Q: Why won't my stand alone iSight work with Lion?

My external iSights work with my Lion Macs (except a microphone problem: http://discussions.apple.com/thread/3342985)

I can suggest two reasons why your stand alone iSight might not work with Lion:

(1) Your old external iSight is showing its age and may need service.

Our (old) external Firewire iSights can be sensitive to dust, shock, vibration, humidity, and other environmental factors in storage.  (I store my spare in its original plastic shipping case with a new desiccant pack on a solid shelf - never in a desk drawer or other container that moves.)

In your circumstance, the easiest way to check your old iSight is to try it on a different Mac (or OS) to see if it works anywhere. 

You can also consider any of the following suggestions you have not tried (in any order you like):

• You can try Apple's suggestions from http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2090

Test in more than one user account and with more than one Apple softwre application.

If your iSight works with any app in any user account, the problem is in your software.

• My expanded suggestions here: http://www.ralphjohns.co.uk/EZJim/EZJimpage4.html

• If you mini does not have a Firewire 400 port, test with more than one 6pin - 9pin connection cable or adapter.

• Reset Firewire ports using the info from this old archived Apple article:

     http://web.archive.org/web/20090331211534/http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1317

• If you have no local Apple Authorized service Provider who can help you, other service options are here:

      http://www.apple.com/support/isight/service/

• Consider a new USB cam with current warranty such as one of these: http://www.mac-compatible-web-cam.com/

(2) Your Lion software may need repair or reinstallation.  Consider any of the following you have not tried:

• The easiest fix to try is to use your Mac's Disk Utility to repair permissions.  Then download and apply the latest Combo Update for your Mac OS:  http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1459

Repair permissions again immediately following the system restart that completes the Combo update.

• If the Combo Update does not correct the problem, and if you still want to try for possible software fixes, use Disk Utility in Lion Recovery to repair your disk.  Then test iSight again. 

• If the problem continues, you can decide whether you are willing to spend the time to completely reinstall Lion and again apply the Combo Update one more time.

• Reparing your Disk or properly applying the Combo version of updates can sometimes correct problems with software, but hardware problems require help from an Apple technician because there are no user serviceable parts for iSight.

Message was edited by: EZ Jim

Mac Pro Quad Core (Early09) 2.93Ghz OSX 10.7.2   24" LED Cinema Display
iPad2 iOS 5.0.1                               5th Gen AEBS
MBP 15" i7  (Early'11) OSX 10.7.2               External iSights
13" MBP (Mid'09) 2.26GHz OSX 10.7.2              iBook SE 366MHz OSX 10.3.9