HT2090: How to Troubleshoot iSight
Learn about How to Troubleshoot iSight
Q: External iSight camera quit working after upgrade.
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Feb 13, 2013 8:08 AMby EZ Jim,HelpfulRestart your Mac and troubleshoot using http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2090 suggestions.
Be sure to test more than one Apple app in more than one user account. Do NOT use the "Guest" account for this test. If you do not have more than one user account for the testing, create a new one now. (A "Standard" account is all you need for testing.)
If your trouble persists, when you post back here tell us:
(1) what version of OS X you use.
(You can find this with your Mac's > About This Mac menu command.)
(2) Whether the "upgrade" you mean was an OS X upgrade, an iOS upgrade, or both,
(3) whether your external iSight works with Apple apps like Photo Booth, iMovie, etc.
If not, confirm that the symptoms are EXACTLY the same in every user account.
We will offer more specific suggestions based on the details you provide in your response.
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Feb 13, 2013 11:56 AMby johnbrassfield,I'm running an iMac with 10.7.5. My external iSight camera no longer works. In the System Information> Hardware> Firewire, it shows as an unknown device. This camera has worked fine for several years. I took this Mac to Apple to get the hard disk replaced under their recall program. While there I had them do an OS upgrade which I had already downloaded but not installed. Everything seemed to be fine until I tried to use the external iSight camera. No green light. I have tried iChat, PhotoBooth, Skype, Facetime, and iMovie. No luck with any of these programs. I did a disk permissions repair, restarted the computer, and did permissions repair again. No luck. I powered down the Mac, unplugged it for 30 seconds, plugged it back in, powered up. No luck. The camera is warm to the touch so I believe the cable is fine.
I'm looking for a solution that doesn't involve a reinstall of the software. That's laden with potential problems and doesn't make a lot of sense. Anyone have any ideas, I have worn out the discussion boards, tried a lot of things to no avail. The fact that System Information shows the camera as an unrecognized device is the key and the problem is at that level. Thanks. JB
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Feb 19, 2013 2:59 PMby EZ Jim,johnbrassfield wrote: ... looking for a solution that doesn't involve a reinstall of the software. That...doesn't make a lot of sense. Anyone have any ideas...
You have tried several good things. With all you have done, and with your iSight not being recognized as a Firewire device in your Mac's System Information, I understand why you feel you have eliminated software as a possible cause of your trouble. That leaves only hardware possibilities.
Here are the hardware alternatives I can offer.
Consider any you have not tried in any order you like:
(1) In addition to Apple's article, consider my expanded troubleshooting suggestions at http://www.ralphjohns.co.uk/EZJim/EZJimpage4.html.
Be certain you are NOT chaining your iSight when testing.
Testing with a different Mac an connectors can help find whether the problem is in the iSight itself.
(2) Reset Firewire ports using the info from this old archived Apple article: http://web.archive.org/web/20090331211534/http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1317
(3) If you iMac does not have a Firewire 400 port, test with more than one 6pin - 9pin connection cable or adapter.
(4) If you have no local Apple Authorized service Provider who can service your iSight, other service options are here: http://www.apple.com/support/isight/service/
(5) Replace your non-working Firewire iSight with a new USB cam with current warranty such as one listed here: http://www.mac-compatible-web-cam.com/
