concerned that the camera hardware is missing or defective

Cause

The MIPI camera interface uses a different communication protocol than traditional USB webcams. The SupportAssist preboot onboard diagnostic environment was designed for USB-based cameras and does not support the MIPI interfacePreboot.

This is a design limitation of the preboot diagnostic tool, not a hardware defect.

How to Determine If Your Dell Laptop Has a MIPI Camera

Since some platforms offer multiple camera options, the most reliable way to confirm whether your specific computer has a MIPI camera is performing the following steps.

1. Go to Dell Support and enter your Service Tag
   NOTE: For information about finding your Service Tag, see the Dell Find your Service Tag or Serial Number library page.
2. Navigate to Drivers & Downloads
3. Look under the Camera category
4. Note the driver file name and compare it with the list below. If it does not match exactly but includes Intel 2D Imaging or Qualcomm MIPI, your device has a MIPI camera.
   • Intel 2D Imaging/MCU/Visual Sensing Controller Driver for Camera
   • Intel 2D Imaging/Vision/USB Bridge Driver for Camera
   • Intel 2D Imaging/USB IO/Vision Driver for Camera
   • Intel 2D Imaging/USB Bridge Driver for Camera
   • Intel 2D Imaging Driver for Camera
   • Intel 2D Imaging Driver
   • Qualcomm MIPI Camera Driver

Resolution: How to Verify Camera Functionality and Run Diagnostics

Since preboot diagnostics cannot test MIPI cameras, follow these steps to verify camera functionality and run diagnostics through Windows:

Step 1 — Ensure Correct Drivers Are Installed

Use one of the following methods to install or update all required drivers:

Dell SupportAssist:

1. Type SupportAssist in the Search box, and open the application.
   NOTE: If SupportAssist is not installed, download it from the SupportAssist for Home PCs information page. Administrative rights are required for installation.
2. On the Home tab, select Update software
3. Click Start.
4. Click View updates.
5. Select which updates you want, and click Install, follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation and restart your computer if prompted.

Manually install the following drivers in the order listed (for Intel based cameras):

1. Go to Dell Support and enter your Service Tag
   NOTE: For information about finding your Service Tag, see the Dell Find your Service Tag or Serial Number.
2. Navigate to Drivers & Downloads
3. Search for Intel Chipset Device Software, download and install it (a restart may be needed.)
4. Search for Intel Graphics or Arc Graphics Driver, download and install it (a restart may be needed.)
5. Search for Intel Integrated Sensor Solution Driver (Related to the Intel Visual Sensing Controller (Intel Clover Falls (CVF)) or User Presence Detection (UPD).), download and install it (a restart may be needed.)
6. Search for Intel Serial I/O Driver, download and install it (a restart may be needed.)
7. Search for Intel Management Engine Components Installer, download and install it (a restart may be needed.)
8. Search for Update to the latest version of the BIOS that is available, download and install it (a restart may be needed.)

Manually install the driver listed (for Qualcomm based cameras):

1. Go to Dell Support and enter your Service Tag
   NOTE: For information about finding your Service Tag, see the Dell Find your Service Tag or Serial Number.
2. Navigate to Drivers & Downloads
3. Search for Qualcomm MIPI Camera Driver, download and install it (a restart may be needed.)

Step 2 — Reboot and Check BIOS Settings

1. Reboot the computer
2. Press F2 during startup to enter the BIOS Setup
3. Navigate to the camera settings and ensure that the camera is enabled

Step 3 — Check the Physical Camera Shutter

If your laptop is equipped with a manual privacy shutter on the camera, ensure that the shutter is in the open positionPreboot.

Step 4 — Test the Camera in Windows

1. Open the Windows Camera application (search for "Camera" in the Start menu)
2. Verify that the camera displays a live image
3. If the camera works in the Windows Camera app, the hardware is functioning correctly

Step 5 — Run Camera Diagnostics in Dell SupportAssist (Windows Application)

If the camera is not working after completing Steps 1–4, run camera diagnostics using the Dell SupportAssist application within Windows.

1. Browse to the Dell Hardware Diagnostics - Camera Test. If SupportAssist is not installed, follow the prompts to install it
2. The diagnostic tests:
   • Camera detection.

Results Interpretation:

• Pass: The light on the webcam lit up, and an image showed on the screen.
• Fail: The light on the webcam did not light up and there was no image showing on the screen.

Quick Reference: Preboot vs. Windows Diagnostics for MIPI Cameras

Important Notes

• A hardware failure cannot be determined based only on preboot diagnostic results for systems with MIPI cameras. Preboot diagnostics are not designed to detect MIPI cameras.
• Driver installation order matters. MIPI cameras require multiple Intel drivers installed in a specific sequence. See the Dell Knowledge Base article Dell Laptop Camera Not Working in Teams, Zoom, and Windows Camera Application for detailed guidance.
• For resolving general camera issues, see our Camera Does Not Work in Windows: Laptop or USB Webcams library page.
• Custom corporate Operation Systems images may not include the correct MIPI camera drivers. If the camera does not work after reimaging, verify that the MIPI driver stack has been properly included in the image. For more information, see Dell Knowledge Base article Why MIPI Camera Drivers May Not Be Included in Custom Corporate Operating System Images on Dell Laptops.