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Q: Macbook Pro Facetime HD Issues

On Photobooth and iChat, they both say there "There is no camera connected". I know this is a common issue because it happens all the time on my older iMac, but a simple restart is all that is needed to bring it back. When i restarted may Macbook Pro, it didnt come back. So I did a SMU restart, then a PRAM restart, and neither worked.

 

When I was looking around for how to fix it, I saw someone gave the tip to look under System Profiler and see if it was there. So I looked under USB and boom, there it was. Facetime HD Camera (Built-in) under USB High-speed Bus. I'm assuming it's a good thing that the thing is physically connected to the computer, but I was wondering how can I fix it so that the applciations will actually use it? I've looked all over and couldnt find a scenario where the System Profiler picked it up, but none of the special restarts fixed the issue.

 

Does anyone know how to fix this?

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.4), Bought around May 20, 2011

Posted on Jun 10, 2012 7:58 PM

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Q: Macbook Pro Facetime HD Issues

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  • by EZ Jim,Solvedanswer

    EZ Jim EZ Jim Jun 11, 2012 8:40 AM in response to apicariello
    Level 7 (22,547 points)
    Jun 11, 2012 8:40 AM in response to apicariello

    Welcome to Discussions, apicariello

     

    Thanks for the detailed description of your problem and the good things you have already tried.  Here are the possible alternatives I can offer.  One of them will get your Mac working properly.  (If you don't have time for all these steps, you can skip directly to the end.  An Apple Authorized Service Provider can find and fix your problem as quickly as is humanly possible.)

     

    (A) Double check that you followed all of Apple's http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2090 suggestions and used the correct SMC/PMU "reset" procedure for your particular MBP model: model with a battery you should not remove on your own

     

    Be sure to test more than one Apple app in more than one user account.  Don't use the "Guest" account for this.  If your Mac only has one "non-guest" account, create a new user account for testing.

     

    (Apple has changed the built-in camera's name on newer Macs from "iSight" to "FaceTime" and then to "FaceTime HD."  Regardless of the name of your built-in camera, the same info and troubleshooting applies.)

     

    (B) If your problem continues, apply the 10.7.4 Combo Update although you are already running 10.7.4.  Here is the method I use to apply any Combo Update:

     

    • Use your Mac's Disk Utility to repair permissions

     

    • Then download and apply the Combo Update:

        http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1524

     

    • Repair permissions again immediately following the system restart

       that completes the Combo update.

     

    Properly applying the Combo version of updates can sometimes correct software problems that might be causing your new MBP's trouble.

     

    (C) If your problem continues, especially if you migrated your MBP from an older Mac, and especially from an older Mac that had the camera problem you describe above, you may have system software problem or third-party (non-Apple) software addition conflict. 

     

    If you have ever used any third-party software, follow the developers' instructions and uninstalled all you have added.  Then restart your Mac and test the camera again.

     

    If the problem continues after uninstalling, or if you have never added any third-party software to this or any Mac that has been migrated forward to this Mac, I suggest a clean install of your MBP's system.  If you need help with a clean re-install, here is how I do it on my Macs:

     

    (1) Unless you already have one, make a current backup.

     

    (2) Then reinstall all your Mac software after a "secure erase" of your startup disk. 

         If you have never done this, here is how:

     

    • Boot your Mac via Lion Recovery and use its Disk Utility to securely erase (zero) your startup disk(This can take hours for large disks, so plan some time.)  Writing zeros once is sufficient.

     

    Reinstall Mac OS X Lion.

     

    • Use the  > About This Mac menu command to check the version.

     

    • If it is not already at 10.7.4, download and apply the 10.7.4 Lion Combo Update as above

     

    Next, use your Mac's (not Lion Recovery's) Disk Utility to repair permissions.

     

    Now use your Mac's  > Software Update... menu command to check for an install any other necessary Apple software updates.

     

    Use your Mac's (not Lion Recovery's) Disk Utility to repair permissions again if you installed any additional Apple Updates.

     

    Do not reinstall any third party items at this time.  Third party items can be either hardware (mouse, keyboard, A/V interface, etc.,) or software (including Microsoft Office or Exchange, plug-ins such as Perian, Flip4Mac, etc.)

     

    Using the http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2090 suggestions, test whether your camera works consistentlyIf the problem still exists now, or if it returns in any of the further steps I suggest below, yours is almost certainly an intermittent hardware problem that requires AASP service.

     

    • If your camera now works properly with the HT2090 Troubleshooting tests, you can add necessary third-party hardware. Add only one item at a time. Test each addition thoroughly and check whether your camera still works before adding the next item. Thorough testing between additions will help you determine if one or more of your third party items is causing a conflict with your your camera or some of its OS X system software components.

     

    • If your your camera is still working properly, you can now reinstall additional, necessary software applications.  Again, add only one item at a time.

     

    Reinstall additional software from the original disks or download filesDo NOT migrate or copy the software from any of your backups because non-original copies may contain the damaged item that is causing your camera problem.

     

    Start with the Apple apps that are not a part of OS X (such as iLife.)   These Apple apps should not cause any problem, but it is wise to verify that your camera works with each one after you reinstall those Apple apps but before you begin adding any other necessary third-party software apps (if any.)

     

    • Check every addition to be sure they are not installing "login items" that may be launching software when you restart your Mac. You can add the startup item back if desired AFTER you are certain that an item is NOT part of your camera problem.

     

    • Do not copy your data files back until you have tested all the individual additions of apps and third-party items.

     

    (D) After you have eliminated possible third-party software conflicts with a clean OS X reinstall, if the problem continues on your MBP, I would suspect an intermittent hardware issue.  There are no user serviceable parts of iSight.  For hardware help, contact an Apple-Authorized Service Provider for service.

     

    Any intermittent problem like yours can be very difficult to diagnose, but your Apple Authorized Service Technician (AASP) has all the special tools, test equipment, and technical data necessary to find the problem as quickly as humanly possible.  Because intermittent problems are not reliably repeatable, they can be difficult to find, so make a backup and expect to leave your Mac with the AASP.

     

     

    Message was edited by: EZ Jim

     

     

    Mac OSX 10.7.4