Microsoft KB Archive/933311

= Error message and the video preview does not appear when you start the LifeCam: &quot;Initialization error&quot; =

Article ID: 933311

Article Last Modified on 10/12/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft LifeCam NX-6000
 * Microsoft LifeCam NX-3000
 * Microsoft LifeCam VX-7000
 * Microsoft LifeCam VX-6000
 * Microsoft LifeCam VX-3000
 * Microsoft LifeCam VX-1000

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SYMPTOMS
When you start the Microsoft LifeCam, the video preview does not appear. Additionally, you receive the following error message:

Initialization error



Adjust the color depth
Turn the color depth for the video card down to medium (16 bit). To do this, follow the steps for the operating system that you are using.

Windows Vista

 * 1) Right-click the desktop, and then click Personalize.
 * 2) Click Display Settings.
 * 3) In the Colors box, click Medium (16 bit), and then click OK.

Microsoft Windows XP

 * 1) Right-click the desktop, and then click Properties.
 * 2) On the Settings tab in the Color quality box, click Medium (16 bit), and then click OK.

Reduce the screen resolution
To reduce the screen resolution, follow the steps for the operating system that you are using.

Windows Vista

 * 1) Right-click the desktop, and then click Personalize.
 * 2) Click Display Settings.
 * 3) Move the Resolution slider to 800 X 600.

Windows XP

 * 1) Right-click the desktop, and then click Properties.
 * 2) On the Settings tab, move the Screen resolution slider to 800 X 600.
 * 3) Click OK.

Verify that the LifeCam is installed correctly
To verify that the LifeCam is installed correctly, follow the steps for the operating system that you are using.

Windows Vista
 Click Start, and then click Computer. Double-click Microsoft LifeCam. If you see a preview from the camera, follow these steps:  Shut down the computer. Unplug the LifeCam. Plug the LifeCam into a different USB port.

Note If the device was plugged in to a secondary hub, unplug the device from the hub, and then plug the device directly into the root hub. Start the computer.

If you do not see Microsoft LifeCam, follow these steps:  Click System properties.</li> Under Tasks, click Device Manager.</li> Look in Imaging devices for a black exclamation point (!) on a yellow field next to a device. This exclamation point indicates that the device is in a problem state. Right-click the device, and then click Uninstall.</li> Restart the computer.</li></ol> </li></ol>

Windows XP
 Click Start, and then click My Computer.</li> Double-click Microsoft LifeCam. If you see a preview from the camera, follow these steps:  Shut down the computer.</li> Unplug the LifeCam.</li> Plug the LifeCam into a different USB port.

Note If the device was plugged in to a secondary hub, unplug the device from the hub, and then plug the device directly into the root hub.</li> Start the computer.</li></ol>

If you do not see Microsoft LifeCam, follow these steps:  Under System Tasks, click View system information.</li> On the Hardware tab, click Device Manager.</li> <li>Look in Imaging devices for a black exclamation point (!) on a yellow field next to a device. This exclamation point indicates that the device is in a problem state. Right-click the device, and then click Uninstall.</li> <li>Restart the computer.</li></ol> </li></ol>

Reduce the hardware acceleration setting
To determine whether there is an issue with the video adapter or the video driver, reduce the graphics hardware acceleration setting. To do this, follow the steps for the operating system that you are using.

Windows Vista
<ol> <li>Click Start, click Control Panel, click Appearance and Personalization, click Personalization, click Display Settings, and then click Advanced Settings.</li> <li>Click the Troubleshoot tab, and then click Change Settings.

If you are prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, type the password, or provide confirmation.</li> <li>Move the Hardware Acceleration slider to the left. The Hardware Acceleration setting should not be reduced to less than three notches from the right. The Hardware Acceleration setting should be the following:

Disable all DirectDraw and Direct3D accelerations, as well as all cursor and advanced drawing accelerations

If you reduce the Hardware Acceleration setting, you may experience more issues with video rendering.</li> <li>Click OK three times, and then close the window.</li></ol>

Windows XP
<ol> <li>Right-click the desktop, and then click Properties.</li> <li>Click the Settings tab, and then click Advanced.</li> <li>Click the Troubleshoot tab.</li> <li>Move the Hardware Acceleration slider to the left. The Hardware Acceleration setting should not be reduced to less than three notches from the right. The Hardware Acceleration setting should be the following:

'''Disable all cursor and advanced drawing accelerations. Use this setting to correct drawing problems'''

If you reduce the Hardware Acceleration setting, you may experience more issues with video rendering.</li> <li>Click OK, and then click Close.</li></ol>

Reduce the monitor redraw rate
To reduce the monitor redraw rate to 60 Hertz, follow the steps for the operating system that you are using.

Windows Vista

 * 1) Click Startvistastartbutton.jpg], click Control Panel, click Appearance and Personalization, click Personalization, click Display Settings, and then click Advanced Settings.
 * 2) On the Monitor tab in the Screen refresh rate list, select 60 Hertz.
 * 3) Click OK two times, and then close the window.

Windows XP

 * 1) Right-click the desktop, and then click Properties.
 * 2) Click the Settings tab, and then click Advanced.
 * 3) On the Monitor tab in the Screen refresh rate list, select 60 Hertz.
 * 4) Click OK, and then click Close.

Reduce the USB bandwidth

 * 1) Start the LifeCam.
 * 2) Click the small down arrow in the upper-right corner to access the menu, and then click Properties.
 * 3) Under Auto Mode Control to the right of USB Bandwidth, click to clear the AUTO check box.
 * 4) Drag the slide in USB Bandwidth left.
 * 5) Click OK.

Note You may have to experiment to find a setting that works well. If you adjust the slider too far to the left, the video will be choppy.

Update DirectX
To obtain the most current version of DirectX, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/directx/default.mspx

Update the video drivers

 * 1) Determine the manufacturer of the video driver. To do this, follow the steps in the &quot;Determine the manufacturer and the model of the video adapter&quot; section.
 * 2) Locate the manufacturer's Web site.
 * 3) Download and then install the latest video driver for your video adapter.

Determine the manufacturer and the model of the video adapter

 * 1) Open Device Manager. To do this in Windows XP and earlier versions, click Start, click Run, type devmgmt.msc, and then click OK.

To open Device Manager in Windows Vista, click Start, type devmgmt.msc in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.

If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password, or click Continue.
 * 1) Double-click Display adapters to expand the branch.
 * 2) Under the Display adapters branch, note the manufacturer and the model of the video adapter, and then click OK.

For information about how to contact your video adapter manufacturer, click the appropriate article number in the following list to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

65416 Hardware and software vendor contact information, A-K

60781 Hardware and software vendor contact information, L-P

60782 Hardware and software vendor contact information, Q-Z

Look for conflicting software
If the problem persists, there may be some conflicting software installed.

For more information about how to troubleshoot software conflict problems with the LifeCam, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

929087 The LifeCam does not work after you install the LifeCam software

Keywords: kberrmsg kbtshoot kbprb KB933311

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